? F3 Magazine ?

Gaffer · 14 May 2002, 13:23 (Ref:286271)

Just wondering if people feel there would be suffiscent demand to justify a dadicated F3 magazine? As far as i know there is not one at the minute, and although the British F3 series is well covered online, it might be good to have a published copy of results, features etc. I used to subscribe to the Formula Palmer Magazine and found it to be a great accompanyment to the series. From what I can see, the likes of Autosport tend to concentrate on the frontrunners, rather than on the series as a whole.

What do people think?

OVERSTEER · 14 May 2002, 13:32 (Ref:286280)

If it was on all the F3 Championships all over the world then maybe there could be sufficient demand.

**bella** · 14 May 2002, 14:02 (Ref:286306)

perhaps as a sort of race day programme it could get sufficient demand. that way you'd give people something interesting to read instead of the same old same old you normally get.

Keefyboy · 14 May 2002, 14:11 (Ref:286318)

Good idea,

Sadly though in this country there just wouldn't be a demand for it. I work for a publishing company and have often wondered if a National Motorsport Mag covering such series such as Formula Ford, Formula Renault and F3 would work? It could include all the local championships too which don't get a mention in the national motorsport mags.

Keith

**bella** · 14 May 2002, 14:17 (Ref:286324)

i really don't think enough would be willing to buy it as well at autosport or motorsport news.

as i say, if you had it as part of the raceday programme you might get a bigger readership. have the main vending point at races, with the entry lists in every month, and you've got yourself a near guranteed audience.

Gaffer · 14 May 2002, 14:21 (Ref:286330)

Thanks for the reply's. Perhaps it could just be an annual publication that covered the season gone. That would be a good record of the series and obviously far less risky and time consuming than a publication throughout the season. I'm not letting this die yet!!

**bella** · 14 May 2002, 14:29 (Ref:286336)

the problem with race reviews is that if you've not seen the action, you'll wonder what all the fuss is about. people buy f1 reviews because they've seen it all, and want to relive the action. i do reckon if you had some way of helping those who go to maybe the odd one race or two to be more informed, and maybe travel a few more hours to see another race, you might be able to corner a continuous market.

a review would be a good record, but would risk a really low readership. how do you distribute it to stores without making far too many copies? how do you keep it low cost enough so people like me who are skint as hell can afford to buy it?

if you ran a racely (race version of weekly??) publication, you could cover nearly every driver over the season, which from their point of view would be good cause they could get some coverage for their sponsors.

Jonny Apex · 14 May 2002, 14:43 (Ref:286348)

Also, be prepared to work every hour God sends keeping it up to date. The end product would also have to be the business otherwise it would get torn to shreds by those flicking through it.

You've also got to question how big a following it would receive. Why isn't there a BTCC mag (or if there is I'm not aware of one) when TOCA we hear gets the biggest crowds? Simple, there's not enough of a following to make it commercially viable.

So unless you're rich, rich, rich and prepared to dip into your own pocket for the first six months at least (writers and photographers' bills to pay, plus publisher, distributor, each circuit for the right to sell it on their land, and so on and so on) then walk away from it now. Run, in fact.

Lovely idea, though.

Keefyboy · 14 May 2002, 14:44 (Ref:286349)

Mags with cool pics sell, which is why F1 Magazine is pretty good. Do the same for the national stuff and it will also sell to all motorsport heads, especially the club racer. At the end of the day F1 drivers are where they are today thanks to the grassroots of motorsport. Look back to an old issue of Autosport and you'll see that the National racing was a big part of the mag (over half an issue). It's only now that its stuffed to the back...

Autosport could dump the section at the back and run a 'Pull Out' middle section covering all the latest news, results and features on National Racing, easily. It'll help potential sponsors to get involved in putting money into championships and its drivers. What is it waiting for?

