Editing GP Racing (section)

== Launch and development ==
''F1 Racing''{{'s}} launch was the culmination of a year of preparation by UK publishers [[Haymarket Group|Haymarket]]. The magazine's genesis was inspired by the sport's peak in popularity following the death of [[Ayrton Senna]], and high-profile rivalry between [[Michael Schumacher]] and [[Damon Hill]]. Haymarket's weekly ''[[Autosport]]'' and ''[[Motorsport News]]'' titles supplied a pool of talented writers and their contacts: with the weekly market well served, ''F1 Racing'' would be more feature-based and former ''Autosport'' writer Mike Herd was appointed editor. 

Two business decisions in particular made the new title feasible: Haymarket's focus on agreeing annual (rather than monthly or ad-hoc) deals with advertisers, and its publication of a German edition to capitalise upon Schumacher's popularity. A private 'dummy' test issue was produced in November 1995, dubbed 'Issue Zero', before the first issue proper was published to coincide with the beginning of the 1996 season.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Cropley|first1=Steve|title=And we'll call it 'F1 Racing'|journal=F1 Racing|date=August 2016|issue=246|page=45}}</ref>

Much of the title's growth took place under long-standing editor [[Matt Bishop]], who took over the helm of the title in December 1996. Bishop left both ''F1 Racing'' and ''Autosport'' (for which he wrote an online column) in late 2007 to join McLaren and was replaced as editor of the monthly magazine by the then executive editor Tim Scott, and later by Hans Seeberg. On 9 May 2012 it was announced that Anthony Rowlinson would become the magazine's new editor.

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.

As of 2011 ''F1 Racing'' has been available as a digital download, alongside the print edition.

In 2016, Haymarket sold their motorsport properties to [[Motorsport Network]], including ''F1 Racing''.

In February 2020 it was announced that the magazine would no longer licence the F1 trademark and that from the March 2020 issue it would be renamed ''GP Racing''. Editor Ben Anderson wrote in his editorial column that because of the cost of the licence, "...it would not have been sustainable for us to continue reporting on Formula 1 in this way without significantly increasing the price of the magazine, reducing the physical quality of the product, or sacrificing its editorial independence."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Anderson|first1=Ben|title=Ignition|journal=F1 Racing|date=February 2020|issue=288|page=4}}</ref>

In late 2024 ''Autosport'' and ''GP Racing'' merged and the magazine ended with its December 2024 issue.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.autosport.com/general/news/magazine-hamilton-at-ferrari-leads-first-monthly-issue/10690664/ |title=Magazine: Hamilton at Ferrari leads first monthly issue |website=autosport.com |date=23 January 2025 |access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref>