Book Review: When Sex Was Safe (and Motor Racing Bloody Dangerous)

If striking-images and compelling stories of motorsports history interests you, Automobilist’s book, “When Sex Was Safe (and Motor Racing Bloody Dangerous)” is a required purchase. 

For Jan Rambousek and Petr Milerski, running a successful ad agency out of Prague, Czech Republic wasn’t enough. Working with clients and automakers was enjoyable but confining and hardly fulfilling. 

Their desired focus lay in making a difference. Tying that with their passion for motorsports would be tricky. By utilizing their technical innovations with blind determination to forgo the short-term, they create truly unique and inspiring creations. 

“Our mission is to re-energize inspiring stories – bringing cars and characters back to life – by using modern technology to create premium large-scale prints,” says Rambousek. “We want both present and future generations to be able to experience history like never before.”

Each hyper-realistic composite image gives an endless amount of detail to scour over. Each section shares perspectives from the designers and contributors covering the concept, the execution and challenges they faced in painstakingly reconstructing these beautiful moments in time. 

The 21 scenes span from the 1930’s to the early 1970’s and total more than 250 pages. Some of the events include: the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and the 24 Hours Le Mans. There is a heavy emphasis on the 1930’s and the incredible stories surrounding the Mercedes Silver Arrows legacy; coincidentally a inclusion of Automobilist’s founders first project.

You can purchase a copy of the book through the company’s website for a paltry sum of only $91. For the size, weight and content it’s a steal that would suit any automotive enthusiasts library or coffee table.