105 replies to this topic

[john aston]

Problem is this- I have bought Autosport since 1971 but am really struggling to justify it any more, There is saturation coverage of bloody F1, pages wasted on mindless speculation based on the last race or test and even half a page covering what nonentity has said what trivia on bleedin ' Twitter . But I used to buy it because I am interested in nearly all UK motor sport, especially club stuff and now Marcus Pye gets about the same page allocation as Hamilton's new helmet design. So what do I read ? I want to find out whatever is going on nationally and I can get the F1 stuff from anywhere. MN? No..it tries to be all things to all people and I am not fussed about Karting news etc. So where do I look - I am sure there isnt another magazine so is there a web based one? My googling has failed to find the answer so far- even a bloody detailed calendar of what's on and where would be good. Help !

[Bjorn Kjer]

Hi there , I am sorry not to be able to help you , I should not at all reply here , but I really experienced the same as you , and with the same magazine. I did also have MSA a Swiss weekly newspaper also showing superb results for Motorcycling , but of late (couple of years) they went the same way , and since a year I have none at all , and I unfortunately believes there are none "worth" having (?) ! If or rather as it seems to be the case , it is perhaps me who just cannot follow time ? I seem to remember that mags then were talking about the things that happened now(then) and not as now , even before a season has started about the following next year (2012) Even the telly boys do it !

Edited by Bjørn Kjer, 13 April 2011 - 19:13.

[grimeheel]

Problem is this- I have bought Autosport since 1971 but am really struggling to justify it any more, There is saturation coverage of bloody F1, pages wasted on mindless speculation based on the last race or test and even half a page covering what nonentity has said what trivia on bleedin ' Twitter . But I used to buy it because I am interested in nearly all UK motor sport, especially club stuff and now Marcus Pye gets about the same page allocation as Hamilton's new helmet design. So what do I read ? I want to find out whatever is going on nationally and I can get the F1 stuff from anywhere. MN? No..it tries to be all things to all people and I am not fussed about Karting news etc. So where do I look - I am sure there isnt another magazine so is there a web based one? My googling has failed to find the answer so far- even a bloody detailed calendar of what's on and where would be good. Help !

I know what you mean. It's even harder on this side of the pond. My suggestion is check the web for each individual series you are interested in. I gave up on Autosport a few years ago and now follow the British Hillclimb Championship on the web.

[Fivestripes]

Been buying it since 1968- last couple of years I've just browsed through with less and less worth reading. I stopped my sub last year- bit of a relief not to hear it hitting the mat on a Thursday to be honest.....
With up to date news on numerous good websites I can't see a long term future for the weeklies

[Davidson10]

I know precisely what you mean, John, and I suspect (from what I read on here) that many people over a certain age will probably feel the same.
Regarding event dates, you could do worse than try http://www.racedates.com/ which is a mine of information on events worldwide. There are more than 100 events, of one sort or another, for 2- and 4-wheeled vehicles listed before the end of April.

[Pink Snail]

I am tending to think the same as you guys. Whilst the magazine seems to be losing it`s way a little, I always read from the back first nowadays. I am following the BTCC/Historic scene more now and also keep track of the British drivers over in the USA. Marcus Pye is always worth reading, a shame he doesn`t get more space for his bit.
I am sure there is a call for a dedicated publication of sorts to keep the contributors of this forum happy. As well as the race reports there are the roving photographers who attend circuits during the working week who come up with some great stories and pictures. I am sure that it isn`t just the UK where this happens but with the various interests we all have around thge world there has got to be some mileage in a Nostalgic Motor Sport Magazine. There is also the potential for the classic circuits to have a bit of publicity aswell showing that they are still active. One I can think of straight away is Oliver`s Mount at Scarborough where various meetings take place throught he calandar.
Magazine...yes!!! Bring it on - someone - please - pretty please!!

[Bloggsworth]

I stopped buying it years ago, it used to have whole pages dovoted to just one club meeting, when I last looked the reports were only a couple of paragraphs.

[Thundersports]

I subscibed for 22 years to Autosport and stopped as it became a "Hello" magazine for F1 and little else. I get Motorsport news wekly now and as others have said it's trying to do to much. And at £2.80 for a thin newspaper is really something I can't justify with so much avaliable on the internet, I would miss Simon Arrons columns though......

