OK, it’s probably not the most glamorous job in the pitlane - interviewing drivers, getting the scoop on who’s spying on whom or how much last week’s prodigal son will earn next season. Actually, it sounds pretty bloody good and the job could be yours if you are the successful ’sub-editor’ applicant at F1 Racing Magazine - The World’s Best Selling Grand Prix magazine.

The advertisement, posted on F1 Racing’s parent publisher Haymarket’s website (see link below) seeks the following:

Our ideal candidate will be a skilled and flexible wordsmith …

The successful applicant will be an experienced, meticulous sub-editor with proven expertise in headline and caption writing, and with a flair for making copy sparkle. He or she will be equally comfortable proof-reading and helping the managing editor to oversee the production process. He or she will also help to maintain a team of high-quality freelance sub-editors.

Knowledge of Formula 1 is useful, but not as important as the ability to work comfortably within a small, tightly knit team

Now I don’t want to sound critical, but shouldn’t knowledge of F1 be paramount for an F1 editor? It’s great to know where all the commas go and yes, quotations can be a “bitch.” But, I’d want my sub-editor to know that it was Farina and not Fangio who won the first World Championship and that the Swiss Grand Prix was never actually run in Switzerland.

I think the majority of people who are deep into F1 want articulate, informed writing from authors, not sensationalist headlines taking up most of the page. Substance speaks for itself and glossy fluff finds itself lining birdcages.

I hope the editor of F1 Racing finds a stellar candidate for the job and I hope that person is a genuine fan of the sport -someone who can recognize not just good writing but a good story that should be shared with others.

Like me.

A Fan.

http://careers.haymarket.com/f/exp/Opportunities.aspx?VacancyId=7904

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