A century of Motor Sport, a year of celebration

"We will be marking Motor Sport's centenary in the spirit of Bod and Jenks"

Motor Sport July 1924 and January 2024 issue mock-up
Author

Joe Dunn

One hundred years ago Oscar E Seyd sat down at his desk and typed out the following: “In introducing a new journal, it is usual to commence with a word of apology. We feel that very little apology is called for in respect of the appearance of this publication. We are confident that THE BROOKLANDS GAZETTE will make its own appeal to many thousands of keen motorists.

“This journal is not merely ‘another motoring paper’ added to the several which already seek public support. It is something entirely new, and something which we are convinced has been very much wanted. It regards motoring from a new angle; it seeks to meet to the full requirements of those whose chief interests are in the sporting and competition side of the movement.”

The year was 1924 and as readers will know, The Brooklands Gazette soon became Motor Sport, and Oscar E Seyd was its founding editor. Due to the vagaries of publishing datelines, this issue will be appearing in December but since it is dated January 2024 and is Volume 100, No1, it seems right to herald our centenary now.

“We’ll be honouring two of the most significant figures from Motor Sport’s history, who set our tone and character”

So, to steal a phrase from Seyd’s inaugural editorial, “with all due modesty” we hope to celebrate this milestone as the year unfolds and eagle-eyed readers will notice that already we have tweaked the masthead with a new centenary logo and gold colouring (don’t worry the Green ’Un remains green).

A few other highlights: from next month we will be launching a Racing Car of the Century award trawling the past 100 years in the (possibly futile) task of nominating and creating a shortlist of the greatest competition cars the world has ever seen. We will then hand the tricky task of deciding which is the greatest over to you, the readers, who will get to vote on an overall winner. Look out for the first car to be profiled in next month’s issue. And look out also for what we hope will be one of our best ever track tests collecting some of these legends together for the first time.

In January (calendar month) we will be launching our own Centenary Stories podcast series featuring some of the greatest names in racing reliving their extraordinary careers (the opener with Mario Andretti is a must-listen) and over on our website we will be collecting some of the best features and interviews and track tests in one place as well as launching an all-new ‘On this day…’ newsletter that each week digs out a gem of a story from our archive.

From the archive

Of course, we are busily creating a special bumper issue of the magazine, due to go on sale next summer to coincide with the month of our first ever issue. It will be filled not just with our usual mix of interviews, features, analysis and comment but also with your memories and highlights from down the years – details on how to get involved will be announced shortly. Plans are also afoot for a gala evening of celebrations around the British GP. Watch this space for more information and also our social channels and website for latest news and plans on this. All the while we’ll be honouring two of the most significant figures from Motor Sport’s history, who set our tone and character, by celebrating the centenary in the spirit Bod and Jenks.

Motor Sport has always had a particular and special relationship with its readers (I learn as much from the Letters pages and the feedback we receive as I ever have from the history books) and we are also acutely aware that we simply would not have made it to this point were it not for those of you who loyally buy us every month or subscribe to the magazine or read us via our website. It is your magazine as much as anyone’s so if you have any thoughts and ideas about what you would like to see featured in our pages please email us at the usual address (I can’t promise we will do it all but we will do what we can!).

One thing that is worth remembering amid all the excitement about celebrating our unique history is that we must keep one eye on the present and future. Motor Sport at its best draws an erudite line between events of the past and talking points in today’s world of racing.

Writers such as Doug Nye, Gordon Cruickshank and Mark Hughes are masters at spotting a recurring trend, quirk or similarity and artfully constructing a narrative that links them, which illuminates the present and brings the past to life.

So we will continue to bring you the latest news and most incisive comment on all aspects of racing from Formula 1 to Formula E, via both the magazine and website.

As Seyd wrote in that first issue, Motor Sport is “far more than a compendium of knowledge on motoring sport. Current sporting events in this country and abroad will be regularly reported, reviewed and illustrated, and the journal will provide a faithful mirror of all that is happening in the realms of motoring sport and development…

“We will, also, provide a platform upon which everything of interest to keen motorists can be freely discussed as amongst our readers.”

Joe Dunn, editor
Follow Joe on Twitter @joedunn90

Next Issue: Our February issue is on sale from December 27

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