Weekly Autosport to cease publishing?
Discussion
Red9zero said:
Where do you actually buy Autosport now ? It used to be one of the standard car mags that even supermarkets would stock, but I haven`t seen a copy for years. I would always buy a copy of the Le Mans build up to take to read while we were there, but for the last two years even WH Smiths didn't have any.
My local supermarket stocks it. Maybe this is good news for Motorsport News if they can continue as a weekly.
andrewcliffe said:
Red9zero said:
Where do you actually buy Autosport now ? It used to be one of the standard car mags that even supermarkets would stock, but I haven`t seen a copy for years. I would always buy a copy of the Le Mans build up to take to read while we were there, but for the last two years even WH Smiths didn't have any.
My local supermarket stocks it. Maybe this is good news for Motorsport News if they can continue as a weekly.
generationx said:
Thread resurrection:
Autosport to go monthly from 2025
https://www.autosport.com/general/news/autosport-c...
I gave up buying the print copy years ago but am a digital subscriber. I guess this will remain "live".
I wonder how it well differentiate from Motorsport as a monthly publication, which covers and array of motorsports and has some good race analysis?Autosport to go monthly from 2025
https://www.autosport.com/general/news/autosport-c...
I gave up buying the print copy years ago but am a digital subscriber. I guess this will remain "live".
Red9zero said:
andrewcliffe said:
Red9zero said:
Where do you actually buy Autosport now ? It used to be one of the standard car mags that even supermarkets would stock, but I haven`t seen a copy for years. I would always buy a copy of the Le Mans build up to take to read while we were there, but for the last two years even WH Smiths didn't have any.
My local supermarket stocks it. Maybe this is good news for Motorsport News if they can continue as a weekly.
I’m now in my 70s but as a teenager I read Motorsport and Autosport. I lived 20 miles from Silverstone, probably the same from Mallory Park and probably 40 miles from Donington Park. There was hardly a weekend when I wasn’t at one of the circuits and in those days you would be drinking in the bars or clubhouses with the drivers. Autosport kept you up to date with the gossip and the racing. Also the classified ads were an important part to read first. There were many sports cars that had racing potential at competitive prices so you needed to be able to be on the phone on Thursday evening or earlier to stand a chance of buying something.
I enjoyed Marcus Pye’s articles and the immense detail in the race reports. I still have some editions from the 60s, 70s and 80. I like to read the classifieds and regret not buying what now seems bargains. I have the issue for when James Hunt died and I wrote in expressing my sadness for a guy I knew quite well. My letter was published.
I stopped buying the magazine a few years ago when they decided to put the price up to silly money. By then it was competing with the internet.
I enjoyed Marcus Pye’s articles and the immense detail in the race reports. I still have some editions from the 60s, 70s and 80. I like to read the classifieds and regret not buying what now seems bargains. I have the issue for when James Hunt died and I wrote in expressing my sadness for a guy I knew quite well. My letter was published.
I stopped buying the magazine a few years ago when they decided to put the price up to silly money. By then it was competing with the internet.
Edited by Tazar on Thursday 28th November 19:49
Edited by Tazar on Thursday 28th November 19:54
Pricing is another issue as I mentioned above. You can buy a good magazine of the quality of Octane for several pounds less with good journalists and quality paper and print/photos. I appreciate that a packet of cigarettes has gone up more rapidly in price but nearly £11 for a cheaply produced magazine is taking the p*ss.
Tazar said:
I’m now in my 70s but as a teenager I read Motorsport and Autosport. I lived 20 miles from Silverstone, probably the same from Mallory Park and probably 40 miles from Donington Park. There was hardly a weekend when I wasn’t at one of the circuits and in those days you would be drinking in the bars or clubhouses with the drivers. Autosport kept you up to date with the gossip and the racing. Also the classified ads were an important part to read first. There were many sports cars that had racing potential at competitive prices so you needed to be able to be on the phone on Thursday evening or earlier to stand a chance of buying something.
I enjoyed Marcus Pye’s articles and the immense detail in the race reports. I still have some editions from the 60s, 70s and 80. I like to read the classifieds and regret not buying what now seems bargains. I have the issue for when James Hunt died and I wrote in expressing my sadness for a guy I knew quite well. My letter was published.
I stopped buying the magazine a few years ago when they decided to put the price up to silly money. By then it was competing with the internet.
It was my essential weekly read when at Uni in London in the late 80s. You could get it on Wednesday evenings in the City newsagents, which was always a bit exciting I enjoyed Marcus Pye’s articles and the immense detail in the race reports. I still have some editions from the 60s, 70s and 80. I like to read the classifieds and regret not buying what now seems bargains. I have the issue for when James Hunt died and I wrote in expressing my sadness for a guy I knew quite well. My letter was published.
