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Posts for Tag: 2013

A Gallery of Memories - Part 5

2013 has been an amazing year for me! A lot has been happening in my life so the Blog was neglected to some extent. For those who have been waiting patiently for my next post, THANK YOU for being such amazing fans!


The 2013 Indian GP was the 3rd Race of the Season for me and a truly memorable one! I attended back-to-back races in India and Abu Dhabi and the Lotus F1 Team celebrated a podium too in India.

The Buddh International Circuit has been an amazing track and its a shame that F1 won't return to India in 2014. I must say I was bowled over with the facilities and the marked improvement since the Inaugural GP in 2011.


As always, the First post of any GP experience is a "Gallery of Memories".  Voila!


Davide Valsecchi!! A Great Friend and Lotus F1 Reserve Driver!


KIMI RAIKKONEN!!! All over again!!


The Team were gracious enough to give me a paddock pass and I got access to the Team Motorhome!

Eric Boullier and Romain Grosjean!!


I got really close to getting a nice photo with Kimi...Unfortunately it still remains a dream.....


Romain Grosjean on Sunday :


The Race got over and we rushed down to see the Podium Celebrations!! Sebastien Vettel was crowned World Champion for the 4th time, so Congratulations to him and the Red Bull Racing Team for winning the 4th Constructors' Championship too!

Romain Grosjean bagged 3rd Place for the Team!!


Some More Stills from the Podium :


Celebrations in full swing in the Garage :


Romain's Mechanics all smiles for the Shutterbugs!


James Robinson, a hit with the Marshals :)


A Moment with the Trophy!!


3 fantastic days!! A Big Thank You to Oliver Anderson, James Robinson, Anne-Charlotte Remy, Federic Garcia for their Hospitality!


A Big Thank you to the Lotus F1 Team for a Memorable Weekend!!


Lots to come.... soon

Paddock Club Diaries - Italian GP 2013 Day 3

The Big Day arrived.

Sundays are always Special, the Stands are filled, the atmosphere is awesome. The Tension slowly builds as how you fare on the Sunday is all that matters. Friday and Saturday Performances don't bring home any points.


An early start on Sunday morning ensured that I had a smooth run to Monza :

Brisk Travel :


A short walk to the Paddock :


We were ushered straight into the Pit Lane, most shutters were down with team personnel yet to arrive.


The Shutters coming up :

McLaren Mercedes celebrated 50 Years of Racing and all Team Personnel wore Vintage attire. RESPECT McLaren Mercedes!


It was them time to enter the Paddock Club and the gifts today were simply fantastic!!


Tea Time :


Shots from the GP2 Grid ( 2nd Race ) :


The Motorhomes on Sunday Morning :


The Helicopters having a busy Sunday Morning ferrying Drivers and Top Team Personnel :


It was time for Kimi Raikkonen to arrive!!!! The Line was huge and many people wanted a moment with the Iceman. I missed the opportunity but I still have a couple more chances!!


However I was able to gift Kimi the gift I had made for him and the Team was gracious enough to publish it on Twitter!!

THE GIFT :


The Photo on Twitter :


Lunch :


Shots from the Final Pit Lane Walk :


Some Entertainment on Track :


The Team Pit-Wall


Practice Makes Perfect :


Got an autograph from Dani Pedrosa who came down for the race. He raced at Misano one week later in MotoGP.


A Light Shower made everyone run helter-skelter while the Mechanics ensured all that was important was covered :


I hurriedly finished my Dessert to ensure that I don't lose a good place to shoot photos from.


The Activity on the Grid :


The Cars ready for the Formation Lap :

Video Link :




The Cars taking their Grid Slots :


The Race Start ( Video Link ) :




Vettel had a clean getaway while Kimi too had a fantastic start. However Perez cut across Kimi and missed his braking point. Kimi suffered a huge lockup and rammed into the back of the McLaren, damaging his Front wing pretty badly. This isn't the first time these 2 have crossed paths and it is clear that McLaren are running out of patience with Perez. The Ensuing Damage meant that Kimi had to pit for a front wing change and rejoined way back down the grid. Frustrating.....


Shots from the first few laps :  

Lotus F1 Team
having to play catchup. Romain was in a better position though.


Some Close Battles being fought :



Some more Shots from the Race :


Lotus F1 Team
in action :


The Lotus F1 Pit Wall discussing Strategic Changes :


Their Planning paid dividends as Romain Grosjean reeled in the McLarens and the Toro Rosso.


