FEBRUARY 28, 2001

Bernie launches new F1 magazine

ONE of Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone's lesser-known sidelines is in publishing. Ecclestone is the owner of a company called European Press which publishes a business magazine called Eurobusiness. Ecclestone has no day to day involvement in the business, which is left to Eurobusiness editor Tom Rubython.

Eurobusiness has been quite successful since it was launched in 1999 and Rubython decided last year that he would launch a monthly magazine directed at Formula 1 fans around the world. The first edition of Formula 1 magazine appears this week and its launch will be accompanied by a $1.6m advertising campaign. The 270-page glossy is the only magazine to have official status in F1 and features an impressive editorial team which includes former Grand Prix drivers Niki Lauda, Nigel Mansell and John Watson, columnists Eddie Irvine, Eoin Young and Jabby Crombac. There will be articles by F1 designer John Barnard, exclusive drawings by Italian F1 technical artist Giorgio Piola, plus the writings of F1 journalists including Gerry Donaldson, Jane Nottage and Inside F1 contributors David Tremayne and Joe Saward.