Guest Author - Christine Blachford

The first thing that strikes you about F1 Racing magazine is how glossy and well laid out it is. The presentation is just fabulous, and it’s a really classy piece of print. The official stance of the magazine means that it can get access to the heart and soul of Formula 1 and this means a great deal of insider photos and spreads.

When you delve deeper into the heart of the magazine, it becomes obvious how much technical detail there is inside. Again, with the official contacts the magazine has, they get interviews with all the top technical people inside the teams, plus all the drivers and really, anyone who has anything to do with F1.

If you are a complete beginner when it comes to F1, the magazine might be quite intimidating. The technical articles do attempt to try and explain things in a friendly way, but really they are aimed at fans who know a thing or two about aerodynamics. I do find some of the articles quite complicated and they go over my head, but I still find them interested, and some of the inserts within the articles contain nuggets of information you can really digest.

The coverage of the actual races is incredibly detailed. Being a monthly magazine, they cannot have up to the minute news as and when it happens, but they embrace that fact. There are usually a few races featured in each magazine, with some being a review and some being a preview. There are all the usual statistics – the grid, the results, lap by lap reports plus the article coverage. They also have a driver’s insight into the track which is a very interesting perspective that you wouldn’t find in many other magazines.

My favourite part of this magazine is the column that is written by Eddie Jordan. If you’ve been watching for a few years, you may remember Eddie as the brains behind the yellow team – Jordan. They had limited success, but were bought out as back markers. Eddie doesn’t seem to be that interested in rejoining the world of Formula 1 but it’s incredibly interesting to read his views on the sport from outside. He isn’t worried about upsetting anyone and so sometimes he comes out with some real, honest gems.

Whether you will like this magazine depends on what you want from your reading material. F1 Racing is not heavy on news, because it is a monthly publication. There are a few news segments at the start of the magazine but it is primarily made up of articles and features.

I really enjoy it, because it has such official contacts, it’s well-written and the pictures can sometimes be stunning.