1990s at Motor Sport magazine

A pivotal decade in our history. First, Bill Boddy is stood down as editor – except Mr Tee forgets to tell him. “Who do you think you are, telling me what’s going in the issue?” is new editor Simon Arron’s first (tricky) conversation with The Bod. WB takes on the (far from accurate) title of founder editor. A new look – which hasn’t aged particularly well – carries Motor Sport forward into the modern era. But without Jenks, who quits for a short-lived spell on one of the weeklies, before ill health forces him into parc fermé. He dies in November 1996, just weeks after the passing of the Old Man, at 91. Without Mr Tee, Haymarket – the publisher of Autosport – swoops.

The prime target is LAT and sister paper Motoring News. But in-decline Motor Sport is part of the family. Now what? The answer is a logical reinvention, in April 1997 (1), with a higher focus on history and historic motor sport. Contrary to the fears of many, it gives us a new lease of life.