Motor Sport 100th anniversary Introduction

Oscar E Seyd, the first editor of this great magazine, was at pains to stress in his editorial of July 1924 that his journal was “something entirely new. 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.”

After 100 years of publication it is hard to argue that Motor Sport is something entirely new. But we still strive to approach our reporting and storytelling from new angles with the aim of casting fresh light on the sport we all love. We do that by going to primary sources – the people who were there at the time, whether at last week’s grand prix or a decades-old race that has since passed into legend.

In this special issue to mark our centenary we asked some of racing’s greatest names, who not only had a trackside view of history but made that history, to tell us how things really were. Taken together this collection of unique recollections and insights helps build a multilayered picture of the key moments of our racing past – as seen through the eyes of the history makers themselves.

Our special contributors

Sir Jackie Stewart
The three-time F1 world champion and team principal was a bastion of safety – much to the annoyance of DSJ

Gordon Murray
Designer of F1 racers with Brabham and McLaren and latterly director of Gordon Murray Automotive

John Watson
Stalwart F1 driver in the 1970s and ’80s with Penske, Brabham and McLaren, and WSC runner-up (1987)

John Barnard
McLaren, Ferrari and Benetton designer; he of the carbon fibre chassis and semi-automatic gearbox

David Richards
Prodrive chief who made the world want a Subaru; also had stints running teams in F1 and touring cars

Allan Mcnish
Sport car specialist; a three-time winner at Le Mans who had a long – and successful – drive with Audi

Adrian Newey
F1’s most-wanted; designer in the employ of Red Bull since 2006. Will be forever on Max’s Christmas card list