21 replies to this topic

[Roger Clark]

Before becoming an annual publication, autocourse was a magazine. First published in 1951, it was at first quarterly, later bi-monthly and then monthly. I have a collection up to 1955, and they are really good, including complete lap charts with times of such diverse events as the San Remo Grand Prix and the Le Mans 24 hours as well as the World Championship events.

My reason for posting this is to ask whether anybody has any experience of it from 1956 onwards until its rebirth as an annual in 1959. At some point it merged with a magazine called Sporting Motorist and I have the impression of a rather bland publication with none of the detail of earlier time. Can anybody offer an opinion of Autocourse from 1956 to 1958?

[Rob29]

You have got that right Roger.It got steadily worse from 57-59.Was called Autocouse & Sporting Motorist in 1958.Renamed just 'Sporting Motorist' in 59. Quarterly Autocourse was suposed to return at the same time but only the first annual apeared.Bi annual 60.Bound annual since 61.

[Don Capps]

I had almost all the issues from the last issue of 1954 until 1960 and then the first "annual" -- 1961, which I still have. Alas, as mentioned they are somewhere in Book Heaven or where things go when the shippers lose them.

The binding in the latter years was terrible and there was a marked different twix the earlier and later years. It has been nearly 20 years, but I can still remember much about them -- there they very special since I started getting them at age seven.

Autobooks out in California used to carry them, but after I lost them they were into either into something or closed by then. I have never seriously tried to replace them -- couldn't find them and then couldn't afford them.

Sort of the same with the annuals -- they were uneven and coverage somewhat random at times.

[nordschleife]

I take it that the magazine origin explains the weird nomenclature (eg: 1990-91 refers to the 1990 season).
I have the 1965 edition, I lack the 1966 edition, then my contiguous collection begins with the 1967 edtion. My earliest (acquired long after publication) is volume IV number 5 February 1955 which has a magnificent article by Paul Frere on the Nurburgring marking out the racing line using a proper circuit map, one multiple-turn drawing and, so help me God, 18 photographs. Factual detail is produced in greater depth than any publication I have ever seen. There are complete tables of results for every race and rally of the period although it appears the New World remains undiscovered at this point. Imagine this: a table showing every car's lap time on every lap! The last time they had that was 1971. How useful that would be today and how easy to produce yet where is it? I guess the "mood shots" are more important.
For years I regarded the Top Ten ratings as stone tablets from the mountaintop. I got over that when they picked Mansell as #1 in 89 and their credibility has been inconsistent since then. Love the pictures though.

[fines]

Originally posted by nordschleife

For years I regarded the Top Ten ratings as stone tablets from the mountaintop. I got over that when they picked Mansell as #1 in 89 and their credibility has been inconsistent since then. Love the pictures though.

Yeah, funny they left Heinz-Harald Frentzen out of their Top 10 in 1998 and gave him No. 1 spot the year after!

[William Hunt]

Could anybody do the effort to sent or publish in this forum the yearly Autocourse top 10's. I only have the annuals from 1994 onwords. Thanks in advance, William.

[fines]

1993: Senna, Prost, Schumacher, Alesi, Hill, Brundle, Fittipaldi, Berger, Blundell, Barrichello
1992: Mansell, Senna, Schumacher, Berger, Patrese, Alesi, Brundle, Häkkinen, Herbert, Alboreto
1991: Senna, Mansell, Patrese, Prost, Berger, Piquet, Alesi, Martini, Cesaris, Blundell
1990: Prost, Senna, Piquet, Mansell, Nannini, Boutsen, Patrese, Berger, Alesi, Suzuki (!)
(...)
1987: Prost, Mansell, Senna, Berger, Piquet, Boutsen, Alboreto, Johansson, Patrese, Palmer

Sorry, no more.

[William Hunt]

Thanks Mr. Fines, anyone else got more ?

[Rob Ryder]

1969 - Stewart, Rindt, Ickx, Brabham, Hulme, Amon, Hill, McLaren, Siffert, Courage

1970 - Stewart, Ickx, Regazzoni, Amon, Rodriguez, Brabham, Surtees, Hulme, Cevert, Beltoise

1971 - Stewart, Ickx, Regazzoni, Amon, Peterson, Cevert, Hulme, Emerson Fittipaldi, Schenken, Gethin

1972 - Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ickx, Hulme, Hailwood, Revson, Peterson, Amon, Regazzoni, Reutemann

1973 - Stewart, Peterson, Emerson Fittipaldi, Pace, Hulme, Hunt, Reutemann, Revson, Lauda, Scheckter

1974 - Emerson Fittipaldi, Peterson, Reutemann, Scheckter, Lauda, Pace, Regazzoni, Hunt, Hailwood, Watson

1975 - Anyone sell me copy cheap ;)

1976 - Lauda, Hunt, Depailler, Peterson, Scheckter, Andretti, Laffite, Pace, Regazzoni, Watson

1977-1982 ??????

1983 - Piquet, Prost, Tambay, Arnoux, Rosberg, Watson, Cheever, Warwick, Lauda

1984-1985 ??????

