Motor Sport Magazine – October 2026

Motor Sport Magazine – October 2026

Summary

The 60th anniversary of James Garner's Grand Prix film headlines Motor Sport October 2026 — issue 1214 — as a lost Pete Aron interview resurfaces from the 1990s, Mark Hughes analyses the Kimi-versus-Lando car upgrade battle and the JCB Hydromax attempts a hydrogen land-speed record in Utah that could rewrite the rules of sustainable motorsport.

The Grand Prix 60th coverage (page 46-65) runs 20 pages. The lost James Garner interview (page 56) from the 1990s reveals Garner's thoughts on the film and his own racing career. Mark Hughes (page 12) analyses why Lando Norris remains cautious about his upturn in form. The JCB Hydromax feature (page 66) reports from Utah. Charles Strickland Laird's unseen Can-Am photos (page 76) publish 1970s racing images. The RAC GP 100th anniversary (page 90) celebrates Brooklands. The McLaren MP4/1 (page 94) is examined as the game-changing carbon-fibre F1 car. Alex Wurz (page 106) discusses his F1 career, Le Mans wins and team principal ambitions.

Columnists include Karun Chandhok on Norris versus Piastri, Doug Nye on Enzo Ferrari and Niki Lauda contracts, Mat Oxley on Vincent motorcycles at Goodwood and Andrew Frankel on the Audi A2.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Grand Prix 60th

p.46 · Grand Prix: Sixty Years On
A 20-page celebration of the 1966 F1 film. The article tracks the making of the movie, the use of real F1 cars and drivers, the Cinerama camera technology and the film's lasting influence on motorsport coverage. An archival photo gallery shows behind-the-scenes images. Film fans get a viewing guide of the best racing-movie sequences.

p.56 · James Garner Interview
A long-lost 1990s interview with Garner resurfaces. The actor discusses his own racing career (he competed in the Baja 1000 and Le Mans), his memories of shooting Grand Prix and his thoughts on modern F1. Motorsport-film enthusiasts get a direct link to Hollywood's most authentic racing movie.

▸ F1 Analysis

p.12 · Mark Hughes F1
Hughes analyses why Lando Norris is not excited about his latest upturn in fortune. The piece examines the car upgrade cycle, the points-scoring context and the psychological pressure of leading a championship challenge. F1 followers get the data behind Norris's cautious public statements.

p.15 · Karun Chandhok Opinion
Chandhok argues that Norris is on the up but McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri remains well off the pace. He compares their 2026 race head-to-head statistics and qualifying gaps. Fantasy managers get a team-mate performance comparison.

▸ Technology

p.66 · JCB Hydromax
Motor Sport travels to Utah to witness the JCB Hydromax hydrogen-powered land-speed record attempt. The feature covers the 48-cylinder engine design, the hydrogen fuel system and the Bonneville Salt Flats conditions that will determine success. Engineers get the technical specifications of the powertrain.

p.94 · McLaren MP4/1
The carbon-fibre F1 car that changed motorsport design is examined. The piece covers the John Barnard design philosophy, the manufacturing process and the car's first win at the 1981 British Grand Prix. Design engineers get a case study in material innovation.

▸ Photography

p.76 · Charles Strickland Laird
Unseen Can-Am photographs from the 1970s are published for the first time. The images capture the McLaren M8F, the Porsche 917 and the Lola T260 in period action. Each photo includes technical notes on the cars and circuit.

▸ Interviews

p.106 · Alex Wurz Interview
Wurz discusses his F1 years with Benetton and Williams, his Le Mans wins and his thoughts on becoming a team principal. He names the specific Williams FW15C characteristics that made it the most advanced F1 car of its era.

▸ Regulars

p.29 · Postcard from America
Despite financial limitations, racing in the US still offers good value for fans attending events.

p.37 · Mat Oxley Motorcycles
A preview of the Vincent motorcycle gathering at the Goodwood Revival.

p.38 · Andrew Frankel Road Cars
In praise of the Audi A2, Frankel argues that this early-2000s aluminium-bodied economy car was ahead of its time.

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Editor's Take

The Grand Prix 60th coverage is the issue's obvious selling point and it delivers — the behind-the-scenes production stories and the Garner interview make a genuine contribution to motorsport-film history. The JCB Hydromax feature is a strong piece of technology journalism that deserves attention beyond the usual Motor Sport readership. Hughes's cautious-Norris analysis is sharp and timely. The Strickland Laird Can-Am photos are genuinely unseen and beautiful. The Alex Wurz interview is candid but runs too long — his team-principal ambitions could have been covered in half the space. The Chandhok column on Piastri feels unnecessarily harsh; the data gap between team-mates in the same car is rarely as dramatic as it appears. At 152 pages the issue is substantial.

Strengths
• Grand Prix 60th coverage is a genuine contribution to film history
• JCB Hydromax feature covers a genuinely new technology story
• Can-Am photo spread is rare and beautiful

Weaknesses
• Alex Wurz interview runs too long for the insight it delivers
• Chandhok's Piastri critique lacks nuance

Verdict: Essential — The Grand Prix film anniversary coverage makes this the most historically significant Motor Sport issue of 2026.

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