Kimi Raikkonen
too passed the Force India with relative ease and was on the tail of the McLaren duo :


Adrian Sutil drove into Retirement on the Penultimate Lap with Brake Failure :


Kimi Raikkonen's and Mark Webber's Cars stopped just after the Chequered Flag to save fuel for later scrutiny.


Sebastien Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber were the Podium Finishers. Massa, Hulkenberg, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Hamilton and Button completed the Top 10. Hamilton's late pit stop allowed up to charge upto 9th. Raikkonen produced a spirited drive but just missed out on points in 11th.


The Tifosi running towards the Podium


Fans as far as the Eyes can see!! Amazing, Absolutely Amazing!!



Podium Celebrations. Adrian Newey, the Da Vinci of Aerodynamics in F1 represented Red Bull Racing for collecting the Constructors' trophy. The Podium Interviews were carried out by the Great Sir John Surtees and Jean Alesi!



Mark Webber saying Goodbye to Fans in Europe :( He will be missed. AussieGrit all the Way!!



Fernando Alonso obliging the Tifosi with some photos :


Podium Celebrations ( Video Link ) :



As the Fans slowly left the track, the trucks came in and it was time to packup!!


Quick Photos with Kimi Raikkonen's Helmet!!


The Suite now bearing a deserted look :


The Motorhomes of 2013, for one last time!!


Made New Friends!!

Thank you Lotus F1 for all the Hospitality and Thank you Guys and Gals!



The way back to the Hotel :


It was a nice Sunday. We didn't achieve good results but memorable 3 days nonetheless.

Once again, a Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the hospitality. Thank you to Anne-Charlotte Remy and Oliver Anderson for all the logistical help.

Thank you to Anita Nyers, Fleur Foster,  Luca Mazzocco, Francois Puentes, Frederic Garcia & Veronica Sassella for hosting me over the 3 days. Really enjoyed the Experience.


Indian GP is my next stop, till then God Bless and stay safe!!



Paddock Club Diaries - Italian GP 2013 Day 2

Saturday is always a busy day for Teams. Activity starts early in the morning with the Team Pit-Stop Practice. Setting up the Car for Qualifying is also very important. Any problems or niggles have to be ironed out so that the Drivers can have unhindered sessions.

I missed the Pit-Stop Practice in Germany so an early start allowed me to be in the thick of action.


En route to the Circuit :


The FIA Weigh-Bridge ( would see a lot of activity on Saturday ) :


Mercedes AMG - Petronas getting ready for their Pit-Stop Practice :


Francois and Oliver are all smiles as they welcome the Team Guests on Saturday :


The Car ready for Practice :


As the Boys were getting ready for practice, I grabbed the opportunity of sharing screen space with Alan Permane ( Lotus F1 Trackside Operations Director ), Ciaron Pilbeam ( Lotus F1 Chief Race Engineer ), Paul Seaby ( Lotus F1 Team Manager ) & Ayao Komatsu ( Romain Grosjean's Race Engineer ). 

Ciaron was fantastic and very welcoming. He was loving the challenge of pushing Lotus up the Grid, just like his stint at Red Bull Racing until last season.



The Mechanics busy practising :


Video Link :




More shots from the Garage :


Now that is a nice welcome ;)


The Paddock Area abuzz with Activity. Photographers waiting for Drivers to walk in :


Saturday Practice would see Teams run Race Simulations but the main agenda was to have Qualifying Simulations done.

Lotus F1 had run the Long Wheelbase Version for Kimi on Friday but as the difference was marginal, he switched back to the Standard Version for Saturday.

Some Shots from FP3 :



Lotus F1 Team in Action!!


Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest, Kimi and Romain 10th and 14th Respectively.


We were soon joined by Sir Jackie Stewart. The Triple World Champion talked about the Team's Performance so far this season. He talked about the changes brought into F1 down the years. He also stressed on the importance of Sponsorships for the teams.



Moments with the Legend himself !!


You cannot neglect nutrition in all this and I don't like missing lunch at the Paddock Club :)

A Quick Lunch and it was time to head down for the Pit-Lane Walk!

Oliver
had a surprise for me. I had 20 minutes to scurry around the Paddock and meet whoever I could! Fantastic!