1986 - Prost, Mansell, Senna, Piquet, Berger, Johansson, Alboreto, Rosberg, Arnoux, Patrese

1987 - Prost, Mansell, Senna, Berger, Piquet, Boutsen, Alboreto, Johansson, Patrese, Palmer

1988 - Anyone sell me copy cheap ;)

1989 - Mansell, Senna, Prost, Patrese, Berger, Boutsen, Nannini, Caffi, Warwick, Martini

1990 - ???????

1991 - Senna, Mansell, Patrese, Prost, Berger, Piquet, Alesi, Martini, de Cesaris, Blindell

1992 - Mansell, Senna, Schumacher, Berger, Patrese, Alesi, Brundle, Hakkinen, Herbert, Alboreto

Can you spot the gaps in my collection

Rob

[Kpy]

I can only add:

1968 - Stewart, Rindt, Hill, Amon, Hulme, Surtees, Ickx, Gurney, Rodriguez, Siffert.

[tombe]

1982 - None,Rosberg,Prost,Piquet,Lauda,Watson,Arnoux,Alboreto,Patrese,deAngelis

1984 - Prost,Piquet,Lauda,Rosberg,deAngelis,Alboreto,Warwick,Senna,Mansell,Tambay

1988 - Senna,Prost,Berger,Mansell,Capelli,Boutsen,Nannini,Alboreto,Warwick,Palmer

[William Hunt]

Anyone 1985 ?

[William Hunt]

PS : I only count 9 drivers in 1983 , is this correct, I know the 1982 is supposed to be nine since Villeneuve & Pironi died that year, but I think 1983 should be a real top 10.

[ray b]

1985 top 10
prost
senna
rosberg
piquet
alboreto
mansel
lauda
de angells
johansson
boutsen
from my $1 yards sale copy.

[Milan Fistonic]

1975 Lauda,E.Fittipaldi,Peterson,Scheckter,Hunt,Pace,Reutemann,Regazzoni,Brise,Mass,Pryce,Jarier.

1977 Lauda,Hunt,Andretti,Scheckter,Watson,Nilsson,Depailler,Laffite,Reutemann,Mass.

1978 Lauda,Andretti,Reutemann,Jones,Depailler,Scheckter,Villeneuve,Laffite,Watson,Patrese.

1979 Jones,Villeneuve,Scheckter,Laffite,Reutemann,Jabouille,Regazzoni,Arnoux,Piquet,Andretti.

1980 Jones,Piquet,Villeneuve,Pironi,Arnoux,Laffite,Jabouille,Reutemann,deAngelis,Giacomelli.

1981 Jones,Prost,Villeneuve,Piquet,Reutemann,Pironi,Laffite,Watson,Arnoux,de Angelis.

[William Hunt]

Thanks a lot guys !

Anybody got pre-1968 Autocourse top 10s ?

[Rob29]

No top 10 1959-61
1962
1 Graham Hill
2 Jim Clark
3 Bruce McLaren
4 John Surtees
5 Dan Gurney
6 Phil Hill
7 Tony Maggs
8 Richie Ginther
9 Jack Brabham
10 Trevor Taylor
1963-Top 7 only

Jim Clark
Graham Hill
Richie Ginther
John Surtees
Dan Gurney
Bruce McLaren
Jack Brabham
AJ Foyt
Richard Petty

Sorry never bought 1964-71.

[ray b]

for 63 a j is ok
petty??????????????????????????
was he ever in a open wheel car????
or sports car?????

[William Hunt]

Richard Petty only drove stock cars to my knowledge.

[Rob29]

The article says top 7 F1 plus top 2 from America.

[stevew01]

1966: Clark, Surtees, Rindt, Stewart, Gurney, Brabham, Hulme, Hill, Bandini, McLaren

1967: Clark, Rindt, Stewart, Brabham, Hulme, Gurney, Surtees, Hill, McLaren, Amon

[tombe]

'CAR and DRIVER's Racing Annuals for the '66-'69 seasons lists their choice of top international drivers. For those interested, I'll post their TOP TEN so you can make a comparison with 'Autocourse's choices.

1966
A: Clark, Surtees, Rindt, Stewart, Gurney, Brabham, Hulme, Hill, Bandini, Mclaren.
C: Brabham, Andretti, Hulme, Hill, Surtees, Stewart, Clark, Rindt, McCluskey, Pearson.

1967
A: Clark, Rindt, Stewart, Brabham, Hulme, Gurney, Surtees, Hill, McLaren, Amon.
C: Clark, Gurney, Andretti, Surtees, P.Jones, Foyt, Hulme, Hill, Stewart, Rindt.

1968
A: Stewart, Rindt, Hill, Amon, Hulme, Surtees, Ickx, Gurney, Rodriguez, Siffert.
C: Stewart, Andretti, Hill, Siffert, Gurney, Rindt, Amon, Hulme, Ickx, Foyt.

1969
A: Stewart, Rindt,Ickx, Brabham, Hulme, Amon, Hill, McLaren, Siffert, Courage.
C: Stewart, Andretti, Rindt, Ickx, Siffert, Amon, Hulme, Brabham, Hill, McLaren.