Motorsport Magazine
Discussion
Is it worthwhile having a separate thread on this publication?
This magazine keeps getting better and better.
I spent most of last night reading the current edition. There is an excellent article on the Ferguson F99 F1 car and a brilliant interview with 93 year old John Fitch.
And I still have only read about 1/3 of it.
This magazine keeps getting better and better.
I spent most of last night reading the current edition. There is an excellent article on the Ferguson F99 F1 car and a brilliant interview with 93 year old John Fitch.
And I still have only read about 1/3 of it.
Eric Mc said:
Is it worthwhile having a separate thread on this publication?
This magazine keeps getting better and better.
I spent most of last night reading the current edition. There is an excellent article on the Ferguson F99 F1 car and a brilliant interview with 93 year old John Fitch.
And I still have only read about 1/3 of it.
It really has become a superb magazine with a real depth of content and, most importantly, it has rediscovered it's opinionated ways. At long last, a genuine successor to it's legendary pomp.This magazine keeps getting better and better.
I spent most of last night reading the current edition. There is an excellent article on the Ferguson F99 F1 car and a brilliant interview with 93 year old John Fitch.
And I still have only read about 1/3 of it.
CAR magazine seems to be getting better as well...
Agreed, it's great - have been a subscriber for a while now. The Motor Sport Magazine Podcast is worth checking out, too - equally opinionated and amusing... you can listen online too. Basically an hour-ish per month of intelligent, amusing, opinionated discussion, with great guests. Pretty funny, too.
http://www.motorsportmagazine.co.uk/category/audio...
http://www.motorsportmagazine.co.uk/category/audio...
It went through a very rough patch in the 90s and despite having it on regular order at a local newsagent I used to forget to pick it up. So I stopped it and just flicked through at WHS and bought it when it seemed worthwhile, which wasn't that often. However, I've bought it more and more regularly and probably will ask for a subscription as a Christmas present.
It has changed remarkably. A real turn-around. I thought it might expire.
It has changed remarkably. A real turn-around. I thought it might expire.
Derek Smith said:
It went through a very rough patch in the 90s
it was dire from about '96-'06.The red covers being the worst ones.
I hadn't looked at it for years until Rouleur sent me a back issue with a piece about Jim Clark in. I was shocked. It is superb. Other magazines take me about an hour to read. On the third night of reading it I still wasn't done. I think I read most of the articles again too, they were so good.
My only gripe is the price, on my income I can't justify it. After saying that, it is well worth the money you pay for it. It's not often you can say that about a magazine.
Mazda Baiter said:
Derek Smith said:
It went through a very rough patch in the 90s
it was dire from about '96-'06.The red covers being the worst ones.
I hadn't looked at it for years until Rouleur sent me a back issue with a piece about Jim Clark in. I was shocked. It is superb. Other magazines take me about an hour to read. On the third night of reading it I still wasn't done. I think I read most of the articles again too, they were so good.
My only gripe is the price, on my income I can't justify it. After saying that, it is well worth the money you pay for it. It's not often you can say that about a magazine.
Haymarket sold it and the new management have done a tremendous job. I think its well worth its subscription price now.
I have a great affection for Motor Sport- it was reading Jenks back in the 60's that ignited my passion for motor racing and it was tragic seeing how poor the mag was when it had a red top
It was the first motor magazine I ever looked at at about age 8. My uncle used to get it and had rooms full of them dating abck to god knows when. I loved going thorugh them all as a child and looking at the pictures as the text didn't mean much to me back then.
A great read now though.
A great read now though.
I am a recent convert to Motorsport Magazine and I too think it is a bloody excellent magazine.
The depth of writing is superb and for someone who knows very little about the historical side of motorsport, it has proved fascinating. I love how Nigel Roebuck's column is sixpages long and the 'Lunch With...' feature is extremely compelling.
I was initially put off by the high cover price but when you actually take it home and really delve into the magazine, you see that the little bit extra over something like Car or Evo is really worth it in terms of quality and enjoyment. The cover, the paper quality and the photography really give it a top class 'feel'.
Given that it is independently published to such a high standard, I think the price is very much worth it. Also if you look at the subscription deals, it really isn't that much more expensive than my Evo subscription (which in light of discovering Motorsport is in danger of being cancelled, I have to say).
The podcasts are definitely worth listening too, even if the magazine is out of your budget. It is so refreshing to have properly opinionated people talking about the motorsport without pandering to PR departments and the like. The Motorsport team and their guests just tell it how they see it and long may it continue
The depth of writing is superb and for someone who knows very little about the historical side of motorsport, it has proved fascinating. I love how Nigel Roebuck's column is sixpages long and the 'Lunch With...' feature is extremely compelling.