[RA Historian]

I know what you mean. It's even harder on this side of the pond.

This is oh so true. 15, 20 years ago there was a wealth of weekly and monthly mags in the US that covered all racing, both international and national. Now, all gone. The best ever, On Track, ceased publication about 11 years ago, and I have searched in vain for a substitute. I used to be able to count on Autosport for most of this, but I don't have to tell you just how far it has strayed from what we are looking for in a motorsports reporting mag. Up until a year or so ago we still had two weeklies in the US that gave us some, but far from all, that we needed. Then Autoweek lost the way completely, going from weekly to every other week and virtually eliminating motorsport reporting. Scratch them, I am letting my subscription run out. Finally, National Speed Sport News, around since the 1930s for crying out loud, very abruptly went out of business a month ago and as far as I know is in receivership. They still owe me $40 for the unused portion of my subscription, by the way. While NSSN was far, far from what I want in a race report magazine, it was the only one, and now there are none. As in zero, zip, nada. The web is all that we have, but you can't fold that and stick it in your pocket, take it on a plane, take in in the loo, stack it on the shelf for future reference, etc.

I know, I know, times are changing and the industry is in a huge state of change. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 14 April 2011 - 00:49.

[arttidesco]

Sounds like there is a market opening up for some one with a little entrepreneurial flare

[Ted Walker]

It cant survive much longer without becoming just an on line magazine.

[elansprint72]

I hope someone from the forum sponsor is reading this... and taking action. I find Autosport totally yawn-worthy and would need a very major change of content before I would buy it.

I do like this on-line magazine:

Retro-Speed

[Giraffe]

I hope someone from the forum sponsor is reading this... and taking action. I find Autosport totally yawn-worthy and would need a very major change of content before I would buy it.

I do like this on-line magazine:

Retro-Speed

Yes Pete, I like Retro-Speed too and I know European Editor Peter Collins, splendid chap! However I don't find it an 'easy read' and IMHO it has a way to go but it is the future, of that I have no doubt.

I still purchase Autospurt every week, as I have done since 1968 if I've been domiciled where it was available, and these days I have no idea why. I suspect I am not alone in that.
With the mag & economy the way they are, I'd give it a couple more years at most before either I or the publication give.

Edited by Giraffe, 14 April 2011 - 07:35.

[Hamish Robson]

Having bought it since I left home at 18 (no longer access to Dad's copy) in the '80s, I gave up on it about 5 years ago. I browse the occasional copy to see if it is worth recommencing but the answer is always no. Tabloid-style headlines, picture-heavy content, little in the way of actual written reports. Bored.

GPWeek for me. Free, and emailed to my inbox.

[Giraffe]

little in the way of actual written reports. Bored.

GPWeek for me. Free, and emailed to my inbox.

QED............

[alansart]

I cancelled my subscription a few weeks ago. I've been buying it for 40 years but I just can't be bothered with it anymore. Mark Hughes, Marcus Pye & Kevin Turner are OK, but there's too much International and not enough National info for me.

[kayemod]

I cancelled my subscription a few weeks ago. I've been buying it for 40 years but I just can't be bothered with it anymore. Mark Hughes, Marcus Pye & Kevin Turner are OK...

After about 20 years, I gave up 3 or 4 years ago. Same reasons as most others have posted, but also a strong dislike of Mark Hughes' wordy and pretentious writing style. I may be in a minority here, but to me he reads like a younger version of William Court, who for all his undoubted talents, I also find unreadable.

Is it just me ?

[Alfie]

After about 20 years, I gave up 3 or 4 years ago. Same reasons as most others have posted, but also a strong dislike of Mark Hughes' wordy and pretentious writing style. I may be in a minority here, but to me he reads like a younger version of William Court, who for all his undoubted talents, I also find unreadable.

Is it just me ?

I'm impressed you lasted that long. But then my patience is noted as quite minimal. I think the magazine lost it's way a long long time ago.

[Stephen W]

I stopped buying it years ago, it used to have whole pages dovoted to just one club meeting, when I last looked the reports were only a couple of paragraphs.

I cancelled my subscription a few weeks ago. I've been buying it for 40 years but I just can't be bothered with it anymore. Mark Hughes, Marcus Pye & Kevin Turner are OK, but there's too much International and not enough National info for me.

I only buy Autosport when they use one of my photographs!

It cant survive much longer without becoming just an on line magazine.

I believe they have looked into this and are still discussing how to get people to pay for the 'publication'.

I hope someone from the forum sponsor is reading this... and taking action. I find Autosport totally yawn-worthy and would need a very major change of content before I would buy it.

I totally agree however with Haymarket owing both Autosport & Motorsport News I think there is an opportunity for the two to become unique publications. I would suggest that ...

(a) Autosport covers all INTERNATIONAL motor sport plus BTCC & British F3
(b) Motorsport News should only cover British events including the GP, BTCC, British F3, Club Racing, etc. It should also change from being a newspaper and become a glossy like Autosport.

This would allow MN to start providing the fuller reports on the club events just like it used to do in its heyday. It would also mean that I wouldn't have to even think twice about buying Autosport!

[Concreteconrods]

I agree with most of the other comments.

I gave up on Autosport not long after F1 Racing came out. I considered that the new mag would further dilute the technical reporting of Formula 1. I never ever read the rallying pages anyway so the value of Autosport to me was becoming less each year.

DT

[DogEarred]

I gave up on it years ago too.
Even when I subscribed, about 1 in 6 issues never arrived anyway.
As well as the content issue & with some obvious notable exceptions, the jounalistic writing is not good either. Too many cheap, inexperienced & 'wannabe' people involved. How much money do you want to save before you put yourself out of business?

It spills over into the website also, with those crass & meaningless headlines 'So and so eyes next big advance'
Obviously written by 'Phil Space'. There's no story, so invent one, even if it's meaningless, deluded or obvious.
Just run the same stories each year; change the names appropriately, sit back & think you're the next Jenkinson.

And where's the gardening section?.....

[Derwent Motorsport]

I must admit to being a Motoring News man for 40 years or so, mainly as it was more club and rallying orientated but I do feel that what I get each week is very poor and not worth the cost which is massive for what is a newspaper.
As a motor club secretary I know that in the 80s everyone would buy it every week but now it is the older guys like me who have bought it out of habit. The problem is that both magazines are out of touch with the readership - or at least the folk that would read it. Much more about events and club level motorsport and the issues that are important (cost, lack of venues etc). I really object to all those sidebars saying "18 year old Fred Blogs will be sponsored in NW FF1600 Championship this year by Blogs the Builders. Director Bill Blogs said he was expecting big things from his driver." Or the feature on "GT Championship star" who you have never heard of and only has the drive because he has a big wallet. News of what clubs are doing are at least of interest to severla hundred folk while Joe Blog's exploits are of only interest to his mum!
I know that my club has moved on from rallying to historics and speed events but neither of the weeklys seems to have realised that historics need more than a page and also attract more spectators than the F3/GT events.

[D-Type]

I think there is subscription-only magazine devoted purely to historic racing, probably UK-focusssed, but as I have no interest in historic racing as such I have never tried to find a copy.

[Giraffe]

I think there is subscription-only magazine devoted purely to historic racing, probably UK-focusssed, but as I have no interest in historic racing as such I have never tried to find a copy.

That would be "Vintage Racecar" I suspect of which Ed McDonough is European Editor. I have little interest myself in historic racing per se but just view it as a 'live' forum at which I can see the cars of old, watch them run and be amongst many like-minded enthusiasts. I very often don't know the actual results of the races, even at the bigger events but it's not an issue for me.

Edited by Giraffe, 14 April 2011 - 11:42.

[D-Type]

No, not "Vintage Racecar" which covers the cars and their history as much as it covers [US] vintage racing. The one I am thinking of appeared to be primarily race reports.

[cheapracer]

I think you guys aren't just echoing Autosport but the FIA and F1 as a whole today.

One of this forum's Oz members runs this nice little mag that's broader and more balanced than most in it's reporting ...

http://www.racemagazine.com.au/

[David McKinney]

I think there is subscription-only magazine devoted purely to historic racing, probably UK-focusssed, but as I have no interest in historic racing as such I have never tried to find a copy.

