HarperCollins acquires ‘Frosty’

HarperCollins Australia has acquired world rights to Frosty, a memoir by motor-sport athlete Mark Winterbottom. The memoir will be co-written with James Phelps.

‘From his emergence from the suburbs of Western Sydney to scaling the summit of Mount Panorama and achieving more than 35 race wins, 120 podium finishes and a coveted Bathurst 1000 victory, and even having an animated character named after him in Disney Pixar’s Cars 2, Mark ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom’s career is an Aussie motor-racing fairy tale,’ said head of nonfiction at HarperCollins Helen Littleton.

On telling his story, Winterbottom said: ‘In sport, people judge you based on your performance – the focus is on the end result – but they don’t see the struggles along the way. I had a successful 21-year career racing Supercars. When writing this book, I wanted to give more than just the racetrack story. I have shared my very personal road to get here, including all the luck, trauma, loss and self-belief. My story is unique and was far from easy. I hope this book helps inspire people who have it tough to find strength and determination and to never lose sight of achieving their dreams.’ 

Phelps said, ‘Mark bravely opens up about the emotional struggles he faced, from a painful rift with his father to the resilience he demonstrated while supporting his mother through her battle with cancer. It’s honest and powerful. It’s about perseverance and never backing down. It is the unlikely story of how a boy from Blacktown became a Bathurst king.’

Frosty is set to be released on 26 August 2025.

Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions