Formula 1 returned after the Summer Break. The Venue? - Spa Francorchamps at Belgium.

One of the fastest circuits on the calender and also known for its inclement weather, Spa produces some of the most thrilling races of the season.

A lot happened this year too, both on and off-track. Michael Schumacher celebrated his 300th Grand Prix Start! The Veteran really loves Formula 1. The Red Bull Duo of Webber and Vettel knew they had to score big to curtail Alonso's lead upfront.

 

FREE PRACTICE :

The Practice session was spoilt by Torrential Rain. Rain in both the sessions minimised running for the teams. Lotus F1 were unable to test their improved version of DRS that they call the 'Device'.

Kamui Kobayashi was fastest in the First practice while Marussia's Charles Pic was the fastest in Second Practice. Massa suffered a scare in FP1 when his car grounded to a halt as he was about to enter the pits at the end of the installation lap.

The Final Free Practice on Saturday gave teams some much needed Track time. Fernando Alonso topped the Final Practice.

 

QUALIFYING :

Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg were on the backfoot after being penalised 5 places for a Gearbox change.

Q1 saw the Elimination of Nico Rosberg, the German being demoted from 18th to 23rd due to the penalty.

Q2 brought in more shocks as Vettel, Hulkenberg, Schumacher, Massa failed to make the cut. Red Bull expected Vettel to be the lead driver but the German's poor qualifying seemed to have dashed their hopes.

Q3 was exciting as teams tried to outdo each other. However it was Jenson Button who dominated Qualifying topping the time sheets in Q2 and Q3.

Button was joined by Kobayashi!! Maldonado and Raikkonen completed Row 2. Perez and Alonso were P5 and P6. Webber, Hamilton, Grosjean, Di Resta completed the top 10.

Webber's gearbox change demoted him from P7 to P12.  Pastor Maldonado received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in Q1 ( P3 to P6 ).

 

 

RACE :

Kobayashi had smoke coming from his Brakes after the cars lined up for the start. What followed though was shocking. The Five Lights went out and Maldonado seemed to have made a jump-start. Button and Raikkonen were clear into La Source but right behind them unfolded a carnage that was as bad as the Spa in 1998. Grosjean's Lotus went over Hamilton's and Alonso's. Perez lost his rear wing the accident and Kobayashi suffered heavy damage. The sheer amount of Debris meant that the Safety Car had to be summoned. Alonso was too shaken by the accident and the Medical team took their time attending him. The incident meant that the Red Bull Duo of Vettel and Webber had a golden chance of reducing Alonso's lead in the Championship.

The Force Indias catapulted to 3rd and 4th after the incident.

The Race restarted on Lap 5 and Button had a clean getaway. Raikkonen was passed by Hulkenberg on Kemmel Straight. Pastor Maldonado drove into retirement without a Front Wing at Les Combes. Michael Schumacher had moved upto 5th from 13th on the grid and passed Paul Di Resta for 4th Position on Lap 6.

Vettel moved up the order passing Massa and Webber. Schumacher powered past Raikkonen at the top of the hill around the outside at Les Combes. ( Lap 10 ). Kimi Raikkonen complained to the team about the lack of grip.

Raikkonen and Webber pitted on Lap 11 switching to hard tyres. Raikkonen then passed Rosberg and jumped Hulkenberg after the latter's pitstop.

Another Incident happened on Lap 16. Caterham F1 performed an unsafe release of Heikki Kovalainen in the pit lane and he hit the back of the HRT that was pulling into pit box just in front.

Hulkenberg, Ricciardo & Webber passed Rosberg on Lap 17 as the German's One Pit Stop Strategy seemed to be failing him.

Sebastien Vettel was closing in on his compatriot Schumacher and tried to pass him at the Bus Stop chichane at the outside ( Lap 20 ) However at that same instant Schumacher dived into the pits and miraculously there wasn't any contact between the two drivers.  

Button also pitted on Lap 20 and the team performed the pit stop in a blistering 2.6 seconds! Vettel pitted on lap 22 and emerged 6th just ahead of Ricciardo and more importantly Schumacher who had got stuck behind the Toro Rosso.

Button was slowly building his lead at the front while Vettel and Schumacher started moving back up the grid.

Hulkenberg, Massa, Webber made their final pitstops on Lap 27 and Kimi Raikkonen a lap later. Another incident occured as Red Bull released Webber from the box just before Massa entered his.

The positions on lap 30 : Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Hulkenberg, Mark Webber, Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo.

Raikkonen was now piling pressure on Schumacher and almost made the move stick passing the German on the outside of the Bus Stop Chichane but Schumacher with the help of DRS reclaimed 3rd place going into Les Combes.

Michael Schumacher locked up out of La Source which compromised his exit. ( Lap 34 )  As a result, Kimi Raikkonen was all over the back of the Mercedes as they approached Eau Rouge. Unprepared to wait any longer, the Flying Finn overtook him on the outside at Eau Rouge. A very brave overtake!!

Schumacher Struggled to hold onto 4th as Hulkenberg was now all over him. He finally passed him for good when Schumacher switched to "Plan B" and pitted.  Massa on newer tyres passed Webber and was up into 5th place on Lap 37.

A lot was happening at the back of the field too as the Marussia Drivers battled for 15th place and the HRT and Caterham F1 of Pedro de la Rosa and Heikki Kovalainen went head to head.

Senna running in 8th on worn out tyres came under intense pressure from  Jean-Eric Vergne and Ricciardo and pitted on lap 41.

The top 10 at the Chequered Flag : Button, Vettel, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Massa, Webber, Schumacher, Vergne, Ricciardo, Di Resta.

A great revival for Button who went through a considerable slump after his victory at the opening race in Australia. Sahara Force India F1 had a great day with both the drivers in good point scoring positions.

However the biggest beneficiaries were Vettel, Webber and Raikkonen who cut down on Alonso's lead at the front.

Incidents between Webber and Massa and the Caterham and HRT concerning Unsafe release from the Pits were Investigated after the race. No action taken. The incident concerning Schumacher and Vettel on lap 20 didn't affect the results either.

However Maldonado received a Double Penalty. A 5 place demotion at Monza for jumping at the start and another 5 place penalty for the collision with Timo Glock on lap 5. The collision was avoidable according to race stewards and this explains Maldonado's retirement of Lap 5. Maldonado later stated that his fingers slipped off the clutch causing the Jump-Start.

The Biggest News was concerning the First Lap Carnage. Romain Grosjean was fined 50,000 euros & was given a one-race ban at the Italian Grand Prix for his role in the crash at the start.

 

 

The Incident at La Source :

Grosjean made a better start than Hamilton alongside him and cut sharply across the track, squeezing the McLaren driver up against the white line. Contact was inevitable, and as Hamilton lost control of his car the McLaren pushed the Lotus into the cars ahead which were slowing for the first corner. The Lotus cut across the front of Alonso's car, passing close to his helmet. Hamilton's car hit the side of Kamui Kobayashi's, and the other Sauber of Sergio Perez was knocked into Maldonado. Only Kobayashi and Maldonado emerged from the crash, Kobayashi with a substantial hole in the side of his car. Kobayashi who had started on the front row for Sauber, pitted after the accident and resumed in last place.

This clearly was Grosjean's Mistake.

I remember what Sir Jackie Stewart talked about in the paddock at Silvertsone! He stated that young drivers in F1 are too impatient. They don't realise that they can wait for one corner and attack the car in front at the next. They dont think strategies or about pacing themselves. They want to push all the time. This is one reason that Veterans of the Sport lead the Championship and the rest are languishing in positions they shouldn't be in.

Maldonado is ending up in the bad books more often than not. When he isn't dashing others, he impedes, does jump starts and all other sorts of things he shouldn't be doing at this level. Grosjean is too impatient, rather he seems restless. He is a great driver but he needs to realise that you cannot do everything in one lap. Most of his retirements have resulted from sheer haste. He needs to learn from Kimi. Its extremely important to give racing room to your opponent. Today's move was too immature. Hamilton would not have backed out. La Source just didnt have enough room for the cars and the drivers just missed the braking point to make matters worse. Hope Eric Boullier helps Romain to channelise his abilities for good.

Thankfully No one was Injured!

Some Stills captured of the Crash :

 

Looking ahead to MONZA :

Looking on to Monza, Ferrari would definitely want to mount a counter attack. The Renault Powered Red Bull and Lotus Cars were struggling in Straight Line speed at Spa. Lotus F1 really need to test the Device at Monza to give Kimi Raikkonen a chance to win. The races that follow are also high speed circuits, so this should be of utmost importance. High Downforce setups don't compromise the Straight line speed for the McLaren Mercedes too much but it isn't the same for the Renault Powered Cars.

Lets Hope for the best!! Time to greet the TIFOSI!!

11 races of the season done and dusted. 9 races to go! The season is just past the halfway mark and a lot would have been made clear by this time of the year.....but this isn't that year!

11 races and so much has happened in this season. This isn't a season of dominance for a Michael Schumacher or Fernando Alonso or Sebastien Vettel.

Six World Champions and some more in the making have made it a season to remember!

 

List of Winners this Season :

1) Australian GP - Jenson Button ( McLaren Mercedes )

2) Malaysian GP - Fernando Alonso ( Scuderia Ferrari )

3) Chinese GP - Nico Rosberg ( Mercedes AMG Petronas )

4) Bahrain GP - Sebastien Vettel ( Red Bull Racing )

5) Spanish GP - Pastor Maldonado ( AT&T Williams F1 Team )

6) Monaco GP - Mark Webber ( Red Bull Racing )

7) Canadian GP - Lewis Hamilton ( McLaren Mercedes )

8) European GP - Fernando Alonso ( Scuderia Ferrari )

9) Silverstone GP - Mark Webber ( Red Bull Racing )

10) German GP - Fernando Alonso ( Scuderia Ferrari )

11) Hungarian GP - Lewis Hamilton ( McLaren Mercedes )

 

A New Record was set this season as the first 7 races were won by 7 different drivers!

 

Fernando Alonso has amazed everyone with his performance this season. Experts thought that the Ferrari was not good enough for a title challenge. Alonso thought otherwise and is comfortably leading the championship by 30 points ( 164 Points ). 3 wins so far for the Spaniard

Mark Webber has lead the charge for Red Bull. The Australian trails Alonso by 30 points in second place ( 124 Points ). His performance this year has been more than just commendable. He has been successful in giving his team-mate and Two Time World Champion Sebastien Vettel a really hard time.

The Defending Champion Vettel trails Webber only by 2 points ( 122 Points ). This season the German has been inconsistent and has only one win under his belt. His ragged performances have still helped him to stay on his team-mate's tail. This season is going to be very difficult for the German.

Lewis Hamilton is 4th and behind Vettel by 5 points ( 117 Points ). Hamilton came to the fore in Canada and did exceptionally well in Hungary. His performaces have been mercurial over the whole season.

Kimi Raikkonen has not won a race but is 5th one point behind Hamilton in the Standings ( 116 Points ). The Flying Finn has been amazingly consistent scoring points in every race except one ( Chinese ). The Car has performed well although it needs to be perfect to fetch Kimi a victory. It is a matter of when rather than whether.

Nico Rosberg ( 77 Points ), Jenson Button ( 76 points ) and Romain Grosjean ( 76 Points ) are locked in battle in Positions 6,7 and 8 respectively. Nico and Jenson have wins apiece and Romain still needs to step on the top step of the podium. Nico hasn't had much to offer after his win in China.

Jenson too has had a season to forget after a very promising win at the opening race. Misfortunes have troubled the British Driver.

Grosjean has been mercurial in his performances. He could have been higher up in the championship had it not been for some mistakes that sent him into retirement in 3 races and a component failure in Valencia robbed him of a possible victory.

 

The Constructors' Battle is a hard fought one.

Red Bull Racing sit pretty in First with 246 points. McLaren Mercedes, Lotus F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari are locked in a heated battle for 2nd place with 193, 192 and 189 points respectively.

The Sauber Ferrari F1 have had a decent season and the Williams F1 won a race. However both the Williams' drivers have been prone to incidents dashing thier chances of better finishes.

 

Fernando Alonso seems to be the clear favourite. He deserves praise for the way he has performed even with a Ferrari that isn't the best car on the grid.

This is also the time when Teams decide their lead drivers . The Decision is an easy one for Ferrari, McLaren Mercedes and Lotus F1. Alonso, Hamilton and Raikkonen should get full backing from the respective teams. I still have doubts for Hamilton and Raikkonen. Button and Grosjean are trailing by a good number of points, so giving support to their team-mates would be a wise decision now.

Red Bull clearly face a dilemma. Webber has played second fiddle to Vettel long enough. He is leading the German but the gap is only 2 points. I reckon that a duel between the two might just aid Alonso's Title Charge. The Duo of Hamilton and Raikkonen are within Striking distance. The Driver's Championship is too close to call.

This Championship is Alonso's to lose.

 

The Trio of McLaren Mercedes, Lotus F1 and Scuderia Ferrari have to play catch - up in the Constructors. The position at the top seems safe for Red Bull Racing. Scuderia Ferrari have struggled due to lack of results from Felipe Massa. Alonso has borne that burden all along.

Lotus F1 can boast of a good season as both drivers have performed well and Raikkonen has been more consistent of the duo. Race Victories are of utmost importance and the lack of this till now might just affect the team's challenge to the title.

McLaren Mercedes have benefitted from both their drivers albeit it hasn't been consistent. The Team has had a rough season but they have dug deep to keep themselves in contention.

This might be a bold prediction... Red Bull wins the Constructors, Lotus F1 in 2nd, Scuderia Ferrari in 3rd and McLaren Mercedes in 4th.

 

Mercedes AMG Petronas and Sauber Ferrari F1 are also battling for 5th place and the duo of Williams F1 and Sahara Force India F1 for 7th. I expect Mercedes AMG Petronas and Williams F1 to come out on top.

 

We now look forward to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa - Francorchamps. Kimi Raikkonen is called the KING OF SPA.

Lets hope that the Iceman stays cool, flies around track like the Flying Finn and emerges at the end as the King.

 

The Season is a long one and a lot can change over the final 9 races.

 

Whatever the Outcome, I Am Loving It!!

 

A lot has happened during the Summer Break in Football. Euro 2012 and Olympics ensured that players stayed in shape before the start of the League Season. Euro 2012 was particularly tiring for some and it wasn't a surprise to see many players excusing themselves from International Duties during the Olympics to get some rest. The Olympics came to a close on 12th August, just a week before the start of the leagues.

The Break is also renowned for the Transfer Season when Clubs go scouting to bring in players they deem fit to play for them. This Season a lot has conspired.

The English Premier Legue campaign kickstarts tomorrow and Manchester City will now defend the title.

So how have things shaped up prior to the start of the league???

 

 

ARSENAL :

Arsenal entered the market fairly early and acquired the services of Lucas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla ( just a couple of days back ).

Arsene Wenger is a wise investor and the arrival of the trio has definitely strengthened the squad. However Arsenal have suffered a huge setback as their Ex-Captain Robin Van Persie felt it was time to leave the club and joined Arch-Rivals Manchester United.

The Departure of the Captain is a blow for any club but Arsene is famous for rallying his troops and producing results. The likes of Jack Wilshire, Aaron Ramsey, Per Mertesacker, Koscielny, Squillaci, Walcott, Arteta combined with the ability of the newcomers make them a force to be reckoned with.

Arsenal cannot be discounted....

 

CHELSEA :

Chelsea offered a 2 year contract to the Interim Manager Roberto Di Matteo. The Italian had fulfilled Abromovich's dream of winning the Champions League. 

Chelsea have done good business in the Transfer Window. Roman Abromovich opened up funds to bring in Marko Marin, Eden Hazard and Oscar ( Brazilian ). They also signed Thorgan Hazard ( Eden's younger brother ) from Lens.

The Quartet are very young and have done exceptionally well for their former clubs, Oscar though is an unkown entity for most clubs. His performance at the Olympics would definitely boost his confidence.

Chelsea have had to contend with the departure of their Prolific Goal-Scorer Didier Drogba. Saloman Kalou and Jose Bosingwa left the club after rejecting Contract Renewals. Romelu Lukaku has been sent for a season-long loan to West Brom.

Chelsea seem to be lacking Firepower at the front. Fernando Torres would need too find his form upfront. However a Talented Midfield ( The BEST Midfield for me ) would definitely help Torres share the burden of Goal - Scoring.

Roberto Di Matteo needs to play his cards right. Chelsea are definite contenders for the title.

 

LIVERPOOL :

Liverpool have been quite inactive in the Transfer Market. The Arrivals of Youngsters such as Borini, Allen and Assaidi leaves much to be desired.

Liverpool will suffer greatly from the departures of Aurelio, Rodriquez, Aquilani, Bellamy & Kuyt. Maxi Rodriquez and More Imporantly Kuyt are big losses for Liverpool.

The onus will be on Gerrard to deliver in the midfield and its quite a big ask. Suarez did well last season and a mis-firing Carroll seems to be finding his feet.

Brendan Rodgers has limited options. Its going to be a difficult season again for Fans as Liverpool clearly lack strength in depth.

Liverpool will struggle. A top 4 finish seems hard. However they can sign someone with a fortnight of Transfer Period left.

 

MANCHESTER CITY :

The Current Champions have a lot of funds to tinker with. They have a team that can challenge the best of Europe. Can they deliver a repeat of last season? Possible.

City have been silent in the market. Their team is strong enough. The only arrival has been that of Jack Rodwell from Everton.

Departures have been insignificant

Mancini is an excellent manager and knows how to handle his team well. A Fantastic Strength in Depth makes team selection a headache but eases the pressure on regular starters.

The Strongest team on paper.... Can Definitely repeat their performance..

 

MANCHESTER UNITED :

Manchester United fans suffered heartbreak last season. They lost the title to arch-rivals City on Goal Difference!

Sir Alex Ferguson - The most decorated manager for any football club knew that reinforcements were necessary to wrestle back the title to the Red of Manchester.

The First Arrival was of Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund. That was quickly followed by the Arrival of a promising young talent called Nick Powell. The Biggest signing of the season though was the Arsenal Ex - Captain Robin Van Persie.

 

Was it the best signing?

Robin Van Persie joins a list of abled strikers for United. The Top Scorer last season, Van Persie's Partnership with Wayne Rooney would attract a lot of attention. 

Considering the need of United, although the Dutch Acquisition seems good business, the 24 Million Pounds could have been invested elsewhere. The Primary Need for United was the arrival of a Central Playmaker and a good Left-back.

Fabio left the Club on loan, so Patrice Evra has to bear the burden of the Left - Back Position. 

 

So United have options galore upfront but are light in the Mid-Field. A cause of concern but Sir Alex Ferguson knows how to handle such situations. ( 1999 Treble Season was similar )

 

As a UNITED SUPPORTER, MANCHESTER UNITED ARE FAVOURITES TO WIN THE TITLE....

 

The Likes of Tottenham and Newcastle United would definitely add more Spice to the Title Race.

 

However there is definitely a Shift in Power.

A NEW BIG FOUR has emerged... Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea & Arsenal. 

Liverpool Fans would not like this... Liverpool don't seem to be a Title-Winning Team anymore ( Unless they spend heavy ). 

 

TITLE CONTENDERS - MANCHESTER UNITED, MANCHESTER CITY & CHELSEA.

Arsenal at best would spoil someone's party. They need better players..

 

Let the Games Begin!!

 

My London Trip will always be remembered as a trip that fulfilled many dreams.  2 years have passed since the day I read about the A380 Private Suite of Emirates Airlines.

The Opportunity to fly to London for the Silverstone GP arrived and I knew it was time for the FIRST EMIRATES EXPERIENCE!!

So the Tickets were booked and I flew on the 4th of July.

Emirates Airlines know how to pamper their Passengers. An Elegant Mercedes C - Class was sent to drive me down to the International Airport.

The Check-in, Immigration & Security Procedures were like a breeze and I was ushered into a Plush Emirates Lounge!

The Lounge is very well planned as it ensures complete privacy for guests.

Emirates Airlines are famous for their hospitality!! Savour the Spread!!

A Few more stills!

 

The time had come. It was time to embark on a memorable journey.

MUMBAI ( BOM ) to DUBAI ( DXB ) - Boeing 777 - 300 ER First Class ( 4th July 2012 ) :

2 seats were all that was occupied in First Class. However I was disappointed by the Absence of Private Suites ( what was promised ). The Lack of Travellers seems to be the only reason. 

The Seat was quite comfortable though with a full-flat bed and many other optional configurations. The Massage function did a commendable job.

The Rains refused to budge and we were stuck at the Gate for almost an hour.

 

ICE - The Award Winning Entertainment system has loads of options to choose from. Never seen such a Huge Entertainment In-Flight.

 

The Breakfast on borad was Outstanding! Special Dietary Requirements were adhered to inspite of a short notice. Words are not enough...

 

Some More Stills of the Feature-laden seat :

 

It takes only a couple of hours to reach Dubai. Dubai is more than just beautiful. Here are some shots :

 

Touchdown and Dubai Airport - ENJOY!!

 

The De-boarding was efficient and the Transfer Procedure caused no delay!

I was simply awed by what I saw at Level 1 of the Airport. 2 Lounges - One for First and Other for Business Class Passengers and both almost a Mile Long!!

Emirates Airlines had redefined what a Lounge is supposed to mean!! The Lounge was more like a Hotel!!

Have the choice to sit near fountains and marvel at the Architecture or occupy a sofa and admire the efficiency of the Airport Services who handle large number of Departures and Arrivals everyday.

Emirates Airlines deserve 5 Stars for their Hospitality. The staff is prompt and courteous in Service and leave no scope for complaint. The Buffet was fantastic encompassing dishes from various parts of the world.

 

The Transit time was only 3 hours. My desire to spend more time would be fulfilled on the return leg.  Now for the BIG JOURNEY!!

 

 

DUBAI ( DXB ) to LONDON HEATHROW ( LHR ) - AIRBUS A380 - FIRST CLASS ( 4th July 2012 ) :

 

First Impression? - Airbus A380 is Huge!

The Private Suite is out of this world!! A room for the Traveller who likes to travel in an exquisite way, the Suite has it all - from Knick-knacks to features that simply humble the Competition.

Featured here is a teaser to what a Suite is and the preparation for Take-off.

 

Travel Kits, Writing Kits, Goodie Basket ( Replenished as you consume ), Nightwear, Cosmetic Kit, Eye-shades, Slippers; the list goes on!

 

Burj - Khalifa Towering above the rest! The King of the Dubai Skyline!

 

Salted Nuts and Carrot Juice was followed by a wholesome meal of Salad, Soup, Main Course and Dessert. Lip - Smacking!

 

While my meal was being prepared, I decided to stroll down to Business Class. A380 has 14 First Class Suites and 76 Business Class Seats. Quite a Number!! Highest for any aircraft.

Business Class isn't a bad prospect.... but First Class is worth it!

The Aircraft also houses a Bar at the back of the Upper - Level. A Deal-Clincher for those who love their drinks. 

 

Post Lunch I decided to have a quick Siesta. The Pillow, Mattress & Duvet in place. Sleeeep.

 

A Couple of hours sleep was relaxing. Now to get Refreshed. London was still an hour away and I was fortunate to get the last appointment for the Shower Spa!

Taking a Shower at 40,000 Feet!! Yes a Shower on-board!! 2 Treatments were Available - RELAX and REVIVE... depending on the Guest's need!

Only 5 minutes of water though, so have to be wise in usage.

 

Tea and pastries were waiting for me after I returned from the Shower.

 

Nearing Touchdown. London from above.

 

Fast - track service ensured minimal delay in getting out of the Airport. The Chaffeur Service Arrangement took some time though. However the Pick - up was the World-renowned, Luxury Redefining Three-pointed Star - MERCEDES S - CLASS!!

A Memorable Journey!!

 

THE RETURN LEG :

LONDON HEATHROW ( LHR ) to DUBAI ( DXB ) - AIRBUS A380 - FIRST CLASS ( 13th July 2012 ) :

 

The Pick-up was punctual and the S - Class was as elegant as ever. 

 

Priority Check - In and Fast - track hastened the procedures, however finding the Emirates Lounge took some effort. Its quite a walk but I was impressed when I was informed that Boarding would commence from the Lounge itself - Sweet!

The Business and First Class Passengers shared this lounge.

 

The Buffet was exceptional!

 

I enjoyed the push - back of these Huge A380s from the Terminal from the comfort of the lounge. Emirates isn't the only Airline that boasts of A380s.  A Qantas rolls into the Terminal here.

 

The First Class was fully occupied this time! The Flight was completely booked! Clearly shows that the travellers appreciated the quality of Service offered by the Airline.

The Private Suite!! A Class of its own!

 

The Dinner!

 

This was a Night Flight and the Steward was kind enough to provide me something comfortable to change into ( Goodies! )

 

We Traversed different time-zones and Morning dawned sooner. Time for a shower just before arrival into Dubai!!

 

Breakfast! Bread Basket and Cut Fruits - Simple and Filling.

 

Descent into Dubai!

 

The Glory of the A380s. Emirates Boasts of the Largest A380 Fleet in the World. Here is a glimpse...

 

A Longer Transit - Time helped me to catch up on some sleep. Enjoyed a Back Massage at the Timeless Spa in the Lounge. Very Relaxing!

 

DUBAI ( DXB ) to MUMBAI ( BOM ) - BOEING 777- 300 ER - FIRST CLASS ( 14th July 2012 ) :

The First Class was more populated this time.

Some more shots of First Class.

 

Lunch featured a traditional Indian Meal - Nice. It was time for a quick nap post lunch.

The Arrival was brisk and a Mercedes C-Class was waiting to take me home.

 

Fantastic Experience. Words fall short in describing the level of efficiency and excellence this airline has shown.

Will I want to experience it again??? - You Bet!!

PLANS DRAWN for the NEXT TRIP!!

 

HELLO TOMORROW!!

Hungary was the final race ( 11th Race on Calender ) before the 4 week break. Formula 1 teams knew the importance of doing well at this race. This race brought to an end a fascinating First Half of the season.

A good race would definitely help drivers going into the break and Hungaroring did not disappoint.

 

QUALIFYING :

Q1 saw the elimination of the usual suspects. Q2 however sprung a surprise as Schumacher and Rosberg failed to make it into Q3, the Mercedes AMG -  Petronas were clearly struggling. Both the Sauber Ferraris suffered the same fate. However the biggest shock in Q2 came in the foorm of Mark Webber, the Australian gave his best but the balance of the car was simply not right.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button were dominating the sessions. The McLaren Mercedes are known to produce excellent results in Hungary. Hamilton just humbled his competition by topping the Timesheets in all 3 sessions!!

Romain Grosjean sprung a surprise as he finished 2nd Fastest in Q3 to take a Front row position next to Hamilton.

Vettel and Button qualified 3rd and 4th. Kimi Raikkonen and Alonso 5th and 6th Respectively. Kimi had been competitive all weekend and had a chance to qualify better but a rare mistake on his flying lap cost him a couple of Places.

Nevertheless the Lotuses had now qualified in positions from where they could launch an attack for Victory.

Alonso knew that this racetrack wasn't the best for his car and was more focussed on getting maximum points.

Massa, Maldonado, Senna and Hulkenberg completed the top 10.

 

RACE :

An Intriguing battle awaited us on Sunday. All the drivers in the Top 10 started on the Soft Compound tyres.

The Drivers came lined up on the grid after the Formation Lap but the Start was aborted after Michael Schumacher's Engine shut down on the Grid. The German now had to start from the Pit Lane...

The Five Lights went out and there was action into the first turn itself. Hamilton had a clean getaway as Button jumped Vettel into 3rd. Webber had a flying start and was already up into 7th from 11th. Alonso Jumped Raikkonen to take 5th.

Schumacher came back into the pits for Tyre Change on the 3rd lap but his woes weren't over. He was penalised for Speeding in the pitlane and was way behind the pack after serving his penalty on 7th lap.

Hamilton was building his lead at the Front but the more interesting battle was between Alonso in 5th and Webber in 7th. The Gap at the front stayed constant at around 2 seconds.

Kobayashi was in a similar situation as Schumacher after his pitstop which demoted him to 21st.

The Battle between Hamilton and Grosjean swung back and forth as the former opened up a gap only for the latter to peg it back on the next lap. Vettel was closing in on Button and it was evident that Button had lost the performance. An offtrack excursion on turn 4 on Lap 16 convinced him to pit and switch to Medium Compound Tyres on Lap 17. He came out P10. Maldonado and Senna also pitted on the same lap.

Lap 18 saw Vettel and Alonso pit and Button Stayed ahead of Vettel.

Hamilton and Grosjean pitted on consecutive laps ( 19 and 20 ) and both suffered blips. They maintained track positions but used different tyre strategies, Lewis on medium and Romain on softs.

Raikkonen played the undercut on Alonso but Webber emerged behind the Spaniard after their pit-stops on lap 21.

The difference in Tyre Performance helped Grosjean close in within a second of Hamilton and Vettel had Button in his sights ( lap 25 ).  However a couple of Laps later, Grosjean's over enthusiasm with his soft tyres cost him as he seemed to lose grip allowing Hamilton to restore his lead at the top. Lots of rubber was being deposited on the circuit now as the tyres started to wear for Drivers.

Lap 29 saw Raikkonen being told on the Radio to extend his stint on the soft and Grosjean peg back the gap to about a second. Vettel was trying his best to get past Button but the latter seemed to hang on to his position. Vettel urged his team to do something as he knew he had the pace to challenge the cars in front ( Lap 31 ).

Button was asked to switch to Plan "B" and Grosjean now was within the DRS Zone to Challenge Hamilton on Lap 34.  Hamilton was informed of the same as the team sprung into action.

Button pitted on Lap 36 and another quick stop of 2.8sec got him out in 8th position. The Clear Track helped Vettel put in some quick laps. His pace was emulated by Kimi Raikkonen and it was clear that his Lotus was in a different league.

Button Struggled to get past Senna while Raikkonen was closing in on Vettel. Vettel pitted on Lap 39 for Medium Compound Tyres and emerged ahead of the Senna - Button battle. The Slower Williams had cost Button the position.

Hamilton pitted on lap on 41. He came out 2nd behind Kimi ( who was yet to pit ). Kimi Raikkonen was on series of scorching laps and the gap between Kimi and Lewis was 14 seconds.

A Flurry of Pit Stops followed and Kimi was asked to make a final push before his Final Stop. The Same message was relayed to Romain. Kimi came out of the pitlane ( lap 46 ) and both Kimi and Romain were side by side into turn 1. Raikkonen came out on top as Romain ran wide.

THE FLYING FINN HAD JUMPED FROM 5th to 2nd!! What a Drive!!

Button pitted again on lap 47 and a problem with the left-front tyre prolonged his pit-stop. Webber was upto 5th while Raikkonen was making up ground on Hamilton. Webber pitted and emerged 8th.

It was now a fight to the finish. Hamilton seemed to be holding of Raikkonen while Vettel tried a last throw of the dice. He pitted on Lap 59 and got engaged in a wheel-to-wheel battle with Alonso. He came out on top and continued his pursuit of Grosjean who was in 3rd.

Michael Schumacher finally retired on lap 60 bringing to an end a dismal race for him.

Sebastien Vettel was lapping 2 secnds a lap faster than Grosjean but the 17 seconds gap with 8  laps to go seemed too much.

Hamilton held off Raikkonen to take the chequered flag. Grosjean held off a charging Vettel to take 3rd. Vettel finished only a second behind Grosjean. Alonso, Button, Senna, Webber, Massa, Rosberg completed the Top 10.

 

Hamilton would gain great confidence from this victory. He used a smart strategy to hold off the Lotuses. Alonso would be glad to finish ahead of Webber and extend his lead at the top.

The Lotuses did an exceptional job and the Flying Finn Kimi Raikkonen was the driver of the day for me. I would have loved to see him on the top step of the podium though...

Now a 4 week break awaits us.. Can't wait for SPA - FRANCORCHAMPS!!

 

Will the King of Spa KIMI RAIKKONEN reign supreme at Spa??? Who knows!!

Germany is one of the most popular races on the Formula 1 calender. The Country has produced some of the best racing drivers. Sebastien Vettel, 2 Time F1 World Champion was yet to win a race in his homeland. Could this be the year??

 

QUALIFYING :

Qualifying was a mixed bag in terms of the weather, with a little bit of everything. It started out dry before the rain came and saturated the track.

Kimi Raikkonen topped the Q1 session Lewis Hamilton was fastest in Q2. Nico Rosberg was the first casualty as he failed to qualify into Q2. Q2 sprung some surprises as Massa, Perez, Kobayashi and Grosjean failed to make the cut.

The Ferrari and Red Bulls dominated Q3. Fernando Alonso snatched pole from Vettel and Webber completed the top 3. Schumacher, Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Button, Hamilton, Di Resta and Raikkonen completed the top 10.

However Penalties galore caused many changes in the grid. Romain Grosjean suffered Gearbox problems in Silverstone and had to opt for a new one. 5 places lost. Rosberg and Webber also suffered the same fate. Sergio Perez was handed a 5 place grid penalty for impeding Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in Q2.

 

RACE :

Red Bull was the centre of all attention over an alleged Engine Mapping Issue. However the FIA chose Not to penalise them.

As the Five lights went out, Alonso led into turn 1. Webber and Raikkonen jumped Hamilton at the start. Button got a good start and was 5th behind Hulkenberg. A lot was happening at the back though. Grosjean ran wide, Massa drove into Ricciardo's car damaging his front wing. A Lap Later the debris on the track took out another victim - Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton pitted but the handling of the car became so bad that the Brit wanted to retire.

Raikkonen soon wrestled past Di Resta into 9th, fantastic racing by both drivers as they left space for each other. Perez who had started in 17th had made a fantastic start and moved upto 10th after overtaking Ricciardo. Button made a move on Hulkenberg at the end of the DRS into the hairpin and took 4th position.

Alonso, Vettel, Schumacher, Button, Hulkenberg, Maldonado, Webber, Raikkonen. Perez & Di Resta were the top 10 after 10 laps.

Button then made the move on Schumacher and moved up into 3rd. Raikkonen jumped the duo of Maldonado and Webber after the first round of Pit-Stops. Hulkenberg overtook Schumacher for 7th on the 15th lap but the latter regained it on the next lap. Raikkonen took advantage of this and tucked in behind Schumacher to demote Hulkenberg into 9th. Alonso pitted on Lap 19, Button on 20th and Vettel on 21st. The top 3 remained unchaged after the first round of Pit-Stops. Vettel was slowly closing in on Alonso and the gap reduced to only 1 second on lap 27. Hamilton pitted for the third time on Lap 30 and emerged 18th. A lot was in store in the next few laps.

Kobayashi overtook Webber for P7 on lap 33. Hamilton was lapped by Alonso and Vettel on lap 34. The battle at the front had helped Button to close in on Alonso and Vettel.

The top 4 comprised of Alonso, Vettel, Button and Raikkonen ( The Finn ran an extra 4 laps on the soft and was doing exceptionally well ).

Hamilton was within 1 second of Vettel and unlapped himself on lap 36. A frustrated Vettel gestured foolishly as Hamilton seemed to impede him. Hamilton soon harried Alonso ( Lap 39 ) but the Spaniard was focussed on the job at hand.

Vettel lost KERS on lap 38 and Button was closing in on the German.

Button pitted on lap 41 and Raikkonen set the fastest lap. Button's Crew set a new world record in pitstops : 2.4 Seconds!

Alonso and Vettel pitted on Lap 42. Button managed to jump Vettel as the latter came out of the pits and was into 2nd!!

Vettel ran wide though turn one on Lap 43 and Button now had Alonso in his sights.

The top 10 on Lap 48 were Alonso, Button ( less than a second behind ), Vettel, Raikkonen, Schumacher, Kobayashi, Perez, Rosberg, Webber, Di Resta.

Lap 58 saw the Retirement of Lewis Hamilton. A wise decison as a points finish seemed difficult. A sad end on his 100th Grand Prix Appearance. Schumacher was setting a series of fastest laps.

Lap 60 brought more surprises. Button's tyres were suddenly losing grip and Vettel was now catching up. Alonso now had a clear run to the chequered flag.

Lap 64 had Vettel only 0.4 seconds behind Button. The fight for 2nd Position had become interesting.

Lap 66 was the lap where Vettel used DRS to great effect. Button and Vettel were side by side coming out of the hairpin but better grip pushed the latter ahead. Button however reported on the radio that Vettel had all 4 wheels off-track.

The Chequered Flag was waved and Alonso extended his lead in the championship. Vettel, Button completed the podium. Raikkonen fought through the field to finish a fine 4th. Grosjean had a race to forget as he finished a dismal 18th.

Button informed Vettel about the investigation initiated by the Marshalls concerning the overtake.

Post Race the FIA summoned both Vettel and Button in regards to the incident. Vettel was subsequently punished. 20 Seconds were added to his time and he was demoted form 2nd to 5th.

The Revised top 4 now were Alonso, Button, Raikkonen and Kobayashi!!

A Fine Reward for Raikkonen for all the efforts he put to move up from 3rd.

 

Alonso had now extended his lead in the championship to 34 points. Webber's 8th position didn't do his Championship aspirations any good.

 

Lets analyze the 2 incidents...

The HAMILTON - VETTEL Incident :

Vettel was in hot pursuit of Fernando Alonso and the duo had just lapped Hamilton. ( Lap 34 ) However on Lap 36 the DRS got activated on Hamilton's car ( less than a second behind ) and Hamilton unlapped himself hindering Vettel in the process.

Was the action Justifiable?

There is No Rule which says that a Driver Cannot Unlap himself. If there was one, then such a Rule would rarely come into effect. Backmarkers normally would not have the pace to catch up on the Lead Drivers and try a manouevre to unlap themselves. Safety Car Periods however authorize drivers at the back to unlap themselves.

This simply was a very rare incident. However there are a few things that one should take a note of. Hamilton unlapped himself against Vettel but did not do so with Alonso. He stuck himself behind the Ferrari and Vettel's pace dropped significantly.

At the same time, Hamilton's team-mate Jenson Button was third behind Alonso and Vettel. Hamilton's "impeding" of Vettel helped Button to bring down the gap.

McLaren Mercedes played smart too. Hamilton was running 18th when lapped by Alonso and Vettel on lap 34. Hamilton positioned himself behind Alonso ( he tried to unlap himself against the Spaniard too ) after the Vettel incident. Hamilton was matching the pace of the leader and they quickly came up to other backmarkers. Blue Flags ensured that both Alonso and Hamilton went through, the latter making up positions quickly, thus saving him the trouble of fighting for the same.

Hamilton eventually retired after it was clear that a points finish was a remote possibility.

 

Was Hamilton's Move Illegal? - NO.

Could Hamilton be Penalised? - NO.

Hamilton escaped punished thanks to the absence of such a rule. However Considering the Circumstances & the Experience of Lewis Hamilton, I would have expected a more Sportsman-like attitude from him. He should have opted to stay away from the LEAD BATTLE.

This incident could have serious consequences in the Championship Battle.

 

 

The VETTEL - BUTTON Incident :

Vettel lost 2nd position to Jenson Button after the final round of pitstops. However the German persevered and closed in on him. Button was having trouble finding grip into the final stage of the race. Vettel was on his tail in the DRS zone and both were battling wheel-to-wheel going into the hairpin. Vettel jumped Button after getting a better exit out of the hairpin. Button however reported that Vettel had all 4 wheels off-track while completing the overtake. Vettel was later Penalised. The 20 second penalty demoted him from 2nd to 5th.

