Autocourse

Autocourse is a specialist motorsport publishing brand best known for its annual review of Formula One and other major racing categories. The title began in 1951 as a quarterly motorsport review, with early issues presented in English, French, German and Italian. Its stated purpose was to assemble authoritative data and detailed commentary that could preserve the season's record while also serving enthusiasts as a reference and collecting publication. The publication developed through several formats and names during its first decade. A publisher change in 1957 was accompanied by the title “Autocourse – For Motoring Sportsmen,” followed by “Autocourse and Sporting Motorist” during part of 1959. The first annual-format Autocourse appeared as a paperback in 1959, while the first hardback annual followed for the 1961–62 season. The hardback annual became the core expression of the brand and has continued as a recurring season review. A defining editorial convention began in 1963, when reigning Formula One world champion Jim Clark contributed the foreword. The practice generally continued with the newly crowned champion and was accompanied by the driver's signature. The main exception was 1991, when Honda Formula One engine-programme chief Nobuhiko Kawamoto wrote the foreword after Ayrton Senna objected to the previous year's ranking of the annual's top drivers. In 2023, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner supplied the foreword instead of the championship-winning driver. Since 1966, the editor has also selected the Autocourse Top Ten Formula One drivers of the season. The ranking considers both on-track performance and the competitiveness of the equipment available to each driver. This editorial feature is distinct from the official championship standings and has become one of the title's most discussed and collectible elements. In 1982, the number-one position was intentionally left blank as a mark of respect to Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi. The annual's principal editorial section is its Formula One season review. Before 1991, this generally combined an overall season analysis with separate technical reviews of teams and chassis. From 1991, the review was reorganized around individual teams, bringing together analysis, specifications, car illustrations, driver photographs and related personnel coverage. Separate Grand Prix reports provide qualifying and race coverage, photographic material, results and contextual stories. Statistical sections compile season points, percentages, driver records and other performance information. Although Formula One remains the brand's centre of gravity, Autocourse annuals also cover junior single-seater categories, international sports-car racing and major American racing series such as NASCAR, IndyCar and IMSA. Modern editions are substantial reference books, generally exceeding 300 pages. The brand has also been used for related one-off driver and team books and for sister annuals covering rallying, motorcycle road racing, American open-wheel competition and British motorsport. The publishing history includes Hazleton Publishing, which handled the title from 1975, Crash Media Group, which assumed publication in 2005, and Icon Publishing, which took over after a sale confirmed in late 2009. Long-time editor Alan Henry died before the editorial handover to Tony Dodgins, who became editor in 2016. Autocourse continues to be positioned as an archival, statistics-rich and highly collectable record of contemporary motor racing, with editions extending from the 1951 season through the currently documented 2025–26 annual.

Autocourse originated in 1951 as a quarterly review of motor racing. Its early editorial concept emphasized comprehensive factual data, authentic information and material suitable for extended study. The first issues were multilingual, using English, French, German and Italian, reflecting the international character of postwar motor sport. The title passed through several early identities. A publisher change in 1957 was followed by the name “Autocourse – For Motoring Sportsmen,” and it later appeared as “Autocourse and Sporting Motorist” during 1959. That period marked the transition from a periodic review toward the annual reference format for which the brand became known. The first annual was issued as a paperback in 1959, and the first hardback annual covered the 1961–62 season. The hardback series developed a recognizable editorial architecture. From 1963, the reigning Formula One world champion normally wrote and signed the foreword. The convention linked each book directly to the championship season and helped make the annual a distinctive historical artifact. Ayrton Senna declined to provide the 1991 foreword after disagreeing with the prior year's Top Ten ranking, so Nobuhiko Kawamoto of Honda wrote it instead. In 2023, Christian Horner wrote the foreword, creating another exception. In 1966, the editor introduced the Top Ten Formula One drivers list. The selection is an editorial judgment rather than a reproduction of the championship table, and it is intended to assess drivers in the context of both results and available machinery. The feature has remained central to the title's identity. The 1982 list did not name a number-one driver, serving instead as a tribute to the difficult circumstances surrounding Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi. The annual's Formula One review changed structure in 1991. Earlier editions generally reviewed the season as a whole and then examined teams and chassis. The revised team-by-team structure consolidated analysis, specifications, illustrations and photography in sections devoted to individual competitors. Detailed reports on each Grand Prix, qualifying sessions, results and statistical tables complement the narrative review. Coverage also extends beyond Formula One to junior formulas, sports cars and American racing. Autocourse was published by Hazleton Publishing from 1975. In 2005, Bryn Williams took on publication through Crash Media Group. In late 2009, Crash Media Group confirmed the sale of the title to Icon Publishing, formed by Williams with Steve Small. Alan Henry was the long-serving editor through the later Hazleton, Crash and early Icon periods. Tony Dodgins succeeded him in 2016 and remains identified as editor in the supplied reference material. The brand has expanded through related publications. Rallycourse covered rallying from 1982 to 2008, while Motocourse has covered motorcycle road racing since 1976. Other related annuals addressed CART, Champ Car and IndyCar, the Indianapolis 500 and Indy Racing League, and British motorsport. These extensions placed Autocourse within a broader family of specialist racing reference books, while the main annual retained its strongest association with Formula One. Its long chronological run, detailed statistics, photography and recurring editorial features have made the series particularly attractive to historians, enthusiasts and collectors.

