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Post by Jamie on Jan 2, 2018 18:02:22 GMT
Have any of you gents ever read Automobilsport at all? If so I'd be interested in your opinion, I'd never seen or heard of this publication until I spotted it in a large W H Smiths store a few days ago and, so far at least, its proving an excellent read. Its a German publication and very much about the history of racing, no modern stuff at all with some very interesting articles including one about Laura Ferrari which I found particularly enlightening. Its a quarterly and in 'bookazine' format so very collectable.....I'm thinking of a subscription if this is anything to go by. Well worth a flick through if you can find it, I wish I could scan it for you all as a sample.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2018 18:22:52 GMT
I don't know about this publication, I haven't seen it, will look for it this weekend. Thank you Jamie.
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Post by Jamie on Jan 2, 2018 18:30:49 GMT
I don't know about this publication, I haven't seen it, will look for it this weekend. Thank you Jamie. Well worth it Lucio, particularly this edition as it majors on Ferrari.....just finished an article all about the development of the Flat 12 engine - brilliant.
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Post by charleselan on Jan 2, 2018 18:33:10 GMT
Not seen or heard of it myself, but it sounds very interesting. it could be similar to what we have over here in France, where there is a quarterly publication called "AutoDiva" which is very good indeed, especially for archive photos and features.
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Post by chrisb on Jan 2, 2018 21:53:37 GMT
nor i , but sounds interesting Jamie
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Post by René on Jan 2, 2018 23:48:40 GMT
This is also new to me but sounds and looks very interesting. Just had a look at their website ( www.automobilsport-magazin.de/en/) and I am afraid I'm going to spend some money again... Jamie, have you seen back issue #04? A must have for you! Thanks for the tip!
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Post by Jamie on Jan 3, 2018 8:19:39 GMT
Jamie, have you seen back issue #04? A must have for you! Yes indeed, I've ordered that back issue! Also, I think its No 8 which is all about Matra V12 sportscars.......drool.....
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Post by charleselan on Jan 3, 2018 10:27:47 GMT
It certainly looks like a good find Jamie; and thanks to René also for putting up the web site which has quantities of information. It is unusual that it is all in English seeing it is a German publication and distributed all over Europe according to the info'.
It is interesting to see who has written for them in the current issue; Ian Phillips doing the interview with Ecclestone, and i also see Graham Gauld's name as co-author for the Laura Ferrari article.
At 8.90€ per copy that is pretty reasonable for a quarterly publication, and is cheaper than the French near equivalent "AutoDiva" that comes in at 9.50€ per quarter.
Their shop also has some interesting material to purchase, it includes the "Speed Merchants" DVD that we were discussing elsewhere a while back, which features the 1972 Sportscar World Championship, and which is a brilliant film.
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Post by Jamie on Jan 3, 2018 10:42:35 GMT
It certainly looks like a good find Jamie; and thanks to René also for putting up the web site which has quantities of information. It is unusual that it is all in English seeing it is a German publication and distributed all over Europe according to the info'. It is interesting to see who has written for them in the current issue; Ian Phillips doing the interview with Ecclestone, and i also see Graham Gauld's name as co-author for the Laura Ferrari article. At 8.90€ per copy that is pretty reasonable for a quarterly publication, and is cheaper than the French near equivalent "AutoDiva" that comes in at 9.50€ per quarter. Their shop also has some interesting material to purchase, it includes the "Speed Merchants" DVD that we were discussing elsewhere a while back, which features the 1972 Sportscar World Championship, and which is a brilliant film. Based on this issue I think I may subscribe as its really very good, wonderful photography to go with some very interesting text, this one was worth buying for the pictures of the Dino Tasman car alone. Some very good writers as you say, Karl Ludvigsen is also amongst their rosta 👍 I think its available in both the native German and an English version on the website.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2018 13:00:28 GMT
Just bought it, went out for lunch and found it at WHSmith. I don't recall I have seen the previous issues on sale at the time, here in the UK. I haven't read a word, by I'm quite impressed (and I'm not easily, usually), that's why I shelled out £7.80!
As I was in the shopping centre - Whitgift, in "beautiful" Croydon - I went to The Works and found "Hunt vs. Lauda" by Paul Fearnley at eight pounds. I had already read it at the time, it's not the final word on those times, but good to have in the library.
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Post by Jamie on Jan 3, 2018 13:18:02 GMT
Be interested to see what you think Lucio, the photographs are great aren't they.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2018 20:33:19 GMT
Just read Karl Ludvigsen's article on 312B engine. Usual thorough piece by Ludvigsen. Sehr, sehr gut.
Ludvigsen is a true automotive historian, who knows his subject matter and let facts talk, he doesn't let his interpretation in the way. Being American and having worked at Fiat, he is devoid of all trite cliches about Italy and the alleged Italian or Ferrari way that British journalists cannot but help to bring up.
To contrast, an example of journalistic "opinion", mostly unsubstantiated in my view, which doesn't have the weight of a single page of Ludvigsen:
This is a quote from Hughes' latest book. It's all judgemental stuff. "Technical impetus behind it was now spent". He forgets that ground effect swept everybody and everything in F1 exactly at that time. It's the nature of the game, of the business. Not Forghieri's or Ferrari's fault if they had an engine that did not allow full exploitation of the effect. Still they were able to produce the T4 and win; so much for spent technical impetus. "...to have expected that same man in the same timeframe to have kept abreast of cutting-edge chassis structures and aerodynamics was asking too much" He dismisses Forghieri's aero and chassis expertise - utter nonsense! - forgetting the T4, ignoring that ground effect and increased power as well as the more abrupt power delivery affected chassis' structure to a degree unknown before (Williams, the leading English car, still had the DFV and yet they had to stiffen the chassis of the second version of the FW07 - Head did not know more than Forghieri about chassis, the other way round rather in my view). Forghieri and Ferrari promptly recognized what had changed and they needed to improve in the game, and duly hired Postlethwaite, to produce the C2, class of the field in 1982 by miles.
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Post by Jamie on Jan 3, 2018 21:06:01 GMT
Glad you enjoyed the 312b engine article, I thought it superb and agree regarding Ludvigsen, an excellent writer.
I think you're harsh on Hughes though Lucio, he acknowledges Forghieri's undoubted genius and points out that the previous generation design had no way of staying competitive in the downforce area, the design direction of the times had rendered its strengths less potent. Forghieri recognised all that as you say and that the T4 was about as far as he could take it - he then did something about it - the man was a genius all right 👍
The T5 seemed to be a 'holding' design for Ferrari. Forghieri knew what was needed going forward and put most of his attention on that (the turbo engine), I think thats what Hughes is getting at etc.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2018 21:38:55 GMT
You are right, I am harsh.
Your summary of the T4 and T5 is spot on.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2018 21:40:38 GMT
Very good also the recollections by Dan Gurney.
Overall quite impressed by the publication.
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