Analysis :

Button's tyres had "gone off the cliff". Vettel with his Fresher set of tyres was all over him. Lets analyze the overtake. The McLaren Mercedes has better Horsepower than the Renault Powered Red Bull. Button took a defensive line going into the hairpin ( the inside ). As a defensive measure a driver always tries to brake later than usual. I suspect Button did that. Button was also aware of the straight just after the hairpin, so if he could get a good exit, Vettel would find it difficult to overtake him. However the lack of grip pushed Button slightly wide on the exit. Vettel who was on the outside was left with little room out of the hairpin. Button also suffered a slight twitch on the exit. Simply put, There wasn't enough racing space for both drivers. So Vettel used the run-off area for his overtake.

Button was always going to stick to the racing line ( lack of grip on worn out tryes ) and the line was a wide exit from the hairpin. Vettel on the outside should have known this. If we study the Throttle Usage out of the hairpin, we see Vettel floor the throttle earlier out of the turn ( at that moment only two wheels were off-track ). This pushed the German's Car further away from the track. The Better Grip and Traction obviously propelled Vettel of Button.

Was the overtake legal? - The Rulebook says NO.

Was the Penalty Justified? - Its harsh but YES

The Driver can't overtake another car by having all 4 wheels off-track. Vettel could have escaped Penalty had he conceded the position back to Button and attacked him again into the next turn. The Urgency or rather Impatience of the German got the better of him. Button was going to make it diffcult for Vettel. Vettel should have backed off. However you can't blame the German in the heat of the moment.

Red Bull would feel hard done by the Decisions taken by the FIA. Rules are Rules.. However Harsh they may seem. Hamilton's actions in the earlier incident were those of an amateur driver. I am sure he would have been penalised if there was a rule in place.

 

So another Race done and dusted. Vettel went away from his Home Race as an unhappy man. He would have to do it all over again next year. Red Bull was in the news for all the wrong reasons. They simply had to pick themselves up and girder their loins for Hungary in a week's time.

 

ADVANTAGE ALONSO.

SUNDAY :

Sunday was D-Day. The Day I was really looking forward to.

I reached Silverstone early braving all the Traffic Snarls and the torrential rain that came with it.

I passed the F1 Village on my way to the Paddock Club. Sky Sports was very enthusiastic about Batman - The Dark Knight Rises and Showcased the Batmobile :

 

I Reached the Suite and Preparations were in full swing ( on track ) for the start of one of the Support Races ( GP 2  ). A couple of F1 Reserve Drivers seemed to be quite interested.

 

Lotus F1 Team had ensured that they would give the best of the Goodies to the Guests today.

 

It was almost 10 am. As usual I had a nice chat with the Team Members at the Suite. It was now time for the Arrival of the Man I admire in Formula 1. The Flying Finn, The Iceman, The King of Spa are some of his nick-names. The Clock ran down and I couldn't wait to see my hero upfront. And then he arrived. I quickly got into the queue ( Thanks to the Table's Proximity to the Stage ). Then I cherised the Moment. The moment that I could treaure for a lifetime. Today I met KIMI RAIKKONEN!!! He obliged many with autographs and left to start preparations for the Race.

 

Kimi's Departure was followed by the Final Pit-Lane Walk of the Weekend. One of the Porsche cars ( From the Support race ) being rolled out of our way.

 

This is also the Time when the Big Boys of the Media go to work. Sky Sports had their team ready to start the Pre - Race Show. ALAN McNISH and MARTIN BRUNDLE were the       Co-hosts.

 

I also the met the Man I had met in Malaysia. Some might remember him. JOHNNY HERBERT!!

 

A Great Gesture by the LOTUS F1 TEAM.... RESPECT!!

 

McLaren Mercedes have had bad pit-stops all through the season. Well some Extra Practice would do them no harm

 

The Stands were full as the Fans waited to catch a glimpse of their F1 Stars.

 

The Drivers Spending time Together before Leaving for the Driver Parade.

 

AHEM AHEM

 

I have Learnt to respect this Man more and more. He has a great heart, is approachable and I would love to know this man better. My efforts to meet him over the weekend finally bore fruit on Sunday as I got to spend a few Minutes with him. Friends..... MICHAEL "HERBIE" BLASH ( FIA Deputy Race Director ).

 

As I made my way back up the Pitlane, I got the chance to share a moment with TONY FERNANDES ( CEO - AIR ASIA, TEAM PRINCIPAL - CATERHAM F1, CHAIRMAN - QPR FC ). Also got a quick picture of Nobert Haug ( Mercedes AMG Petronas ) and another near the Pit-Box of the Lotus F1 Team.

 

ROB SMEDLEY ( Felipe Massa's Race Engineer ) arrived a bit early and mingled with the fans. Great Guy. Martin Brundle smiled for the Shutterbugs. Got Introduced to a couple of people too. Some Marshalls know how to dress up for the Race!

 

The Lights that Signify the Start and End of Sessions :

 

Red Arrows - The Highly Acclaimed Aerobatic Team. The Pride of the RAF.

 

Final Checks before the Big Event.

 

We Returned to the Suite and were soon joined by MR. ERIC BOULLIER ( TEAM PRINCIPAL -LOTUS F1 TEAM ). He answered a few questions and did a quick review of the Team Performance so far ( which has been more than just Commendable ). A moment with The BOSS!!

 

Very Rarely does Food take a back-seat in my life. But Today was different. Here is a quick peek at what was the served. The Food - LIP SMACKING and the Hospitality Impeccable!

 

All the Guests then Hurried to the Balconies to witness the Start of the Race. Silverstone has changed in its Track Layout since 2011. Alonso, Webber, Schumacher started in the Top 3. However it didn't stay the same at the end of the race. Mark Webber was victorious. Alonso and Vettel completed the Podium.

KIMI RAIKKONEN finished 5th ( set the Fastest Lap of the Race )

ROMAIN GROSJEAN finished 6th ( a Fine drive after being pushed back to 22nd due to the incident with Paul Di Resta )

 

Lotus F1 Team has been running a competition on all three days rewarding the guest who predicted the name of the Driver who would set the Fastest Lap Time of the Session. I supported Kimi to do it & the Flying Finn didn't disappoint. I won a pair of Romain Grosjean Autographed Racing gloves!! Thank you Lotus F1 Team and Thank you Kimi!!

 

The TEAM that made this weekend more than just Memorable ( L to R : Gaby Mills, Matt Johnson & Gary Rosewell ). A Special Thanks to Gary for the experience of being right there during the Saturday Practice Session.

 

THE ENTIRE TEAM THAT TOOK CARE OF US ON THE WEEKEND!! MET ALL OF THEM. GREAT PEOPLE. HOPE TO MEET THEM AGAIN... SOON

 

As I bid Farewell to the Suite and to New Friends I had made, A Couple was gracious enough to take me down to the LOTUS F1 TEAM Motorhome!!

 

The Pirelli - PZeros. All Compounds were used this weekend.  Another Photo just before entering the Motorhome.

 

 

Hospitality in the Motorhome is World - Class. Some more shots of the Mobile Motorhome.

 

 I also had the Opportunity to have a quick chat with one of KIMI RAIKKONEN's ENGINEERS

( FORGOT HIS NAME... LOTUS F1 TEAM need some help here )

 

The Motorhomes of all the teams. Its Just Amazing to see how good teams are in Assembling and Dismantling all these.

 

I made new friends. A Special thanks to the Couple for their graciousness!! Thank you Eddie Sir!!

 

Its Amazing how quickly Friends are made. Great to meet them!!

 

 

 

Well what follows now might make people envious of me... SORRY

 

KIMI RAIKKONEN Autographed the Visor of his Mini-Helmet :

 

The Racing Gloves autographed by  ROMAIN GROSJEAN :

 

The Mini - Helmet and the Gloves :

 

I didn't have time to Take Photos of all the Goodies.. :

 

 

Finally I want to THANK GOD & My Parents for Fulfilling my Dream.

A BIG THANK YOU to the LOTUS F1 TEAM for Bringing back KIMI RAIKKONEN into the WORLD of FORMULA 1. F1 isn't the same without KIMI. I had a great weekend. Thank you for all the Hospitality!

THANK YOU www.exclusivegp.com for giving me an experience that I would never forget. FRIENDS If you want to have experiences such as mine, www.exclusivegp.com are the guys that can make it happen.

 

 

NOW FOR SINGAPORE AND INDIA!!!

SATURDAY :

Day 2 started early in the morning. I reached Silverstone at arond 7:30am and just in time for the Pit-lane walk. The first 45 minutes of the day were PIT - STOP Practice Sessions for the team.

 

The FIA Garage where the Cars are Weighed post each session :

 

Marussia, HRT & Caterham go about their Pit - Stop Practice!

 

 

Red Bull, Mercedes AMG Petronas showcase their perfection :

 

LOTUS F1 Team showing their guests how Harmonic and Synchronized their Pit - Stop Practices are!!

 

Got a Chance to hold the Steering Wheel while Kimi Raikkonen's Car is rolled back into the Garage!

 

Some of the Spares of Teams on display.. well the more confidential ones are in the back of the Garage!

 

The Gates opened at 8:30 am and we were ushered back into the Paddock Club. Entered the Lotus Suite and I knew that I had an action packed day ahead !

Just like Friday the Team had goodies packed into bags for their guests. I had a nice chat with a couple of the team members. The Glum Weather was disappointing for all. Getting into the Circuit had become a big hassle.

 

Soon it was time for the Final Practice Session before the Qualifying! All the Teams were thankful as the weather opened up and sunshine trickled in. The Session was going to be a dry one and this was a welcome change for all teams!!

Everyone opted for the High-Fuel Runs in order to determine their pace during the race. The Session lasted for hour and the half.

The Lotus F1 Team had a surprise in store for me!!

There were only 10 mins left for the session to end and I was escorted down to the GARAGE to see the way the Mechanics and Engineers went about their task. The Team performed like a well - oiled machine. We were given the Pit - Radio Headsets and were able to hear conversations happening in the Pit Lane!! WHAT AN EXPERIENCE

Here are some captures... Guess who decided to join us??? - SIR JACKIE STEWART!!

 

The Session ended and we were escorted back to the Suite and we had Sir Jackie Stewart enthralling the fans with his stories. He Talked about his Racing Career, His Family, His Mother's fears about him racing because of the incidents with his brother. He also stressed on the Importance of EXPERIENCE in FORMULA 1 using the examples of KIMI RAIKKONEN and FERNANDO ALONSO who have been more successful than their team-mates as they have played it smart. In Short - HE WAS AT HIS CHARMING BEST!!

 

His Depature was soon followed by the arrival of another Formula 1 Legend.. the 1996 Formula 1 World Champion : DAMON HILL.

I managed to get his autograph on Friday and He obliged me with a photograph on Saturday. He made some more visits to the Suite but all were hasty ones.

He is a busy man thanks to his associations with SKY SPORTS :

 

 

Lunch was served and like Friday it was quite a spread. Well its important to be well fed to keep yourself going! Post - Lunch we all joined in for the 2nd Pit - Lane walk of the day.

As we waited for the Gates to be opened, the RAF entertained us with their Acrobatics in the sky :

 

Silverstone went through a re-haul in 2011 and the Start - Finish straight was changed. Well this is a shot of the New Paddock Club Building :

 

I walked down the Pit - Lane towards the FIA Race Control to say a quick Hello to Sir Charlie Whiting and Sir Herbie Blash. I met the Former but had to wait till Sunday to meet the other.

However I had the Privilege to see Martin Whitmarsh ( McLaren Team Principal ), Niki Lauda ( 3 time Formula 1 World Champion ), Eddie Jordan ( Team Principal of now extinct Jordan, now a BBC Presenter ), David Coulthard ( Formula 1 Driver and a Co-host at BBC )

 

 

A Car - Lover would drool if he / she saw the Gull - Winged Car from close. However the Mercedes SLS AMG was made to look ordinary by the Formula 1 cars. Here is a picture of the Safety Car driven by Bernd Maylander. He has been with Formula 1 since 2000. RESPECT!!

 

I left the FIA Race Control just in time before the Qualifying Started. The Rain came down again and worsened conditons caused suspension of the the Q2 session.

 

Q2 Restarted 92 minutes later ( only 6 minutes remained ). All Drivers sensed the urgency to set a competitve time :

 

Eric Boullier looks on Intently as the Session Restarts :

 

Dr. Vijay Mallya seems to be relaxed and content as one car makes it to Q3.

Alonso reigned supreme in Qualifying. Webber and Schumacher completed the Top 3. Kimi Raikkonen Qualified in P6.

 

Romain Grosjean made it to Q3 but spun out at the end of Q2 and couldn't set a time in Q3. Obviously the Frenchman was disappointed. However he didn't let this show and managed to be his charming-self when he came down to the Suite to meet his guests.

 

A Moment with Romain. Definitely a World Champion in the Making!!

 

As usual there were other Support Races happening too, most notably GP2 Race 1. As I made my way back to the Main Entrance I stopped by to take a quick pic of the GP3 Cars Hurtling down the track :

 

All in all a Fantastic Day but D-DAY was yet to come.. the Dream was still Not Complete......

PATIENCE.....

 

Would like to Appreciate the Effort of www.exclusivegp.com for helping me fulfill this dream.

I WOULD NOT DO JUSTICE TO THIS DREAM IN ONE POST! SO THIS IS PART 1 !!

We all have dreams. Many of us strive to fulfill our dreams. I got to live my dream! A Big Thank You to God, my Wonderful Dad and www.exclusivegp.com for helping this dream come true.

So whats the dream?? READ ON.....

 

 

I have been a follower of Formula 1 since the Mika Hakkinen Days.

However it was the arrival of another Finn into Formula 1 that changed the way I followed the sport.

The Man was KIMI RAIKKONEN.

I had seen him perform for Sauber in 2001. Then the switch to McLaren Mercedes & finally the World Championship year in 2007 with Ferrari.

I always wanted to meet the man I had grown to respect and admire over the years that I had been watching Formula 1. So when Kimi Raikkonen made a return to the world of Formula 1, I knew this was my chance to meet my favourite athlete!!

I could see my dream finally being fulfilled!!

The plans were drawn, then executed and I patiently waited for the day.

The 2012 British Grand Prix at Silverstone was the Venue.

I got the Opportunity of being a guest of the Lotus F1 Team at the 3 - Day Extravaganza!

So the fun was doubled!! - LOTUS F1 Team Paddock Club Hospitality and a chance to meet Kimi Raikkonen!! - Too good to be true.

 

 

FRIDAY :

I reached at the Hospitality Suite early on Friday Morning and was ushered in by Mr. Matt Johnson ( Lotus F1 Team )

The Team Suite :

 

The Ambience was perfect. Lotus F1 had many car components on display and the components were like art-work. Carbon - Fibre made components ( World's Strongest and Lightest material ) were awe-inspiring.

No sooner had I settled into the Suite and it was time for the First PIT - LANE Walk of the Weekend ( The FIRST OF MY LIFE!!! ).

It was a very familiar site however. The Engineers of every team were busy with their Car - Setups for the weekend. Some were busy gathering track & weather information and some others explained their guests the complexity of Formula 1 as a Sport.

Engineers preparing for the weekend :

 

The Helmet & The Steering Wheel : EXQUISITE PIECES OF ENGINEERING!

 

The Man at the Helm :

 

I thought I must try my hand at the simulator and I must say its very tough

I returned to the Suite and then had the opportunity to meet Jerome D'Ambrosio ( Lotus Reserve Driver )

 

Some Captures of the Boxes of teams during Friday Free Practice 2 :

 

 

The Icing on the Cake was the time spent with Sir JACKIE STEWART!

He Explained his role at GENII EXCHANGE, The Company's association with the Lotus F1 Team, a quick recap of the season so far and his experiences at Silverstone!

A MOMENT WITH THE LEGEND!!

 

BATAK : An Exercise for a Formula 1 Driver to improve his Peripheral Vision. A    Formula 1 Driver scores 70 hits in 30 seconds ( randomly glowing lights )

Motorhome : Temporary Headquarters / Briefing - Debriefing Centre / Technical Hub for Formula 1 teams over a Race - Weekend

 

Once Again a Special Thank you to www.exclusivegp.com for offering me this unique experience!!