Keith

**bella** · 14 May 2002, 14:49 (Ref:286351)

i think you've got a point about autosport doing a pull out section. at the moment, the coverage doesn't do justice. one lousy picture for formula renault (ok, 2 or 3 this week)? think how many sponsors want to see their money going somewhere decent. you can't use printed media coverage as a reason for someone to sponsor someone. i know, i've tried...

there never seems to be any articles on the lower series, such as interviews, or extended opinion even. how can the general f1/btcc loving public who buy autosport be able to find out about the future talent for their series if there's no information about them?

BennyBoy1978 · 14 May 2002, 14:50 (Ref:286353)

Quote:

Originally posted by bella
the problem with race reviews is that if you've not seen the action, you'll wonder what all the fuss is about. people buy f1 reviews because they've seen it all, and want to relive the action.

What ever happened to the Duke videos that showed highlights of the F3 Races, the last one I found was 99 surely with all the hype of Button joining F1 the following year and F3 being the training ground for the stars of tomorrow it would make sense to still produce them.

we just need to look at the list of past and present F1 stars to see that F3 is and will continue to be a step on the Ladder to F1

**bella** · 14 May 2002, 14:54 (Ref:286357)

not sure about your last statement, nor am i sure that it's a reason for people to buy a magazine or video. it's more something that'll interest them in a current publication.

AndyF · 14 May 2002, 15:54 (Ref:286396)

I think a good quality, but cheap, subscription based Single Seater (F3/FRenault/FFord) magazine might work - I'd certainly buy it - but one reader doesn't make it a success

Francesca · 14 May 2002, 16:23 (Ref:286426)

I'd buy it too. I'd also help you get subscribers through my site as long as the mag isn't biased towards any drivers in particular.

Francesca · 14 May 2002, 16:30 (Ref:286434)

Quote:

Originally posted by BennyBoy1978
What ever happened to the Duke videos that showed highlights of the F3 Races, the last one I found was 99

The 1999 video apparently didn't sell well enough to warrant doing a 2000 version, which is a great shame I think but it shows you that, although there are a lot of junior single seater fans out there, there may not be enough to keep a magazine going.

Keefyboy · 14 May 2002, 16:36 (Ref:286440)

I can get something designed on paper for a National mag that could be added into Autosport or sold seperately?

If everybody on this forum could take a look and liked what they saw then maybe I could get either my firm or another publishing house to take a long hard look into producing such a magazine.

It'll be so easy to run and ads could be sold into it too, great for money hungry Publishers!

Keith

BennyBoy1978 · 14 May 2002, 16:36 (Ref:286442)

yeah thats the problem if the videos don't sell its unlikely people will regular buy the magazine

BennyBoy1978 · 14 May 2002, 16:44 (Ref:286449)

Well I must say this is a good Idea I'd certainly be intrested if it did get of the ground, its more realistic the the ten tenths racing team.

OVERSTEER · 14 May 2002, 21:46 (Ref:286700)

Remember on the cover of the 1999 F3 review, Marc Hynes was called Matt Hynes?

Francesca · 14 May 2002, 21:52 (Ref:286704)

maybe that's why his career bombed!

jiggly_puff · 14 May 2002, 21:54 (Ref:286708)

was he i never noticed that!!!!!!!

OVERSTEER · 15 May 2002, 18:35 (Ref:287517)

Quote:

Originally posted by Francesca
maybe that's why his career bombed!

Or maybe that he doesn't have a Brazilian or Finnish passport, and he doesn't have teams forcing him onto them in exchange for an engine supply

eeebz · 15 May 2002, 18:49 (Ref:287522)

Hi all,

New to these forum things - but lets see how it goes!

Back to the subject of the National Single Seater magazine. I would be really interested in this - i am a someone who covers all the formulas that are mentioned. I am sure that it could get off the ground. If there is anyone out there who is really interested in getting this thing off the ground just shout in my direction!

Eeebz

Turbocharged · 15 May 2002, 19:08 (Ref:287527)

Eeebz,

I be glad to lend my assistance to this, got some skills and contacts that would definaltly help, can I contact you via e-mail?

Francesca · 18 May 2002, 21:02 (Ref:289696)

Hi eeebz and turbocharged - welcome to the forum.

Well I hope someone gets the magazine idea going.

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