38 replies to this topic

[andrea]

I'm big fan of this former GP magazine.As I was too young (and short of money ) in that period I have only few of these magazines. I want to start this thread because I hope that some of you guys has more numbers and will share GP stories.So I'm asking everyone who has some (or every) number to send GP story (or interesting article),starting from oldest number.

Forza Andrea,

[Cirrus]

Hopefully, my poor old body will be able to get up into the loft this weekend to dig out my collection.

Regards...... and ciao

Cirrus

[theunions]

When exactly did the magazine begin and cease publication?

[cheesy poofs]

IIRC, the mag came out in mid 1979 ( the first issue was the 1979 German GP ) and disappeared sometime in 1986...

[Felix Muelas]

Originally posted by cheesy poofs
IIRC, the mag came out in mid 1979 ( the first issue was the 1979 German GP )...

Also from memory, I think the first copy I got was Long Beach 1979, so pretty early in the season. I think I was never able to see any of the previous but I believe they existed...and the whole 1979 was "covered".

[cheesy poofs]

You are right Felix.

Germany 1979 was the first issue I purchased. The LBGP cover had a pic of Tambay ( Lowenbrau sponsored McLaren ) going over the rear wing of Lauda's Brabham at the end of Shoreline Drive.

[Maldwyn]

The first issue of GPI appeared at the start of the 1979 season. IIRC the cover showed Reutemann in the green Martini-Lotus 79 at the Argentinian GP. Each issue appeared after every GP until the magazine expanded to cover sportscars and powerboat racing, before disappearing during the 1985(or was it '86?) season.

Once upon a time I had each and every issue, but no more

[Marcel Visbeen]

When I started out as a serious follower of our sport this was THE magazine to have. My first issue combined the German and Austrian Grand Prix of 1980. Lately I've been trying to complete my collection. As far as I know I'm almost there: only 5 issues to go.

The magazine started out in 1979. First issue indeed after the Argentinian GP. I think it was published in English, French and German. From the Dutch grand prix of 1980 onwards it also had am edition in Dutch. From numbers 1 untill 72 (the end of the 1983 season) each issue came out after a grand prix and a review at the end of the season. There were also two special editions in 1982 dealing with endurance racing and Le Mans. In 1983 there were five of those special issues.

From the start of the 1984 season the format of the magazine changed. It was no longer exclusively covering formula one, but also endurance, rally, american racing and even speedboat racing. It had also become a montly magazine. The French, German and Dutch editions were shut down and the magazine was only issued in English.

The magazine lasted untill mid-season 1986, issue number 105, but by then it was nothing resembling wat it once had been: the first magazine solely dealing with formula one.

So for the record:
Grand Prix International had 105 normal issues between 1979 and 1986,
seven special issues on endurance racing in 1982 and 1983,
(in 1985 there was a 'special Ferrari' but that wasn't really a magazine as it was 11 'posters' with a stapple put through them)
and then there was the issue on the Spanish Grand Prix of 1980 which never got a proper magazine number because the race was never officially acknowledged as well.

[Maldwyn]

One of the strengths of the magazine was Bernard Asset's photography. I also remember the Face to Face interviews and colourful lapcharts among other things. Having recently obtained a copy of the Monaco 1982 issue I was surprised at how few pages there actually were.

[wherezmyz]

F1 Emporium in Montreal (www.f1emporium.ca) were able to obtain an almost complete set of GPI from a collector this year that they were selling during the GP weekend. They may still have individual copies available, if anyone is interested.

[Mac Lark]

The first one I bought coverd the 1979 French GP.

I think that would pre date the German GP version.

It was late 1979 and I purchased it as I was about to board an overnight train from Sydney to Melbourne.

It cost 6 bucks which was a rip off but of course when i saw the photos of Gilles and Arnoux - well I just had to have it.

[andrea]

Guys,I'm glad that this thread has so many comments,but can you scan some articles and pictures from GPI and send here.

Forza Andrea,

[alainsohet]

Hello,
It's so stupid. I've sold my Grand Prix International collection few months ago.
But, if you're interested I can try to find a other collection.
Some times it's possible to find it on the fleamarkets.
But, because i'm living in Belgium, the most part of the collection is in french !

[Felix Muelas]

Alain,

What could be interesting would be to know, roughly, what did you get for the full set (if it was a full set) in order for some of us to have an idea ;)

I have seen that I somehow got some "binded" copies (second part of 1979, 1980 y one and 1981 in two) that I have no idea where did I bought them -but it was then- and those I bought in addition to the individual numbers...obviously the binded copies have survived, the individuals must be in a box...

[alainsohet]

Hello Andrea,
I've sold my collection to a french motor books seller for around 150 € and I've seen, last year, a guy who sell a lot of GPI ( maybe the entire collection) for 100 €.
But, it's always the same problem: if you're looking for something, yon don't find it !
So, sometime, I'm in contact with this french seller. I can try to call him and I'll asked him if he have still my or a other collection.
Regards
Alain

[Arjan de Roos]

Andrea,

I found also a copy with six copies of GPI together in one. This is in french language. Never knew these existed.

Arjan

[gerard BARATHIEU]

Andrea,

I found in my granary 11 numbers of GPI.

Two in a very poor state but the others well.

The oldest was dated from 06 ecember 1983:it is the number 6:but it is a special edition.

Perhaps it began in earliest years.

It treat principaly about sports prototype and there are a few F in it.

