First Principles chronicles the life of Keith Duckworth OBE, the remarkable engineer famous for being co-founder of Cosworth Engineering and creating the most successful F1 engine of all time, the DFV. Although the company's engines are given due prominence, this isn’t an intricate technical examination of their design, but a more rounded look at the life and work of their designer – work which included significant contributions to aviation, motorcycling, and powerboating.
The names 'Keith Duckworth' and 'DFV' are practically synonymous, such is the reputation of the famous F1 racing engine which he designed.
Whilst there are books covering the technical aspects of the DFV engine, and other designs from Cosworth, the company which he founded with Mike Costin, there are many gaps in the story of Duckworth's career, before and after Cosworth. This book comprehensively fills those gaps, taking the reader into the world of Britain's finest 20th century engineers.
It was a world consisting of far more than motorsport, embracing an astonishing variety of mechnical devices, including aircraft, boats, and motorcycles – particularly Triumph, for whom he was a consultant during his retirement.
A man of strong convictions and high integrity, Keith Duckworth OBE cared passionately about his work, fitting almost every aspect of his life around it. His northern industrial roots, the ups and downs of his personal life, his health problems, and his generous support of charities and business start-ups, combine to create the story of one of motorsport's – and engineering's – most endearing and enduring characters.
Available now! First Principles – The Official Biography of Keith Duckworth by Norman Burr. Foreword by Sir Jackie Stewart OBE.
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