Gerald Donaldson was born in Almonte, Ontario, and is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art. He worked in advertising and freelance journalism and has for many years covered Formula One (F1) racing internationally, as a TV commentator, journalist and author. He has written many books about the sport, including highly acclaimed biographies of Gilles Villeneuve, James Hunt and Juan Manuel Fangio. He is a member of the F1 Paddock Hall Of Fame and the Canadian Motorsport Hall Of Fame.