The Paddock - Ground Zero!!



The SKY PAD - Best tool for Analysis!!

The Man who mans the Sky Pad - Anthony Davidson. Great Guy. The Waistline Difference is appalling!


Uh, wrong place Ma'am :P

With Romain Grosjean's Car :


It was now time for Qualifying! The Sessions that would decide the Grid for Sunday!

Q1 saw the slowest 6 being eliminated.

Shots from Q1 :



Lotus F1 Team in Q1 :

Sebastien Vettel topped Q1, Kimi was 11th and Romain 8th.

Gutierrez ( Sauber-Ferrari ), Bottas ( Williams-Renault ), Van Der Garde ( Caterham-Renault ), Pic
( Caterham-Renault ), Bianchi ( Marussia-Cosworth ) and Chilton ( Marussia-Cosworth ) were eliminated.



Times were reset after Q1. The Slowest 6 drivers from the remaining 16 would be eliminated in Q2.


Shots from Q2 :

Lotus F1 Team in Q2 :


Monza was never a Great Track for Lotus F1 and the lack of pace from the Renault Engine meant that both the Lotuses were Eliminated in Q2.

Sebastien Vettel Topped Q2. Kimi missed Q3 by a tenth of a second ( whisker ) while Romain was about 3 tenths slower than the 10th place Vergne.

Lewis Hamilton too was eliminated
but it was later revealed that Adrian Sutil impeded him on his flying lap. Sutil received a 3 place Grid Penalty.

Raikkonen ( Lotus-Renault ), Hamilton ( Mercedes ), Grosjean ( Lotus-Renault ), Sutil ( Force India-Mercedes ), Maldonado ( Williams-Renault ) and Di Resta ( Force India-Mercedes ) were eliminated from Q2.

A disappointing Qualifying Session but we were optimistic about the Race. The Lap Times were too close and the Lotus is confident in Race Trim, so all was not lost. A Free Tyre choice also meant that strategies could be different from the front runners.


The Times were Reset and it was time for the Top - 10 Shootout!! Q3 would see some really close battles!!

Shots from Q3 :


Sebastien Vettel dominated all three sessions and bagged Pole Position! Mark Webber ensured that the Red Bulls lock out the front row. Nico Hulkenberg sprung a surprise for Sauber-Ferrari and qualified 3rd on the Grid. The Team did well in 2012 too and now had a platform to score big on Sunday.


An Ecstatic Sauber Pit-Wall and Manisha Kaltenborn!



The Ferraris could only manage 4th and 5th for the Ferrari Faithful, Massa out-qualifying his more consistent team-mate Alonso.

Rosberg ( Mercedes ), Ricciardo ( STR-Ferrari ), Perez ( McLaren-Mercedes ), Button ( McLaren-Mercedes ) and Vergne ( STR-Ferrari ) completed the top 10.


Monza has always favoured cars with better powertrains and the presence of only two Renault-powered cars in the top 10 was testimony to this fact. Red Bull came out on top due to the cars' aerodynamic efficiency ( Thanks to Adrian Newey ) and still lacked the raw pace compared to their Ferrari and Mercedes Powered Competitors.

Only the Red-Bulls cracked the 1min 23 secs barrier and only half a sec separated 3rd from 9th. It would be an intriguing race on Sunday!!


Dessert to douse the disappointment :


Romain Grosjean
visited the Suite an hour later and talked about his season so far. He was optimistic about Sunday and was sure about the team scoring points.


With the Frenchman : ( What did I make him sign? I shall reveal in due time )

It was now time to leave the Paddock Club. A Disappointing day in terms of the Result but an enjoyable day nonetheless!

I got to meet a host of people in the Paddock for which I am really really thankful to Oliver Anderson. Thank you Oli for your kindness!


The Journey Back :

Once again, a Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the hospitality. Thank you to Anne-Charlotte Remy and Oliver Anderson for all the logistical help.

How can I forget Anita Nyers, Fleur Foster,  Luca Mazzocco, Francois Puentes, Frederic Garcia & Veronica Sassella for hosting me and ensuring that I enjoy the Saturday.


Day 3 not too long now.. Patience :)





Paddock Club Diaries - Italian GP 2013 Day 1

My F1 Travels took me to the "Home of the Tifosi".  To the north of Milan lies the Iconic track of Monza, the Fastest Circuit on the F1 Calender. Monza hosted the Italian Grand Prix from 6th September to 8th September 2013.