I stopped buying the magazine a few years ago when they decided to put the price up to silly money. By then it was competing with the internet.
Edited by Tazar on Thursday 28th November 19:49
Edited by Tazar on Thursday 28th November 19:54
I was more of a MN man to be honest and bought it weekly for around 10 years until like Autosport, the prices started going up but more importantly the content started going down, the pages got less and less until you almost struggle to believe how it is still operating.
Autosport was always too circuit racing centric for me, F1 obsessed, which I get, but also the journalism was slightly different, a little more up themselves, but still a very good magazine, badly let down by publishers if I am honest.
I contributed to both in the past and Autosport were better to deal with, but MN were a better publication overall, more rounded and more interested in the little people,
Quite how both are still even in publication I have no idea.
I will add I managed to get a few copies of Motorsport from the Classic Car show and had no idea how utterly F1 obsessed that rag is now aswell., would not even hand over 3 quid a month for it, let alone the stupid asking price. But plenty do and that seems to keep it going.
Autosport was always too circuit racing centric for me, F1 obsessed, which I get, but also the journalism was slightly different, a little more up themselves, but still a very good magazine, badly let down by publishers if I am honest.
I contributed to both in the past and Autosport were better to deal with, but MN were a better publication overall, more rounded and more interested in the little people,
Quite how both are still even in publication I have no idea.
I will add I managed to get a few copies of Motorsport from the Classic Car show and had no idea how utterly F1 obsessed that rag is now aswell., would not even hand over 3 quid a month for it, let alone the stupid asking price. But plenty do and that seems to keep it going.
I have a subscription, I keep thinking of cancelling but I enjoy the "back half" which is the UK national stuff.
I guess when it goes monthly that will disappear in which case i'll probably buy something else like motorsport (which I find has better articles) or whatever I see in the newsagent.
I guess when it goes monthly that will disappear in which case i'll probably buy something else like motorsport (which I find has better articles) or whatever I see in the newsagent.
Certainly an end of an era, but slightly surprising that autosport and MN have been able to carry on until now. Don’t care about F1 news, and loads of alternative ways of accessing that.. but the loss of news about “other” racing and lack of national coverage is a big concern.
Will be interesting to see how they structure their pricing to access the various media, and just hope you don’t have to pay the F1 premium to also read the other less popular news.
Will be interesting to see how they structure their pricing to access the various media, and just hope you don’t have to pay the F1 premium to also read the other less popular news.
n3il123 said:
I have a subscription, I keep thinking of cancelling but I enjoy the "back half" which is the UK national stuff.
The back half? I think that’s a bit optimistic! Coverage of club racing seems to have dropped off steadily over the last few years. I used to love Autosport arriving, but now it’s mostly endless analysis of the most recent F1 race I’ve lost interest. There will be articles covering how each of the drivers stirs their tea and what means before long!Personally I’d love it to just be about National and club series, but I guess I’m in the minority!
There's at least two of us ! The problem is that for most , F1 IS motorsport and vice versa. You only have to look the number of threads on the F1 sub forum compared to the other motor sport sub forums . Most self confessed fans watch a lot of stuff on tv but a minority go to watch live motorsport - and if they do it's the BTCC panto (which must be good cos it's on telly , right ? ) Which leaves a minority like us - I watch club racing(modern and historic ) , drag racing and hillclimbs primarily , but apart from the big ticket stuff like Goodwood , many events are sparsely attended and I guess the coverage reflects that .
It is a shame - I do a bit of work (stewarding and scribbling) for CSCC and apart from Oulton Park, which always has a good crowd, some events don't attract the numbers they deserve, Unlike BTCC it's not just spec formulae but a cornucopia of often very different cars. And yet far too many people stay at home. Autosport used to cover national racing very well , but it is relegated to simple country cousin status now - and that is a shame . Reportage needs to change - everyone knows all the results from TSL - but my late chum Simon Arron showed how it can be done , and I take the same approach in the stuff I do .
It is a shame - I do a bit of work (stewarding and scribbling) for CSCC and apart from Oulton Park, which always has a good crowd, some events don't attract the numbers they deserve, Unlike BTCC it's not just spec formulae but a cornucopia of often very different cars. And yet far too many people stay at home. Autosport used to cover national racing very well , but it is relegated to simple country cousin status now - and that is a shame . Reportage needs to change - everyone knows all the results from TSL - but my late chum Simon Arron showed how it can be done , and I take the same approach in the stuff I do .
I’ve subscribed forever but, like others, wonder where this publication will fit. I enjoy Motor Sport magazine but how will Autosport differ from this standard-setter ?
Make no mistake - if (like others) it starts dedicating 12 pages to obscenely expensive wristwatches each month - I’m out…
Make no mistake - if (like others) it starts dedicating 12 pages to obscenely expensive wristwatches each month - I’m out…
I have not been a magazine buyer for decades now, the last mag I used to buy was about motorcycle racing, and I even stopped that as it became endless chats with people the editor knew and little else, boring, expensive.
Motorsport has also gone the F1 route in my opinion, pages and pages dedicated to a sport that has so much coverage I struggle to believe anything new is ever found.
But, I must be wrong as it stays in production, people must like it or they would stop buying or subscribing surely? Or is FOMO a thing too?
I had regular magazines over the years, CCC was probably my favorite some bikes, some cars, but my weekly was always MN, much more variable, less F1 obsessed and back in the day with stuff like Rally Sport about the only place you get well written, detailed rally reporting.
It is sad as it is also stopping that drip feed of reporters, a brief part of my life was spent doing that until I realised the same thing that all they cared about was F1 and being not a fan of it I was out of place. There was a lot of jealousy, bullying and awful, awful pay, Glad to be out of it frankly.
Motorsport has also gone the F1 route in my opinion, pages and pages dedicated to a sport that has so much coverage I struggle to believe anything new is ever found.
But, I must be wrong as it stays in production, people must like it or they would stop buying or subscribing surely? Or is FOMO a thing too?
I had regular magazines over the years, CCC was probably my favorite some bikes, some cars, but my weekly was always MN, much more variable, less F1 obsessed and back in the day with stuff like Rally Sport about the only place you get well written, detailed rally reporting.
It is sad as it is also stopping that drip feed of reporters, a brief part of my life was spent doing that until I realised the same thing that all they cared about was F1 and being not a fan of it I was out of place. There was a lot of jealousy, bullying and awful, awful pay, Glad to be out of it frankly.
bltamil1 said:
The back half? I think that’s a bit optimistic! Coverage of club racing seems to have dropped off steadily over the last few years. I used to love Autosport arriving, but now it’s mostly endless analysis of the most recent F1 race I’ve lost interest. There will be articles covering how each of the drivers stirs their tea and what means before long!
Personally I’d love it to just be about National and club series, but I guess I’m in the minority!
I'm afraid that is the modern motorsport media; F1 grabs 80+% of it, and the rest is shared amongst everything else. Utterly depressing.....(but its still better than the coverage of pro cycling, which is even worse - where MTB disciplines don't get a look in most of the time).Personally I’d love it to just be about National and club series, but I guess I’m in the minority!
And Coppice had mentioned the small crowds at club/national meeting. I guess there's a lot of potential fans out there, but they don't really know where/when these series are. And how would they......
I recall 15+ years ago wondering why there wasn't a 2 wheeled version of rallying......Except there was, it's called Enduro, and is held all over the UK, but I'd never heard of it, but had heard of MX, Trials, etc
Rewtle Litand said:
I'm afraid that is the modern motorsport media; F1 grabs 80+% of it, and the rest is shared amongst everything else. Utterly depressing.....(but its still better than the coverage of pro cycling, which is even worse - where MTB disciplines don't get a look in most of the time).
And Coppice had mentioned the small crowds at club/national meeting. I guess there's a lot of potential fans out there, but they don't really know where/when these series are. And how would they......
I recall 15+ years ago wondering why there wasn't a 2 wheeled version of rallying......Except there was, it's called Enduro, and is held all over the UK, but I'd never heard of it, but had heard of MX, Trials, etc
Autosport and M.N. had significantly more high profile national (UK) sport to report upon during the glory years.And Coppice had mentioned the small crowds at club/national meeting. I guess there's a lot of potential fans out there, but they don't really know where/when these series are. And how would they......
I recall 15+ years ago wondering why there wasn't a 2 wheeled version of rallying......Except there was, it's called Enduro, and is held all over the UK, but I'd never heard of it, but had heard of MX, Trials, etc
Take circuit racing in 1970. Apart from the GP there were 3 non-championship F1 races on these shores during the year. F2 was high profile and paid a visit to Thruxton. British F3 was fiercely competitive, attracted big crowds and ran over 30 races shared between 3 championships. F5000 hosted no less than 20 rounds and F.Atlantic came along the following year with a 22 race calendar.
FF was served by countless national and regional championships at a time when it was a necessary step on the F1 ladder.
Add to this the loose stuff - more high profile and well-supported regional rallies than you could shake a bobble-hat at.
Happy days.
Sad, but indicative of where all print media is headed. I used to love the Thursday after an F1 race to get the full Autosport report. Now I listen to excellent ‘The Race’ podcast the day after a Grand Prix.
The way we receive and consume information has changed so much so fundamentally, I’m surprised this hasn’t happened sooner.
The way we receive and consume information has changed so much so fundamentally, I’m surprised this hasn’t happened sooner.
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