Magneto issue 26
Cover theme: 75 Years of Formula 1
2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the Formula 1 World Championship. For the myriad moments of motor sport magic, the nail-biting entertainment, the technical innovation and the immortal heroes that the sport has provided, Magneto 26 proudly celebrates this significant milestone.
Alfa Romeo 158
Developed in the late 1930s, the Alfa Romeo 158 had the reliability, speed and scope for development to be the class of the post-War field, winning all 11 of its races in 1950 and delivering the inaugural F1 Drivers’ Championship for Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina. Evocative, in-depth feature on the 1950 Alfa 158 ‘Alfetta’, with bespoke photography taken beneath the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese outside Milan.
F1 at 75: Maurice Hamilton Reminisces
Celebrated motor sport journalist and author Maurice Hamilton delivers an insightful, hugely personal overview of the sport he has spent decades covering. Featuring key moments, personalities, cars and delightful anecdotes.
Ferrari F50 GT
An in-depth feature on the ultimate version of Ferrari’s ‘F1 car for the road’, the F50 GT. Expected to go up against the McLaren F1 GTR in the BPR Global GT series, the project was canned and the cars never raced. Ferrari only built three. The owner of F50 GT 001 bought the car new through Piero Ferrari. It’s the only one to be tested by the Scuderia Ferrari F1 factory. Writer Basem Wasef discusses its design, technology, development and history, as well as where it fits in the pantheon of collectable Ferraris.
1955: Stirling’s Breakthrough Year
Writer Paul Fearnley delivers a breathtaking and detailed breakdown of Stirling Moss’s most pivotal period. 1955 was the year he joined Mercedes-Benz, won his first championship Grand Prix, led at the tragic Le Mans race and produced the Mille Miglia’s most legendary drive. Focuses on these anniversaries but also includes a plethora of lesser-known races, travels and social activities from a whirlwind year.
Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 components
A selection of modern-era Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 Team components and memorabilia, beautifully captured by Rick Guest at the team’s warehouse facility in Brackley. Captioned by Joe Twyman.
Max Mosley
Maurice Hamilton’s profile on Max Mosley combines extracts from interviews over lunch “in happier times” with elements from his largely unpublished final interview, conducted at Max’s request 12 days before his death. Covers all aspects of his life in F1 and also touches on his work with Euro N Cap.
Bernie Ecclestone Profile
Mat Coch, the only Australia-based journalist to hold permanent FIA F1 media accreditation delivers a sparkling profile on Bernie Ecclestone, with specific focus on his role in the making of modern Formula 1.
Lanzante Porsche 930 TAG Turbo
David Lillywhite’s deep-dive into Lanzante Motorsport’s TAG-engined Porsche 930, a modernised tribute to the prototype originally built to test TAG’s turbocharged engine. McLaren’s Formula 1 race cars were powered by the TAG units for five seasons from 1983 onwards. After having obtained 15 of these genuine 1.5-litre V6 turbo TAG engines directly from McLaren, Lanzante’s experts then installed them into appropriately revised and restored Porsche 930 road cars. Just eleven ‘standard’ cars, plus three Championship versions, were built.
Top 50 F1 Drivers
Richard Heseltine takes on the hugely contentious task of ranking the fifty best drivers to ever ply their trade in the Formula 1 championship. Feathers are likely to be ruffled.