The Lotus F1 Team had their Private Suite ( for Hospitality ) this time. My 2nd Private Suite Experience after Silverstone GP in 2012.


The Passes arrived on time!


I left early on Friday Morning but was surprised to see heavy traffic at 7:30 am!! A Journey that should have lasted about 30 minutes extended to 90 minutes!


Enroute to the Circuit :


The Motorhomes at the Final European GP of the season!


The View from the Suite :


The Team Suite :


The Podium! Its the best podium as its visible to everyone in the paddock and the fans are allowed to get as close as possible to their favourite drivers.


Friday Free Practice
was early in the morning as usual and the stands were slowly filling up.

Shots from FP1 :



The Lotus F1 Team in Action in FP1 :



Lewis Hamilton was the Fastest, Kimi and Romain 5th and 12th respectively.


Lunch was served on time and I quickly finished my Appetizer to get ready for the arrival of Davide Valsecchi!



Davide Valsecchi
arrived and it was a nice interview at his Home Race!


Lunch!


A quick lunch and it was time to go down for the Pit Lane Walk!



Marussia F1 were gracious enough to allow me into the Garage! Thank you Graeme Lowdon for the kindness shown!


Some shots from the Lotus F1 Garage!


The FIA Weigh-Bridge :


I had the rare opportunity of meeting Mark Slade, Kimi's Race Engineer :


I wanted to do the Italian GP this year for one reason, to see the Tifosi support their beloved Scarlet-Red Ferraris and they left no stone unturned!
 

Dessert before FP2 :


FP2
saw teams run low fuel simulations and then Race Simulations mid session onwards. Race Simulations ( Full Fuel Load runs ) help teams to study lap times on both Option and Prime tyres helping them draw up strategies post qualifying on Sunday.

Shots from FP2 :


Lotus F1 Team in action in FP2 :



Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean improved to 3rd and 4th respectively. The signs were good for Sunday.


Kimi Raikkonen
talking to Beat Zehnder ( Sauber F1 Team Manager ). Kimi is a nice guy as suggested otherwise and it once again shows how loved he is up and down the Paddock


The Motorhomes on a Friday evening :

A good Friday and expectations were big for the next two days!

The way back to the Hotel :



A Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for a memorable day. Thank you to Anne-Charlotte Remy and Oliver Anderson for all the help with the Italian GP arrangements!

A Special Thank you to Oliver Anderson, Anita Nyers, Fleur Foster, Anne-Charlotte Remy,  Luca Mazzocco, Francois Puentes, Frederic Garcia & Veronica Sassella for all the Hospitality.


Day 2 and Day 3 Experience coming soon!!



A Gallery of Memories - Part 4

My F1 Travels took me to the "Home of the Tifosi". Nestled in a town to the north of Milan the Iconic track of Monza hosted the Italian Grand Prix from 6th September to 8th September 2013.

The Lotus F1 Team had their Private Suite ( for Hospitality ) to entertain guests and sponsors and what would ensue would be 3 hectic days!!


The Atmosphere was amazing as the Ferrari Faithfuls unfurled huge flags of the Prancing Horse and sang chants in Italian.


The Lotus F1 Hospitality area too was abuzz with activity on all 3 days.

As always, this post is a continuation of the Series : "A Gallery of Memories" Let us relive those moments!!


Friday is the day of Mr. Davide Valsecchi! As always his friendly demeanour is endearing! He loved being at his Home Race!


Friday is usually a less crowded day in the Paddock and one always gets the chance to get some nice clicks!

Mark Slade is one guy who keeps a low profile but does his job efficiently. It is no surprise that Mark was Kimi Raikkonen's Race Engineer at McLaren and returned to partner him at Lotus F1 after their partnership was temporarily broken during the Finn's Time at Ferrari. He is one guy that Kimi seems to be comfortable conversing with over a race weekend.

A Moment with the Busy Mark :


I have some great friends in the Team and they are as important as the Pilots :

Thank you Francois Puentes and Oliver Anderson!


I missed Team Pit-Stop Practice on Saturday Morning in Germany ( thanks to traffic ) but this time I had no intentions of not making it in time. Saturday Morning gave me a rare opportunity though, A Photo Op with Alan Permane ( Lotus F1 Trackside Operations Director ), Ciaron Pilbeam ( Lotus F1 Chief Race Engineer ), Paul Seaby ( Lotus F1 Team Manager ) & Ayao Komatsu ( Romain Grosjean's Race Engineer ).