• 2016

  Tony Dodgins becomes editor

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  Tony Dodgins succeeds Alan Henry as editor.

• 2009

  Icon Publishing takes over title

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  The title is transferred from Crash Media Group to Icon Publishing.

• 2005

  Crash Media Group publishing period begins

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  Crash Media Group takes over publication from Hazleton Publishing.

• 2000

  Fiftieth anniversary

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  Autocourse marks fifty years of publication.

• 1991

  Formula One review reorganized

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  The principal review changes from a season-wide structure to a team-by-team format.

• 1966

  Top Ten drivers ranking introduced

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  The editor begins selecting the ten leading Formula One drivers of each season.

• 1963

  Champion foreword tradition starts

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  Jim Clark begins the tradition of the reigning Formula One champion writing the annual's foreword.

• 1961

  Hardback annual established

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  The first hardback annual covers the 1961–62 season.

• 1959

  Annual format begins

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  The first annual-format Autocourse is published in paperback form.

• 1957

  Publisher change and revised title

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  Following a publisher change, the publication appears as Autocourse – For Motoring Sportsmen.

• 1951

  First Autocourse edition

  [1]Autocourseen.wikipedia.org

  Autocourse launches as a quarterly multilingual review of motor racing.

A premium, archival and statistics-led motorsport reference publication, with particular authority in Formula One season documentation and collectability.

• Annual reference book · 1959

  Autocourse Formula One annual

  The flagship publication is a season-by-season hardback annual centered on Formula One. It combines editorial analysis, team and car information, Grand Prix reports, photographs, results and statistical tables. The series also includes a foreword, an editor's introduction, a Top Ten driver ranking and obituaries of relevant figures. Modern volumes additionally survey junior single-seater racing, sports cars and major American racing series.

• Motorsport periodical · 1951

  Autocourse quarterly review

  The original Autocourse format was a quarterly review launched in 1951. Early editions presented motorsport information in four languages and emphasized comprehensive data, commentary and reference value. The quarterly form preceded the annual series that later became the brand's principal product.

• Rallying annual · 1982

  Rallycourse

  Rallycourse was a related annual using the Autocourse publishing concept for rallying. The documented run lasted from 1982 to 2008, making it one of the brand family's longer-lived specialist extensions.

• Motorcycle racing annual · 1976

  Motocourse

  Motocourse is a sister annual focused on motorcycle road racing. It has been published since 1976 as a parallel specialist reference title within the broader Autocourse family.

• American open-wheel annual · 1993

  Autocourse Indycar / CART / Champ Car Yearbook

  This related yearbook covered American open-wheel racing, including CART, Champ Car and IndyCar-related competition. The documented publication period ran from 1993 to 2005.

• Indianapolis 500 annual · 2003

  Autocourse Indianapolis 500 & Indy Racing League Official Yearbook

  A short-lived related publication devoted to the Indianapolis 500 and Indy Racing League, documented for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

• British motorsport annual · 1995

  Autocourse British Motorsport Year

  This sister annual covered British touring-car competition and other major British racing series. Its documented publication run was 1995 to 1997.

• 2009

  Title transferred to Icon PublishingM&A

  Background

  Crash Media Group confirmed a deal to sell the Autocourse title to Icon Publishing.

  Action taken

  Icon Publishing, associated with Bryn Williams and Steve Small, took over publication from the 2009–10 annual.

  Aftermath

  Icon Publishing continued the annual series in subsequent seasons.

  Source

• 2005

  Publication transferred to Crash Media GroupM&A

  Background

  Hazleton Publishing had published the series since 1975, but a new publishing arrangement was reached in 2005.

  Action taken

  Bryn Williams assumed publication through Crash Media Group.

  Aftermath

  Crash Media Group published the 2005–06 through 2008–09 annuals before the title moved to Icon Publishing.

  Source

• 1991

  Formula One review adopts team-by-team structureStrategy

  Background

  The earlier format combined a general season analysis with separate technical reviews. The publication sought a more integrated way to present each team's performance, equipment and personnel.

  Action taken

  Autocourse reorganized the central Formula One review around individual teams, combining analysis, specifications, illustrations and photography in each section.

  Aftermath

  The team-by-team structure became the standard format for the main Formula One review in subsequent annuals.

  Source

1. 1Autocourseen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Autocourse official websiteautocourse.com