Deputy editor Gordon Cruickshank has been working at Motor Sport for 30 years and in honour of the occasion we sat him down to ask about the ‘good’ old days of the magazine when a certain Wesley J Tee ruled over the publication.
The stories are absolutely brilliant – even if you have only ever read one or two issues this is a must.
What’s more, after our chat with Gordon, Nigel, Rob and myself go through the first half of the Formula 1 season.
You will also notice some new theme music, which is thanks to Steve Mason.
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Will be listening to the podcast on the flight back from Goteborg – Happy B Day Nigel
and that folks is as close as it gets to Mr Nigel Roebuck giving Kimi Raikkonen a compliment. For a guy that adored Giles V and his no nonsense driving first attitude I have never understood why Nigel has had such a toug time praising Kimi through the years.
It’s a first love thingy (psychologists have a name for it, seriously). NR clearly fell in love with Gilles’s driving back in his youth. GV died, breaking Nige’s heart. Any driver since then showing a hint of GV’s skill and all-or-nothing attitude gets, at best, lukewarm appraisal from NR – Senna, Mansell, Kimi, Hamilton. Even JPM. Nobody is allowed to come close to the first love, it cannot be admitted. But it’s not conscious. Young widows, especially war widows, often experience something similar. You can already see the same thing happening with slightly younger journos (and fans) – Senna was the best and that’s it, unassailable, will never be bettered, etc, etc…
PS. Great podcast, by the way – but that’s the norm nowadays so hardly needs to be mentioned..
Fine tribute having Gordon on, yep, could have listened to many more of his stories.
Really enjoyed Gordon’s stories and in particular the yeast analogy !! Much as I hold WB in esteem for keeping MS going for so long, he always seemed somewhat keener on the dry stats rather than the humanity of the sport.
No big name this time, but what a podcast! Brilliant! Thanks.
Love the podcasts, but…your photo answers many questions as to why they sound the way they do: small room (can you even stand up in there?), lots of hard and reflective surfaces, etc. Shame, that.
nice job again, laughed pretty hard at the stories of WB & DSJ!
if Kimi hadn’t fallen ‘asleep’ several times during his career, there’d be a lot more support for the man from all quarters….
So chuffed to see so many enjoyed Gordon’s stories. It’s a tough time of year to pull in a ‘star’ guest but Gordon is a truly entertaining and amusing man, is he not?
I cannot comment on sound quality as I am not a technician, but I do know, from years of experience, that recording in a large open-plan area designed for meetings is never going to produce a perfect sound quality. Especially when the windows are open in summer time.
We are not now doing a podcast at Goodwood in September but we will be back soon with a great guest!
Why is that Kimi Raikkonen stirs up so much debate??!!
RW
Great stories from GC, very entertaining….why no podcast from Goodwood in September, Rob..? What an opportunity to talk to the stars who will drive the ’30′s Mercedes and Auto-Unions in the demo…….
I remember the 1997 revamp of the magazine, and have never missed an issue since….the historic aspect is the best part….there is plenty of life beyond F1…Full credit and respect to Andrew Frankel…..don’t change a thing…..!
As a journalist who has worked for small family owned publishers I just loved Gordon’s recollections. Not the average Motor Sport podcast but as illuminating as all the rest have been.
So often great journalism masks the environment in which it was created.
Well done… again.
Hmm, lovely, yummy. At first I thought there’s something wrong with my Windows Media Player – it was clearly blasting out a previously unreleased Nirvana song, grunge was back… Then the Senna/Prost and “essa bomba” bit made me realise it was in fact just a new musical intro for M mag poddie.
But yeah, but no, this is definitely how things work in motor racing, people haven’t got a clue about anything. Was it this Honda dude who delivered the 2007 F1 car who admitted the word “downforce” was new to him?
Also, Health and Efficiency? Great title!
Great podcast, you don’t need a big name to entertain, just a great storyteller!
I so enjoyed the podcast. I have been reading Motorsport since I was a kid in 1974. Thanks so much. Honestly I do not see where either Perez or Pic are so special.
I would disagree strongly that Grosjean has better one lap pace than Kimi. that seemed the case at the start of the year but recent qualifying sessions Kimi has been quicker (albeit starting lower in Hungary due to not getting the best lap at the end).
Another great podcast! Great new theme music, too. “The fastest bidet ever built” – will that be a chapter title for Gordon Cruickshank’s autobiography? I suggest that he puts that on the cover, somewhere. It’s too good to keep it buried inside. Thanks, again.
Nice podcast guys. Gordon should write a text book about managing upwards, brilliant story teller. Rob, I seem to recall you were backing Button for the championship at the beginning of the year. You’ve swapped horses midstream now I see, justifiably as he really doesn’t seem to have come to terms with the latest Pirellis.
Nice podcast! It brought back memories of when I used to work round the corner from Motor Sport in City Road. I used to look out my window at the back of my studio and see the colour work being done, so I knew what the cover was before it hit the news stand! I also remember the many interesting cars floating around the area, obviously associated with Motor Sport/Motoring News. Gordon’s mention of loads of Galleys reminds me as I sit at my iMac of the many hours I spent working through reams of typesetting and accommodating the clients’ last-minute amends. I used to read every issue of Motor Sport but it lost direction, but like Masta Kink, I started reading again after the revamp and love every issue. It is now a very well written, designed and printed magazine!
Marvellous podcast. Thank you Gordon, some charming stories, well told. As a young reader back in the 60′s when I should have been spending more time doing my homework, I often wondered what went on in those dusty offices in The City. Now I know a little more. Note to Ed and Damien… more from Gordon if you please!
Marvellous stuff – the GC anecdotes had me laughing out loud, particularly the ones about out-foxing WJT.
I think this possibly the best pod cast I have heard. GCs recall and ability to tell a story fantastic. I sometimes think the podcast guests ramble a bit but GC was natural, authoritative and to the point. I agree with the suggestion he write a book. And whilst on that subject, what about a compendium volume of DSJs articles?
Fine podcast, thanks.
Very glad the magazine dropped the historic-only format. Now that Autosport has gone off the boil, Motorsport is the only place to go for quality writing and views on F1. Please go weekly!
Any chance of getting Alex Zanardi in for the next one, or some other time?
Gordon write the book.
Wonderful.WB,DSJ have been my favorites since 1956(under my desk at School during Divinity classes!!) I have met Jenks at Kyalami twice fantastic experience. Loved the podcast. GAC has been another writing hero. I think I know the answer but why only initials for attribution.?
Jim,
Mr Tee was apparently worried about rival rags poaching his writers, so for the longest time, there were no names in the magazine. Even now, we still stick to that somewhat.
ACH
I’m sorry I didn’t listen to this podcast earlier! Gordon’s description of working on production of Motor Sport burst a lot of bubbles for me. In 1978, on my big overseas trip from Australia, I was in London and located Standard House. I stood at the door of the Motor Sport office but before I went in I thought about what I was going to say, should I meet DSJ or WB. I chickened out and turned and left!