F1 Racing is a monthly magazine focused on Formula One racing which launched in March, 1996.
The previous Editor, Matt Bishop, also used to write a fortnightly column for the website of the weekly magazine Autosport (sister publication of F1 Racing). Matt Bishop left both Autosport and F1 Racing in late 2007 to join McLaren and was replaced as editor of F1 Racing by the then executive editor Tim Scott, and later by Hans Seeberg, who is the magazine's editor still.
In July 2005, F1 Racing celebrated its one hundredth issue; it continues to publish in over twenty countries, and claims the title "The World's Best-Selling Grand Prix Magazine." In the one hundred issues, Michael Schumacher had been cover feature over forty times — more than any other driver — including the first issue in March, 1996. In February 2001, a "Michael Schumacher Special Edition" was published.
Many well respected journalists and photographers contribute to the magazine. Such regulars have included journalists Peter Windsor and Alan Henry, and renowned photographers Darren Heath, Steven Tee, Rip (Ripley & Ripley) and Lorenzo Bellanca. Damon Hill was 'Guest Editor' in January, 2000, which featured an interview between him and Michael Schumacher. From the March 2006 issue to the February 2007 of F1 Racing, Max Mosley, then president of the FIA, had a monthly column in the magazine.
At the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix, Darren Heath, an F1 Racing photographer, noticed that the rear brakes of the McLarens were glowing red in an acceleration zone of the track. The magazine discovered through investigation that McLaren had installed a second brake pedal, selectable by the driver to act on any one of the rear wheels at the driver's control. This allowed the driver to eliminate understeer and reduce wheelspin when exiting slow corners. This system was entirely legal, but was an innovation, and hence gave McLaren an advantage. While F1 Racing suspected what McLaren were doing, they required proof to publish the story. At the 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix the two McLarens retired from the race while in first and second positions. This allowed Heath to take a picture of the footwell of Häkkinen's car and the second brake pedal. The story was run in the November issue of F1 Racing and led to the system being dubbed "brake steer". Ferrari's protestations to the FIA led to the system being banned at the 1998 Brazilian Grand Prix.[1]