Perhaps there was two magazines one for F1 and the other for sports prototypes.

After a few time they were reunited in a ony one.

I can sell you if you are interested ?

[eldougo]

Andrea.
GPI --- No1 Argentina GP----- cost 75p UK __1979 January.
to
GPI --- No105 Canadian GP----- cost 2.00 UK___ 1986 July.

That is the full collection of GPI magazines ,I bought the first one in France and they did come
out in that language right from the start. I wish they would have keep going it was a great
magazine the cost sure did rise in those 7 years ----

[andrea]

Gerard,check you pm box.

Forza Andrea,

[Marcel Visbeen]

Originally posted by gerard BARATHIEU
The oldest was dated from 06 ecember 1983:it is the number 6:but it is a special edition.

If Andrea isn't interested in buying this issue, I sure am. It's one of the only four issues don't have!

[Alan Cox]

I spotted the first issue of a new magazine last week in a local newsagents called "GP International", with a list of respected contributors including the likes of David Tremayne, Alan Henry, Adam Cooper and Tony Dodgins. A glossy, high-quality production it brought to mind the late-lamented "Grand Prix International", a full run of which I have languishing in boxes in the shed.
I particularly recall the fantastic photography of Bernard Asset, and the quality of its colour reproduction, and also the fact it also brought out special editions covering endurance racing in the days of the Porsche 956 with pull-out A2 posters. In those days I still had a fairly close interest in current Grand Prix and Sports Car racing and, on reflection, I suspect that the closure of the magazine may have been the catalyst for my decline in interest in those forms of racing today.
It doesn't seem to follow quite the format as the original in terms of race reporting, or have quite such generous photo reportage, but it will be interesting to see whether an intelligent 'effwun' magazine can cut it amongst today's competition.

http://www.gpinternational.com/

[seb333]

I come back to the original subject, some 10 years later, with a question. I try to collect the GPI magazines in French language, does anybody know from which issue the magazine stopped being published in French?

[MODE]

I come back to the original subject, some 10 years later, with a question. I try to collect the GPI magazines in French language, does anybody know from which issue the magazine stopped being published in French?

The last issue of original GPI mag in french was in 84 with Brands Hatch GP.

[andreab]

Hi everybody this is my first post but I've been reading (and enjoyng) the forum for a very long time.
I just wanted to add that there was also the Italian version of GPI . It started fron Argentina 79 but I don't remember when it was dismissed. Surely in 84 it was still around.
I was an avid reader even if I have to say that the italian translation was horrible especially in 79 (I mean hundreds of typos in each number!).
Regards

Edited by andreab, 17 November 2012 - 14:53.

[seb333]

The last issue of original GPI mag in french was in 84 with Brands Hatch GP.

So it is no86 which has been the last in French, merci!

[Michael Ferner]

The German ones were also terribly translated, as I recall. Done on the cheap, obviously.

[mfd]

Our very own moderator worked for GPI

[alansart]

The German ones were also terribly translated, as I recall. Done on the cheap, obviously.

Ironically I used to buy the English version at Hanover Airport on the way back to the UK

[Fiorentina 1]

Why did it stop? It just ended in the middle of 1986 without a word of problems? Issue 105 I believe is the last one.

I have all but 3 issues; it was the best magazine ever! I loved the prototype issues as well.

[Allen Brown]

Yes, 105 July 1986 was the last one. My bound set is always close to hand. Between Jenks starting to lose interest in backmarkers about 1980 and the Autocourse Log Book becoming genuinely authoritative in the mid-1980s, GPI was the best source for racing car identities.

[ghinzani]

My sadly very few GPIs are treasured possessions, even more than the bound Autosports. I liked the fact they sponsored WEC cars etc As has been said the great one around here could surely tell some tales, not all libelous...

[GMiranda]

Do you know if there was #73, or if it wasn't published, as someone said to me? A friend send me his collection in PDF and there are no 73 (winter 1983).

[Collombin]

That was around the time of the format change - surely they wouldn't skip an issue number if it never materialised, but if they did then wouldn't it have been mentioned in number 74?

[Glengavel]

I used to buy the WEC editions - might still have some in a box in the garage...

[GMiranda]

That was around the time of the format change - surely they wouldn't skip an issue number if it never materialised, but if they did then wouldn't it have been mentioned in number 74?

I found nothing on the Editorial, but they say it's the first number of a new era, when they will cover more than F1. Perhaps skipping a number has that symbolic meaning.

[SamoanAttorney]

issue #73 is missing from my collection..............if I knew the reason at the time I have forgotten..........

 

[proviz]

I picked up Special Edition nr. 7 of 1983 (that's the one focusing on sportscar racing). It came out in December and seems to have been the last Grand Prix International of 1983. There's a leader of sorts on p. 19 which explains the coming change in 1984. Referring to F1 coverage it says "in 1983 you have had 840 pages to enjoy". I then counted the page total of all "regular" 1983 issues and came up with 988. It is a bit harder to judge just how many of those pages were strictly not about F1.

Whatever, it seems unlikely that there ever was any issue 73. 

[Henri Greuter]

For what it is worth, I have a spare Endurance racing magazine, dated October 1983  (Races Spa, Brands Hatch & Mount Fuji), English language.

In case of any interest shown and something to be worked out, it is permitted to leave the building.....

Edited by Henri Greuter, 16 March 2020 - 13:35.

[Peter Morley]

No issue 73 in my set either.