We chat with author Lizzy Dent about Drive Me Crazy, which sees sparks fly when an up-and-coming team principle and her new hot-shot driver—and former childhood crush—are forced to work together to save their careers and team in this deliciously winning Formula 1 romance.
Hi, Lizzy! In your own words, tell us what Drive Me Crazy is about.
Drive Me Crazy is set in the high-stakes, drama-fueled world of Formula 1. It kicks off with Chloe, a newly appointed female team principal handed the impossible task of reviving a failing, ragtag team. On the same day, she’s lumped with a surprise gift: Matt Warner, her childhood crush and a troubled but brilliant driver who will be her new number one. There’s tension on the track, heat off it, and sparks flying in all the wrong places. Think Drive to Survive… with shagging.
This is your first foray into the Formula 1 (F1)/sports romance subgenre. What inspired you to write this story?
My time working at Red Bull was an absolute catalyst for my love of F1. Before I started there, I’d watched a few races over the years. I went to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with CNN and had spent time working on a film shoot with World Champion driver (and major hottie) Jenson Button, but nothing prepared me for the excitement of working for Red Bull at the height of F1’s rise in popularity. I developed content around Motorsport, and it was there I got deep into the backgrounds of the teams, how they work, and what, literally, drives them. After race weekend, everyone would gravitate around the kitchen for a debrief. The passion. The WhatsApp groups. It was infectious!
Who are some of your favorite authors currently writing sports romances, and did any of their books influence your writing for Drive Me Crazy?
I enjoyed Cross the Line by Simone Soltani. It’s been out a while, but really highly rate the Chasing Daisy series by Paige Toon and Off the Grid by K Bromberg. My absolute favorite sport series (though it isn’t a romance) is Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Benji, my number 16 for ever <3
Your previous book, Just One Taste, was set in Italy and this book spans locations like Singapore, Texas, Mexico, Las Vegas, and Brazil. How do you choose the settings for your stories, and what role do these diverse locations play in your storytelling?
F1 is all about the exotic locations and legendary tracks. I wanted to set the story in the second half of the season (after the summer break), when the pressure starts to build, and those locations had to match the real calendar. Vegas was a setting I was keen to include since it’s a street circuit through one of the liveliest cities on the planet. I know it’s also a newish (2023) and somewhat controversial circuit, but I couldn’t resist the lure of the spectacle. But for me, the Brazilian Grand Prix was key. There’s just something electric about Interlagos: the history, the energy, the fans. And, of course, Ayrton Senna. His legacy looms large over the sport and over Brazil, and that passion felt like the perfect backdrop for some of the book’s biggest emotional moments.
As a devoted F1 fan and former development executive at Red Bull, did you draw inspiration from any F1 driver when developing Matt’s character?
Matt is a mixture of Carlos Sainz, Mark Webber, and all the best bits of F1 notorious playboy James Hunt. I wanted someone who had lived because a lot of the current F1 fan favorites are very young. And yes, Noah is basically based on Oscar Piastri.
Considering the secretive nature of Chloe and Matt’s boss/employee relationship, is there a romance trope you find most enjoyable to write? If so, why?
I always enjoy a thrilling secret romance. It’s fun to write because you get to dig into that push pull of wanting something you really shouldn’t have. If you’ve ever had one, you know!
Many F1 romances often depict female characters in stereotypical roles within the racing world. However, Drive Me Crazy sets itself apart by showcasing a female team principal. What motivated you to place a strong, independent woman at the forefront of a story about a sport typically dominated by men?
I wasn’t going to write this unless the female character had a seriously senior role in F1. I admire women like Susie Wolff, who’s now running the F1 Academy and pushing hard to open doors for young women in the sport, and Hannah Schmitz, who’s one of the best strategists in the sport.
But the reality is that F1 is still male-dominated from the top down. Female team principals are basically non-existent. That’s why I wanted Chloe to be a team principal, not just as a token female in motorsport, but as someone leading from the front, making the hard calls, and learning the power of the position she’s in. Fiction has a way of creating space for possibility, and I hope this book adds to the noise that’s already building for more women in top jobs in F1.
There are many intimate moments between Chloe and Matt in Drive Me Crazy. How do you approach writing these steamy scenes between love interests in your novels to ensure they are both authentic and engaging for your readers?
I think chemistry is everything. The steamy scenes in Drive Me Crazy aren’t just there for heat—they drive the emotional narrative. They’re both guarded in different ways, and the physical intimacy forces them to confront the feelings they’ve been trying to ignore.
This is definitely the spiciest book I’ve written, and that came with a bit of trial and error. The challenge is always making sure the sex feels earned, not just hot, but specific to these two people and the emotional chaos they’re going through.
Throughout Drive Me Crazy, Chloe grapples with imposter syndrome but ultimately recognizes her rightful place alongside her male peers. What do you hope readers, especially women pursuing careers in male-dominated fields, take away from Chloe’s experience in the novel?
I hope Chloe can be an inspiration and remind people that you can still be figuring things out, even when you’re supposed to have it all together. F1 is opening up more and more every year and it won’t be long before we have some more big breakthroughs in the top jobs.
I love sports, having worked at Red Bull and Religion of Sport in the last few years I’ve really enjoyed getting close to athletes and how hard they work. I love watching women’s sports (across the board) grow and grow. What Ilona Maher is doing for woman’s rugby, or Caitlen Clark for basketball, or seeing the Mathilda’s break through during the FIFA world cup is so inspiring.
What are you working on next?
A few different things. TV projects and another book. Maybe I’ll write Noah’s story since readers keep asking for it! 😉