I was initially put off by the high cover price but when you actually take it home and really delve into the magazine, you see that the little bit extra over something like Car or Evo is really worth it in terms of quality and enjoyment. The cover, the paper quality and the photography really give it a top class 'feel'.
Given that it is independently published to such a high standard, I think the price is very much worth it. Also if you look at the subscription deals, it really isn't that much more expensive than my Evo subscription (which in light of discovering Motorsport is in danger of being cancelled, I have to say).
The podcasts are definitely worth listening too, even if the magazine is out of your budget. It is so refreshing to have properly opinionated people talking about the motorsport without pandering to PR departments and the like. The Motorsport team and their guests just tell it how they see it and long may it continue
All this chat about how expensive it is but how much is it? I subscribe so it's a once every 24 months cost but what's the cover price in WH Smiths? Neither do I smoke so I have no idea how much 20 Rothamns are but I guess it's about the same and Motorsport sits in my lounge for a month and I usually find something to read in it for several weeks...
RichB said:
All this chat about how expensive it is but how much is it? I subscribe so it's a once every 24 months cost but what's the cover price in WH Smiths? Neither do I smoke so I have no idea how much 20 Rothamns are but I guess it's about the same and Motorsport sits in my lounge for a month and I usually find something to read in it for several weeks...
It is £4.95 which prices it at the higher end of motoring magazines IMO.Like you say though - subscribing for a long length of time gets that price right down
First Motorsport I saw had the 1959 French GP on the cover (in the days when the photo was in an eye-shaped window) with Stirling in the BRP BRM, Tony Brooks in the Ferrari and Jack Brabham in the Cooper. I was hooked there and then even though only eight at the time.
Have been a regular reader for most of the time since but only recently got a subscription (courtesy of a particularly clever relative). Fantastic reading and I love the "You were there" feature with the atmospheric photos taken by enthusiasts.
To be recommended.
Have been a regular reader for most of the time since but only recently got a subscription (courtesy of a particularly clever relative). Fantastic reading and I love the "You were there" feature with the atmospheric photos taken by enthusiasts.
To be recommended.
Porky said:
I love the "You were there" feature with the atmospheric photos taken by enthusiasts..
Indeed but it's a bit worrying when it turns into an "I used to know him feature!" There were some pics by a chap called Paddy Willmer a few months ago and I found myself saying to my wife I used to know him in my MGCC days 30 years ago. I've subscribed for well over 10 years now and agree that it continues to get better as the years go by.
One of the great things about the Lunch With... interviews is that the subjects are almost always people who have a real story to tell, typically people like Derek Warwick or David Piper who had to wheel and deal their way into drives and got into all sorts of scrapes along the way.
As mentioned Nigel Roebuck's column is excellent, and I love browsing through the ads and picking out this month's dream garage.
One of the great things about the Lunch With... interviews is that the subjects are almost always people who have a real story to tell, typically people like Derek Warwick or David Piper who had to wheel and deal their way into drives and got into all sorts of scrapes along the way.
As mentioned Nigel Roebuck's column is excellent, and I love browsing through the ads and picking out this month's dream garage.
A superb publication which is IMHO well worth the premium over other car magazines.
Only minor drawback is that sometimes 2 or more F1 races can have taken place between issues, detracting from the immediacy of the views, but the depth of analysis compensates for this.
The recent revisions to the magazine, to include more on road cars and industry figures, have been pitched perfectly too.
Of my five automotive mag subscriptions, MS is by far the best. It goes to my dad first so I'm usually one behind. Was reading Doug Nye's recollections of the longtail McLaren F1 GTR last night and it brought back happy memories of watching JJ Lehto et al dance on water at Silverstone in 1997 at FIA GT. Dad and I crouched under an umbrella inside Becketts absolutely sopping wet. Fond memories. The weather improved for the Donington round in September (if memory serves) and the Parabolica car was driven by Chris Goodwin in British GT rounds as well. Still can't quite believe we got to see those battling the 911 GT1s around Oulton Park. Seems a distant memory now but nice to have MS bringing such events to life again. As I'm too young to have witnessed so many of my heroes in real life, MS is incredible for telling the tales of yore. I have now gone back and have a (virtually) full set from 1962 - 1997 and 2004 - 2010, although rather sadly I threw them out in the intervening period. A very special publication and something to be genuinely proud to produce in this country.
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