F1 writer's journey from 'fake' reports to new book
A Formula 1 journalist who admits to once writing fictional match reports as a child has released a new book.
Nate Saunders, from Colchester, has been flying out to races across the world for ESPN since 2015, rubbing shoulders with the sport's biggest names.
His book - Forza Ferrari: How F1's Most Famous Team Can Win Again - questions whether the Italian outfit can return to the winning podium.
The 35-year-old said he had a "new-found appreciation" for what it took to write a book.
He has had his microphone ready in Melbourne this weekend, where the chequered flag has signalled the start of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
- Norris beats Verstappen in dramatic Australia opener
- 'Copybook victory as Norris and McLaren come through chaos unscathed'
- Hamilton's first Ferrari race 'a big crash course'
Saunders told BBC Essex: "I was never great at sports but I loved writing about them, so I always wrote these match reports when I was young - they were fake match reports - about England winning the World Cup or Ferrari winning the championship.
"I was always the hero that was winning in them, which looking back now, looks quite big-headed obviously."
Saunders was sports editor at his university paper in Reading, before working freelance and then joining ESPN in 2014.
He has since built up a rapport with key figures across the paddock, receiving praise for his writing from former Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo and ex-Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.
Saunders said he hoped Forza Ferrari would provide unique insight for diehard fans, and an overview of the team's history for anyone new to the sport.
Ferrari has not won the drivers' championship since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, and before that, Michael Schumacher.
"[The book] dives into the story of the modern team; some of the missed opportunities," he said.
He said the writing process took place on "a lot of cramped, dingy flights" and admitted he "spent a lot more of Christmas" working on it than he should have.
With Lewis Hamilton having joined the Maranello team for this season, Saunders said this championship "feels so much bigger".
Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
- 'No Hamilton fairytale as Norris and McLaren deliver on potential'
- Norris takes Melbourne pole with Hamilton eighth
- 'Bearman already marked out as potentially a special one'
-
The Book Report: Washington Post critic Ron Charles (March 9)
The "Sunday Morning" book reviewer offers his picks for the best new titles among fiction and non-fiction releases.CBS News - Mar. 9 -
F1 swearing ban: Why can’t drivers swear over team radio and will they be suspended from races?
The controversial new rules have irked a number of drivers after Max Verstappen’s penalty last yearYahoo Sports - 1d -
Annual report reveals most polluted cities around the world
The countries with the worst air quality included Bangladesh and India, according to an annual report from IQAir.CBS News - 5d -
New restrictions on helicopters near DC following midair collision
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced changes to air space rules around Washington’s DCA airport following a preliminary report from the NTSB on the midair collision over the Potomac ...NBC News - 5d -
Motorsports Isn’t Just a Man’s World Anymore
Driving history is littered with sons of famous fathers following in dad’s footsteps. Now F1 Academy driver Lia Block is making a name for herself.The New York Times - Mar. 9 -
Reporter Notebook: What does curiosity sound like?
Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov said, "The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'" John Dickerson explains how ...CBS News - 6d -
Ducks, once a conservation bright spot, are now declining in the US, new report shows
A new report says at least 112 North American bird species have lost more than half their populations in the past 50 yearsABC News - 3d -
From sleeping in doorways to reporting on homelessness: the journalist chronicling an American crisis
Kevin Fagan, who spent decades at the San Francisco Chronicle, argues in a new book that ‘atrociously unforgivable’ US poverty must be addressed. The veteran journalist Kevin Fagan spent decades ...The Guardian - 3d -
‘A computer’s joke, on us’: writers respond to the short story written by AI
Sam Altman, the OpenAI boss, has declared its new model ‘good at creative writing’. We asked writers including Tracy Chevalier, Kamila Shamsie and David Baddiel if they agree. This week has seen ...The Guardian - 2d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
How Louisville and Kentucky basketball experience compare to recent NCAA Tournament teams
Louisville and Kentucky basketball are top-10 in KenPom's experience rankings. How do they compare to successful NCAA Tournament teams of years past?Yahoo Sports - 15m -
Auburn basketball’s first round opponent revealed ahead of 2025 NCAA Tournament
Auburn basketball will face either Alabama State or St. Francis in March Madness to open its 2025 NCAA Tournament men’s bracket.Yahoo Sports - 11h -
Best 2025 March Madness bracket names to use in NCAA Tournament pools
Filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket is only half the fun. Here are some bracket names to help get you started.Yahoo Sports - 11h -
Katelyn Young scores 34 as Murray State powers past Belmont 83-62 to win Missouri Valley title
Katelyn Young scored 34 points to help power Murray State to its first Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship by beating Belmont 83-62 on Sunday. Young surpassed 3,000 career points ...Yahoo Sports - 13h -
Revealed: Arsenal & Liverpool want €50m winger, he’s open to transfer this summer
Arsenal and Liverpool are among the clubs keen on the potential transfer of Lyon wonderkid winger Malick Fofana this summer.Sources with a close understanding of the situation have informed ...Yahoo Sports - 3d
More in Sports
-
Source: Pulisic in talks over new AC Milan deal
United States national team star Christian Pulisic is in negotiations with AC Milan over a new contract, a source has told ESPN.ESPN - 1h -
NCAA Tournament 2025 bracket: Proven simulation predicts surprising upsets, March Madness picks, sleepers
When does the March Madness 2025 schedule start, and when are 2025 NCAA Tournament brackets due? The 2025 March Madness bracket begins on Thursday, March 20CBS Sports - 2h -
Lunardi: The one big thing the selection committee got wrong
After genuinely consistent selections in the NET era, the committee's decision to include both Texas and North Carolina has stumped our resident Bracketologist.ESPN - 2h -
Your guide to all 68 teams in the men’s NCAA tournament
The bracket is set, here's everything you need to know about the competitors for this year's national title.ESPN - 2h -
It's bracket time: Make your picks for the men's tournament
The bracket is set. Here's everything you need to know about the competitors for this year's national title.ESPN - 2h