Luke West paid $800 for a stinky team shirt three sizes too big for him back in his university days. Now he is launching a dedicated Formula 1 magazine, Pole Position. That is the kind of lifelong commitment to the sport that makes for a great conversation.
Pole Position is a new annual Grand Prix season preview magazine, on shelves nationally from February 23 and available through newsagents across Australia. Luke, who has spent decades in motorsport publishing including a long stint as editor of Australian Muscle Car Magazine, has produced it as the third in a trio of annual motorsport preview publications for Next Media, completing a set that already covers the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Bathurst 1000.
The magazine is designed to appeal to both long-time fans and the new wave of Formula One followers, with a mix of technical analysis, behind-the-scenes features and what Luke calls “insta style content.” There is a feature on women who love Formula One, drawing on four fans from different parts of Australia and different age groups. There is a piece by Melbourne-based F1 content creator Danii Clarkson on how to get the most out of a weekend at the Australian Grand Prix. And for Oscar Piastri fans, there are two separate Oscar features including a rewind piece on the 14-year-old who left Melbourne for England to chase a dream in karting.
Luke also talks about what he is calling F1’s motherload season: Cadillac, Audi, Ford and Toyota all increasing their involvement in the sport this year, representing manufacturers responsible for roughly half of all cars sold globally. It is, as he puts it, a ballsy move.
A genuinely good listen for anyone who loves the history and business of the sport as much as the racing itself.