F1 magazine is dead.....

[Knowlesy]

http://www.pitpass.com/news2/news.cfm?newsid=8564

Not entirely surprising really.....the magazine over the last six months had become a bit of a joke, concerning itself with pictures of wallets and aftershave rather than the real issues.....ie the sport.

It's a shame.......when the mag first started, with Rubython and other mega journalists (let's forget Jane Nottage) it was truly awesome.....some of the most in depth race reports ever, great photography and good features on the past and present of F1. Even John Watsons road car bit was good.

I think this is a blessing really.....let's hope the magazine can be brought back in a somewhat stronger format.

I hope the season preview issue is still coming out by the way.....

[santori]

What a shame. As you say, the first few issues were excellent but it deteriorated and recently its been abysmal. All clean and shiny and little else.
I don't buy any magazines regularly anymore. F1 Racing is too silly; Autosport is good but I can't afford it every week. I get most of what I want from the internet, with a few Autosports and Motorsports added.

[Rennen]

Haymarket Publishing now has every British Motor Racing title!

[blackx]

Not that it makes much difference as Autosport is mostly concerned with F1 these days anyway

[Rennen]

My point was about competition...whats yours???

[johnw]

I guess related to the thread title?

[Raglanparade]

its what happens when production costs increase. They either fill it with more ads or can it all together.
its unforuntate.
-jason

[jj2728]

MOTORSPORT is the best monthly magazine out there anyhow....

[ensign14]

It is a shame, it was excellent when it covered the business side in the Rubython issues (although there was a fair amount of ******** in it the gold was worth the pyrites). I only bought recent issues on the assumption that it was getting so far-fetched it would soon turn full circle & I wanted to ensure I had a complete collection. And there was some nice photography.

[ss_collins]

Haymarket do not own track and race cars, intersection (great read btw), in gear, carsport or pace notes.

They do however own the market leaders MN and AS... I heard funny tale recently that MN might be outselling AS in the UK... why's that I wonder.

[GP Racer]

Well, it did look good laying on the coffee table, very slick, good quality, eye catching covers and all, very GQ looking. As far as substance it wasn't bad either, when you got past the glitz and glamour stuff.

Sad to see any mag go out of business, because choice is always a good thing to have.

Hmmm, now what mag will I put on the coffee table to impress?

[Knowlesy]

Don't know, but I've heard F1 Racing doubles up as an impressive poop-scoop.

[Schummy]

I suppose mags suffer the challenge of web sites. I don't buy anymore AS (some years ago), but I'm considering it again as, somehow, motorsport news sites are not hugely exciting (for my taste).

In terms of data, some web sites ARE impressive and paper mags cannot compete with it, even books cannot compete in raw data.

[chunterer]

I have to say i'm surprised that it's closing, but then they did send me a sub renewal with a discount for signing up again early, suppose that's a sign really.

I agree with those who say F1 mag is strong on presentation and is a good effort at trying to widen the appeal (as if F1 doesn't have a big enough appeal anyway!) to a bigger readership, with the lifestyle content and such like.

The retro articles by DJT are excellent and the 'driver' columns' appeal also.

However there did seem to be an increase in ghost written stuff, more likely to be sourced from manufacturer and sponsors PR machines.

Oh... and the crossword isn't hard enough, the competition questions maybe not so!!

Overall i feel the content ideas are on the right lines and we do need more 'other' mags out there. I've got nothing against Haymarket but competition is a good thing right?

Therefore, I hope Ingear can keep going as that's the first serious effort at a comprehensive independent national mag, probably ever. It certainly has a cult following! Track and Race also caters for the non 'world championship' market and i guess they have a decent publisher behind them to help with marketing in their early days.

Neither of these have the same clout behind them as F1 i'm sure, so it's odd that a big time F1 mag is being outlasted by smaller fish like Ingear...just?

I'll be sorry to see F1 go, as a general racing fan, but i do hope mags like Ingear can cement a position on the shelves in future, whoever owns them.

[racingdad]

Originally posted by ss_collins
I heard funny tale recently that MN might be outselling AS in the UK... why's that I wonder.

When I was young and pennyless, I always bought MN, because it was (a) cheaper, (b) came out on Wednesday and (c) had more 'real' club racing reporting. It now seems a little bit schizo - doesn't really know where to focus so as not to steal big brother AS' thunder, but still a good clubby read; I allas am now an AS man.

[Miss Hardt]

It's history?
OK then, I am glad I still have one issue...number two, of course.

Pointless. Sorry.

[Jordi]

I can't say I'm surprised. An F1 magazine shouldn't have fashion sections.

[shawn89]

Yeah, the only thing that matters is what's happening in the actual races. They usually only have about 10 pages on actual race results! Thank the good dude for www.f1racing.net ...

[MichaelH]

F1 Magazine started off brilliantly, remember the team by team race coverage, a full page or more for each, that was fantastic stuff. There was some badly written stuff in there, some irrelivant crap and some gold. Recently it's been a sghadow of what it was. Shame.

[racingdad]

It is rumoured that Mr. Ecclestone (yes Bernie) simply pulled the plug on his little creation.

[Remus]

Having been an AS subscriber/collector for some 16 years now, I often reflect on how the mag has gone down hill. Far too tabloid, too much F1 exposure, and far, far too much overuse of the word ULTIMATE!!!!!!! Surely its impossible to have subsequent and even more ulitimate previews, reviews etc??????

Bring back longer 5th columns (much more in depth 10-15 years ago), nice 'clean' covers with one main pic( a la Motorsport), and broader coverage of all world motorsport. Wonder what would happen to sales if they went back to pulishing covers without F1 on?

Oh, and if I read one more leader which states 'Why this could be Coulthards year.......' AARRRGGGGGGG!

Like a mug, I still buy it though......

[Andrew Kitson]

I believe Tom Rubython is now behind 'F1 Business' magazine - which you will not find in high street newsagents, subscription only. Despite being a good 'behind the scenes' read, it seems a bit steep at £25 an issue!

[Super Tourer]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
I believe Tom Rubython is now behind 'F1 Business' magazine - which you will not find in high street newsagents, subscription only. Despite being a good 'behind the scenes' read, it seems a bit steep at £25 an issue!

He is! Tom has been behind a series of business magazines, including Business Age.

I subscribed to Business F1, mainly as I am a nosey ...person and interested in the commercial side of F1 as well as the racing!

[x_dt]

I subscribed to F1 News for years but that stopped not long before the magazine stopped printing.

With the internet now (unlike 10 years ago) there seems not much point in paying for print magazines when the latest news can be found with a few clicks of the mouse.