This is the one:
http://www.historicm...racingnews.com/
But it won't help those complaining about Autosport's poor coverage of contemporary club racing

[simonlewisbooks]

I'm the same as most of you chaps, bought it religiously for decades but gave up when it became fascinated by 'lifestyle' , fancy art-editing, etc. and forgot there were people who actually liked racing.

Advertised in it for 27 years.Beginning to think that's a waste of money and just suspended my ad over the summer months , intending to restart in the autumn...but now the habit has been broken.... hmmm,. If I can see no obvious fall-off from NOT advertising then whats the point?

Seems to have entirely lost it's original audience (as did RALLY SPORT years ago)and gone for the couch-potato/computer-game/TV-veiwer/baseball-hat buying demographic instead.
And just look at how thin the magazine now is as a result ! They say they have gone where the market has led them...which market would that be then?

Wish it was not the case. It was a truly superb magazine for many many years. We've all ,literally, grown up with it I suspect.

[Sharman]

The great problem is that Autosport had used to be about people we knew. Now it is about rich buggers who don't want to know us and some rather nasty people whom I have no wish to know.

[elansprint72]

I totally agree however with Haymarket owing both Autosport & Motorsport News I think there is an opportunity for the two to become unique publications. I would suggest that ...

(a) Autosport covers all INTERNATIONAL motor sport plus BTCC & British F3
(b) Motorsport News should only cover British events including the GP, BTCC, British F3, Club Racing, etc. It should also change from being a newspaper and become a glossy like Autosport.

This would allow MN to start providing the fuller reports on the club events just like it used to do in its heyday. It would also mean that I wouldn't have to even think twice about buying Autosport!

Absolute agree with every word.

[elansprint72]

Of course there is always:

Cars for the Connoisseur

A splendid organ for those who like real motors.

[elansprint72]

I've just been over to the modern side, this is what I found:

What the the other lot talk about...

Good luck Autosport.

[Option1]

Oh good, a gratuitous insult from Pete to those in the PC, many of whom also participate in TNF. How unusual.

Neil

Edited by Option1, 14 April 2011 - 22:53.

[GMACKIE]

OK, so I'm a bit old, however, the trend towards small black print on colours other than white has become a really frustrating problem for me!

I will NOT buy any magazine that requires hard work to read, and that eliminates quite a few for me.

[arttidesco]

Funny I stopped reading Autosport regularly when the print got too small some time around 1992 now I have a pair of glasses the print in the 60th anniversary edition I bought last year seems smaller again !

What is with all the side bars, why not write a riveting story and cut the diversions the side bars represent ?

As for the overflow of pics I used to look forward to having the odd double page colour pic but some where along the way even Fred Blogs announcement of his Dad's sponsorship is worth a nano colour pic which is so small there is hardly any visible detail.

Somewhere along the way Autosport does appear to have become a lifestyle magazine which is not what it's founding fathers had in mind at all IIRC.

IMHO Autosport ought to get back to basics enthusing us to don wholly hat, duffle coats and wellies every weekend to go and see what the motor clubs are up to.

Any one coming to Dundry Hill for the BPMC Trial ?

Edited by arttidesco, 15 April 2011 - 00:22.

[Tim Murray]

Any one coming to Dundry Hill for the BPMC Trial ?

Me!

(I don't think the event will be reported in either Autosport or Motorsport News, though)

[arttidesco]

Me!

(I don't think the event will be reported in either Autosport or Motorsport News, though)

Might get reported on 'Getting a lil' psycho on tyres' though

[Tim Murray]

Might get reported on 'Getting a lil' psycho on tyres' though

[SWB]

I gave up reading about race's and events in print the day Autosport cut the club racing coverage to almost nothing. I still don't enjoy catching up with things on the wider internet (as Autopsort still ignore club racing) as much as a good magazine, but its better than nothing. The only print motoring magazine I subscribe to now (apart from my Alfa Romeo Owners Club mag, always a great read!) is 'Vintage Motorsport', and I perhaps buy select copies of 'Octane' neither of which has anything to do with contemporary racing.

Steve

[hogstar]

I stopped buying Autosport a few years back as it became like a red-top newspaper, too tabloid, too sensationalist.

The rule of thumb used to be this: If you had a beard, you bought Motoring News if you didn't, you bought Autosport.

[Derwent Motorsport]

I've just been over to the modern side, this is what I found:

What the the other lot talk about...

Good luck Autosport.

Any reason why I can't read this? It tells me I am not logged in but at the top pf the page I am logged in!

[john winfield]

I stopped buying Autosport a few years back as it became like a red-top newspaper, too tabloid, too sensationalist.

The rule of thumb used to be this: If you had a beard, you bought Motoring News if you didn't, you bought Autosport.

Hold on a minute. When I was young, poor and clean shaven I bought Motoring News, when I could afford a beard I moved to Autosport, as the beard grew grizzled I changed to Motor Sport and now, with hair turning white and falling out, I re-read old copies of M News muttering things aren't what they used to be. (Removes rose-tinted bi-focals).

[Giraffe]

Any reason why I can't read this? It tells me I am not logged in but at the top pf the page I am logged in!

You must go to Paddock Club in the Forums, click on 'Pascal' & e-mail him for permission,if you can be bothered.................

[Stephen W]

What is with all the side bars, why not write a riveting story and cut the diversions the side bars represent ?

Somewhere along the way Autosport does appear to have become a lifestyle magazine which is not what it's founding fathers had in mind at all IIRC.

IMHO Autosport ought to get back to basics enthusing us to don wholly hat, duffle coats and wellies every weekend to go and see what the motor clubs are up to.

1) The side bars are for the youth who have the attention span of a gnat!
2) The "founding fathers" will be spinning in their graves!
3) When Autosport dropped several British National Championships they immediately lost all the "wooly hat, duffle coats and wellies" brigade!

[Giraffe]

When Autosport dropped several British National Championships they immediately lost all the "wooly hat, duffle coats and wellies" brigade!

Well that's it then, I'm orf................!


By giraffe138 at 2010-09-20

[RJE]

When my copy of Autosport arrived yesterday I looked through it for about an hour and then made the decision to cancel my subscription the next time I sat down at my desk. Today I stumbled on this thread and can only agree with the majority word. It is with a heavy heart I undertake the decision to cancel as I have read the magazine since attending the British GP in 1957 and in fact I have a great many of those classic copies in my attic to this day.

Please Autosport get back to proper objective reporting of events and technical matters and forget the self opinionated marks out of ten type approach you seem to have adopted over the last few years.

Insidently the last copy in my attic that I deemed suitable to keep is from the late 1970s.

[Tim Murray]

1) The side bars are for the youth who have the attention span of a gnat!

Idle musing - if modern youth really does have the attention span of a gnat, what are they going to be like when they get old? When I was a youth my attention span was pretty good. I read voraciously - anything and everything that interested me, including a whole lot of heavy stuff I wouldn't dream of picking up these days, and a great deal of what I read then has stayed in my memory. Nowadays my attention span does indeed resemble that of a gnat, and most of what I do manage to take in gets forgotten very soon. So if you start out with the attention span of a gnat, what on earth do you end up with later in life?

[kayemod]

1) The side bars are for the youth who have the attention span of a gnat!
2) The "founding fathers" will be spinning in their graves!
3) When Autosport dropped several British National Championships they immediately lost all the "wooly hat, duffle coats and wellies" brigade!

All true, but the rot really set in when they began printing all the inside pages in colour.

You tell the young of today that we 'ad to read everything in black & white, and they won't believe you, they won't !

[Giraffe]

You tell the young of today that we 'ad to read everything in black & white, and they won't believe you, they won't !

It does make you wonder who the hell does actually read 'Autosport'. I don't know anyone who does and I never see anyone either buying or reading the magazine either. Many newspoints that used to stock it in the past no longer do in my experience. I used to see it on lots of roadcar dashboards & seats at the circuits, but not anymore. One UK racer of some note who recently starred in the "Race of my life" feature told me he wouldn't have actually seen the article if the mag hadn't sent him a complimentary copy.

[Vitesse2]

I've just been over to the modern side, this is what I found:

What the the other lot talk about...

Good luck Autosport.

Pete: like Neil, I fail to see what linking to a Paddock Club thread has to do with anything. PC's reason for existence is that it is "The place to talk about (almost!) any non-motorsport topic, while sipping champagne and socialising with others." Much like the Blood Pressure thread, but bigger.