Autosport

[krt917]

I agree with the sentiment here, but - for fear of being shot down in flames - would like to make a couple of points!

Firstly, I think that there are still journalists on Autosport's staff, such as Mr Roebuck, who do realise that there are serious things wrong with F1 and who have said so. Secondly, whether we like it or not F1 is the thing that gets most of the general public excited. Personally, it drives me nuts that F1 is seen as being so important and I've always preferred Sportscars, but most seem to think differently and it's not surprising that Autosport try and cater fore the greatest number.

Having said all that of course, I would love to see a more balanced (more Sportscars, more historics etc.) approach from them and was shocked to see the Bentley having to share front-cover space with the Canandian GP - not even a full cover for goodness sake!

It would probably help if there was a proper World Sportscar Championship again, but I suppose that's another story....

[Kpy]

Freinds of mine who work in F1 call Autosport "The Comic" that I think sums it up.

Autosport and Motoring News have beeeen called "the comics" for all of the 40 plus years that I've been involved in motor sport. It was an affectionate term then ........... Unfortunately they are aimed at a very young audience these days.
Saveloy - Heseltine has had no connection with Autosport for a VERY long tme - he sold Haymarket when the Tories were still in power. DO keep up dear boy!

[JonM]

I admit (confess?) that I still religiously buy Autosport every week but I find that large chunks of it remain unread a week later when the next issue is religiously brought home. Until now, I had not really analysed whether my interest in the sport that had declined or whether the mag was simply not such a good read any more. Many of your comments encouraged me to examine the reality for the first time and I have to agree that the standards of journalism and general readability have definitely declined in recent years.
I still rate the writing of Nigel Roebuck but even he is beginning to p155 me off a bit. The political comment (I buy the Daily Mail if I want to read anti-Blair rants), the smokers rights nonsense (what about heroin addicts and glue sniffers rights ?) and the endless “off-the-record” F1 team employee quotes being referred to as murmurs.(“Michael likes to win races” a team member murmured, “Juan Pablo can be a bit wild” a team member murmured, “F1 has become a dull joke” a senior FIA man murmured).
Also, has anyone ever seen them write something critical of the bewigged money-grabbing midget who runs the show. I know that they receive lots if letters about this because my friends and myself write to them on this subject frequently.
So Autosport has become a bit of a joke but what is the alternative ?

[smokie]

Kpy well done for reviving a year old thread!

Although I have a sense of deja vu on reading it...didn't someone start a similar one earlier this week?

[BigH]

That's a good post Jon,
Do what I did at the date of my first post, and just stop buying the damn rag. After a couple of weeks you won't miss it, honest! Your view of F1 will become more realistic as well, seeing as you won't be taking in the steady drip of weekly indoctrination. I feel much better for it, I really do, and my wedding tackle has also increased in size, as an added bonus.
By 'more realistic', I mean it becomes very obvious what a shambles the whole F1 thing is. The MacDonaldisation of what was a good formula.
And another thing, a more balanced and adult coverage of the sport in general would be bound to help young drivers in the sport. I often think what a shame it is to see some very talented drivers stood in the 'test driver' shadows of F1. Let the prima donnas test for chrissakes, and spread the talent around a bit.
I'm not sure about Roebuck either. Ok, he can spell, and probably doesn't use crayons, but he's much too sycophantic. If he truly feels the way that he sometimes 'suggests' (he never actually comes out with straight to the bone criticism) then why is he still working there? He's part of the whole malaise if you ask me. If he's a mouthpiece, then he should be talking not mumbling.
Ah well, I was in a good mood till then...

But the race!!! 'kinnell we're nearly there!! Like a few others on this site I've some serious midnight oil to burn before I get going, but batsignal-like, I can see that cold beer and far away field in my minds eye (I haven't been able to see out of my Japs eye for years).

Taxing the car this morning, I realised that it will be it's 40th birthday on Friday, so maybe I'll buy it a little pressie, an extra case of 1664 seems a good idea. I'm sure there'll be plenty more 'Browns Lane' action next week...Mind you, a short silence and toast to absent friends (The Commer) will have to be made. And maybe it'll be the time to unveil a bugle solo I've been working on. Just make sure no-one's smoking nearby or dressed in their Sunday best...
Oi, grindstone, p*ss off!!
H

[Kpy]

Kpy well done for reviving a year old thread!

I didn't - look at the date on my post 2003! Lord knows where that came from.

[Robbo SPS]

I buy Autosport once a year, and its complete rubbish. Its a waste of paper. If the special handout wasnt there i would demand my money back.

[smokie]

Oops, Jon was the reviver...

[JonM]

That's me as sharp and on the ball as ever  

[Fax]

As I've mentioned before I subscribed to it for a couple of decades before finally throwing in the towel on it about five or six years ago.  It went from being a no-nonsense enthusiast read to tabloid garbage.  Most of the current crop of writers know as much about the history of the sport as my friend's six year old daughter.   Regarding Nigel Roebuck.  There was a time when I thought he was one of the best motor racing journalist in world, right there with Jabby Crombac and Jenks but something wierd has happened to him over the past ten years.  He clearly thinks that his opinion on eveything, motor racing related or not, really matters.  And he's never been able to give straightforward unbiased reporting of the sport.  His views are so clouded by who he's in with and more importantly, who's in favor with him.  He used to bleat on endlessly about Gilles Villeneuve mostly because he had his nose so far up Gilles ass he could have checked him for colon polyps.  If you listened to Roebuck, GV was some kind of saint, which he clearly was not.  His villafication of Didier Pironi over the past twenty some years has been nothing short of criminal.  As I said, the drivers who are in favor with him are the greatest guys he knows.  He'll go on and on about what a great bloke Gerhard Berger is but I know several people who know and have worked or dealt with him and to a man they say Berger's one of the biggest ass-holes to ever walk the planet.  Jenks used to be able to give a honest, unbiased view of the sport and the participants involved, Roebuck clearly can't.
 John

[mgmark]

Go back to Motor Sport days with DSJ.   Now that was real writing from the heart about motor sport by a world champion and Mille Miglia winner!  Shame that today's crop cannot afford to be as honest as DSJ was.