So this was DAY 1. More to follow.... WATCH THIS SPACE!!

Silverstone is a very prestigious race on the F1 Race Calender. There have been many a great battles fought on this Former WW2 Airstrip and this year promised another great battle.

Silverstone is also a HOME RACE for many teams -

1) Red Bull Racing ( Based in Milton Keynes although they are Austrian ),

2) McLaren Mercedes ( Woking ),

3) Lotus F1 Team ( Enstone, Oxfordshire ),

4) Sahara Force India ( A kilometre from Silverstone ) &

5) Williams F1 Team ( Grove, Oxfordshire )

 

This is a Home Race for 3 Drivers - Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Paul Di Resta.

This was also a race where I was a guest with the LOTUS F1 TEAM!!

 

A List of all winners of the Silverstone Grand Prix :  

 

Silverstone is famous for its inclement weather and this year was no different.

Friday Practice Sessions,Saturday Free Practice and Qualifying were marred by torrential rain. However the Race turned out to be a dry one.

  

Friday Free Practices :

The teams were due to test an "experimental" hard tyre compound developed by Pirelli during the first free practice, with a view to introducing it as a racing tyre later in the season;however, wet conditions made this impossible. Romain Grosjean was the fastest driver in the First Session, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton. Fernando Alonso and the Force Indias of Paul di Resta and Jules Bianchi elected not to set lap times.

The Second Session was similarly washed out and saw limited running as teams tried to preserve their wet- and intermediate-compound tyres. Hamilton was fastest, leading Kamui Kobayashi and Michael Schumacher as Grosjean elected not to set a time. Bruno Senna brought out a red flag that resulted in a ten-minute stop to the session when he hit a patch of standing water at Becketts, spinning and crashing heavily into the barriers. Fernando Alonso also encountered trouble, spinning and hitting the wall late in the session, but the Ferrari driver was able to return to the pits.

 

Friday Practice 1 Images : 

 

Friday Practice 2 Images :  

  

Saturday Free Practice :

This Session was dry, but the threat of rain was always there. It saw plenty of activity as the teams pushed hard to make up for lost time running in the wet on Friday. Charles Pic stopped on the circuit after twenty minutes, forcing the temporary suspension of the session while his car was removed. Pic later returned to the circuit, but the car stopped again and this time car was removed by marshalls without forcing the session to be stopped. Alonso ended the session fastest overall. 

Saturday Free Practice Images : 

 

 Qualifying :

Qualifying started in wet conditions, and with the threat of more rain on the way. The Circuit conditions were rapidly changing and everyone went about doing their qualifying laps. The Biggest Shock of Q3 was the Elimination of Jenson Button! He was on a lap that would have propelled him out of the drop zone but Timo Glock spun on the last sector. Yellow flags were deployed and Button suffered disappointment.  Both the Caterhams, HRTs, Virgins bowed out. Charles Pic couldn't qualify within the 107 % time of the fastest man of Q1 - Sebastien Vettel.

The intensity of rain increased in Q2. The session was red-flagged with just over 6 minutes remaining. Sergio Perez was at the top of the time sheets then. The session was stopped for an hour and a half as the FIA hoped for conditons safe to drive.

The Teams, the Mechanics, The Drivers & The Crowds did a fantastic job of keeping themselves entertained during the break. NICO ROSBERG was clearly the star of this show!!

The session re-opened and all drivers had time to put in flying laps however Tyre Choice was of utmost importance. Perec chose the intermediate compound rather than wets. It was the wrong decision and ended the session last. However he started 15th after the Penalties were applied.  Those Eliminated were : Paul Di Resta, Kamui Kobayashi ( 12th but demoted to 17th after penalty ), Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Bruno Senna, Jean-Éric Vergne ( 16th but demoted to the back after penalty ).

Romain Grosjean made it through to Q3, but spun at the end of the period at the Vale chicane, and took no further part in the session.

Q3 featured the Ferraris, Red Bulls, Lotuses ( Although Grosjean couldn't set a time ), Michael Schumacher's Merecedes, Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren, Pastor Maldonado in the Williams F1 & Nico Hulkenberg for Force India. It seemed to be a Ferrari 1-2 but Mark Webber and Sebastien Vettel seemed too have wrestled back control.  Massa was unable to improve his lap time and finished 5th, while Schumacher pushed Webber off pole. Webber reclaimed it with his next lap, but lost it to Alonso's last lap of the Session. Kimi Raikkonen was 6th, Pastor Maldonado 7th, Lewis Hamilton 8th. Hulkenberg qualified 9th but a gear-box change pushed the German down to 14th.

 

Qualifying Images : 

 

RACE :

An engine failure on Vitaly Petrov's Caterham on his way round to the grid meant he had to return to the pits and retire the car before the race had even begun. When the race started, polesitter Fernando Alonso maintained his lead into the first corner. Webber and Schumacher followed him round in their same positions, but Vettel lost places to Massa and Raikkonen, only to regain his position against the latter. Paul di Resta, who started 10th, suffered a puncture as a result of his right rear tyre coming in contact with Romain Grosjean's front wing at the start of the Wellington straight. Di Resta pitted but the damage incurred caused him to spin and retire. Romain Grosjean had to pit too for a front wing change and ended up in 22nd ( back of the pack ).

Pastor Maldonado didn't do his reputation any good as he rammed into Perez retiring the latter. He was penalised 10000 euros!

However the Frenchman set about setting a series of fastest laps and quickly started clawing his way back through the field. Hamilton suffered from a poor start, lost positions to Bruno Senna and was stuck in the middle of the the pack until the first round of pit-stops.

Button suffered a similar fate as he was stuck behind slower cars and had to pit at odd-times during the race. 

Alonso was slowly opening a gap at the front and was able to come out in P2 after his pit-stop on lap 15. Lap 19 saw Alonso retake the Lead from Hamilton who was losing pace on his worn-out tyres. The latter finally pitted on lap 21 and Webber moved back into P2. The gap at the front was constant at around 5 seconds but everything changed after the second round of pit-stops.

Kamui Kobayashi had a horible pit-stop as he ran over 4 mechanics and was penalised post-race for the incident. ( 25000 euros )

Webber switched to the softs and managed to come out in P4 ( ahead of team-mate Vettel ). Alonso pitted too and switched to softs. Parity was restored after the top 5 finished their round of pit stops. The order was : Alonso, Webber, Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen.

This however wasn't gonna remain the same.

Alonso couldn't find the pace which he enjoyed while driving on the hard compound tyres. Webber was reeling Alonso in taking chunks out of his lead every lap. Romain Grosjean ( Out of sync with others on pit stops ) performed exceptionally well as he muscled himself upto 6th. Kimi Raikkonen had found performance in his Lotus and set a series of fastest laps. He was within a touching distance of 4th positon now.

7 laps were left of the race and Alonso was now under severe pressure from Webber. The Australian finally made the move and took the Lead! Raikkonen put Massa under a lot of pressure but the Brazilian held on to 4th position.

The final order was : Webber, Alonso, Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Schumacher, Hamilton, Senna, Button ( Top 10 )

As a consequence of the race, Webber narrowed Alonso's lead in the drivers' standings to 13 points. Webber himself was 16 points ahead of Vettel. Vettel moved ahead of Lewis Hamilton into 3rd in the standings on 100 points. Red Bull extended their lead in the constructors' standings to 64 points. Ferrrari moved up from 4th place to 2nd whilst McLaren did the reverse and Lotus stayed in 3rd position. All three teams stayed within 3 points of each other.

Massa held on to 4th from a charging Raikkonen. Definitely a confidence boost for him.

KIMI RAIKKONEN set the fastest lap of the Race.

This was also the first time that an F1 Great got to interview the Podium Finishers in front of the public - The honour went to the most popular SIR JACKIE STEWART!!

It was a day to forget for the McLaren duo. Lotus had a good day but not the best day as a lack of good quaifying postion hampered their race result.

Hockenheim - THE NEXT DESTINATION!

 

Finally a SPECIAL THANK YOU to www.exclusivegp.com for this experience!! Friends you now know who to contact for those Exclusive F1 Experiences!!