Ciaron was fantastic and very welcoming. He was loving the challenge of pushing Lotus up the Grid, just like his stint at Red Bull Racing until last season.


No Private Suite Hospitality is complete without the appearance of a certain Sir Jackie Stewart!! Entertaining as ever, Sir Jackie took us through a time machine talking about F1 in his time and what it is now. He also stressed the need for Sponsorships for the team to pump in the necessary finances to move up the grid!


Sharing Screen-space with the Maestro :


During the Pit-Lane Walk I got the time to roam around in the Paddock. Bumped into loads of people but could get a moment only with Anthony Davidson who was busy setting up the Sky-Pad!


The Guests soon welcomed Romain Grosjean! The Smiling Frenchman talked about his season so far and his chances for this weekend.


Romain was surprised to see the scroll on which I asked his autograph. What did it contain? I shall reveal soon!!

Loved his look though!


Sunday saw the arrival of the Man, the Iceman Kimi Raikkonen! The Line for autographs was huge and my chance never came. However I shall have more opportunities this season, so chin up!


The Final Pit Lane Walk allowed me to grab an autograph of another sportsman who plies his trade on two wheels - Dani Pedrosa. Have been a big fan of the Honda Repsol Team since the Mick Doohan days so meeting one of their top riders was a pleasant surprise. The Moto GP race was held the following week in Misano ( wish I had known )


I could also get a couple of photos with the Replica Helmet of Kimi Raikkonen :


The Race didn't get us a great result but it was a great day nevertheless! I made new friends and had a fantastic weekend!!


The Lotus F1 Team Personnel who welcomed, hosted and entertained us ( some are missing though )


A Big Thank you to Anne-Charlotte Remy and Oliver Anderson for all the help with the Italian GP arrangements!

A Special Thank you to Oliver Anderson, Anita Nyers, Fleur Foster, Anne-Charlotte Remy,  Luca Mazzocco, Francois Puentes, Frederic Garcia & Veronica Sassella for welcoming me and being so hospitable!!


More, Coming Soon!!

Paddock Club Diaries - German GP 2013 Day 3

Sunday finally arrived. I had 2 wonderful days at the Paddock Club and Sunday would be the icing on the Cake.


Day 3, the day of the Race!


I left early in the morning and still encountered some traffic near the circuit. The Journey though was smooth over all 3 days. KUDOS to the Organisers!



Enroute to the Circuit :


I was in awe of the F1 Village, the only covered facility I have seen so far. One must admit that the Germans are very organised. I spent some more time exploring and buying some merchandise :


The Paddock Club finally opened and the First Surprise of the Day was Mark Webber's appearance in the Red Bull Hospitality Area.

He spoke about the circuit in general and events that led him to believe that the time was right to retire from the sport and explore other endeavours


The Motorhomes on Sunday Morning :


The Paddock Club on Sunday Morning :


Tyres being Readied for Battle ( although Wets would not be used ) :


Valtteri Bottas made an appearance in the Williams Hospitality :


The Lotus Guests were soon joined by Romain Grosjean who was in a cheerful mood as usual :


A Moment with Romain :


The First Race of the Day was the Porsche Super Cup :


Lunch was fairly early in the afternoon to make time for the only Pit Lane Walk on Sunday :

Starters :


Main Course :


After a hearty meal, it was time to burn some calories and watch the teams prepare ( up-close ) for the Grand Prix.


Shots from the Lotus F1 Team Garage :


I returned from the Pit Lane Walk and was in for a pleasant surprise. The team took me down to the garage to witness all the preparations going on 30 minutes prior to the race start. I was there till Lap 8. I took some photos but cannot share them as they are the ownership of the Lotus F1 Team.

However there is one : Kimi walking to his Lotus E21 on the Grid :


Once I returned to the Paddock, I was shocked to see the unfortunate incident of the Cameraman being hit by a loose wheel from Webber's Car unfold right below me. Thank God he has recovered from the incident and the FIA has taken bigger steps to improve safety within the Pit-Lane.


Shots from the Early Part of the Race :


Kimi pitted early but Romain continued his charge and set a series of Fastest Laps in the lead!


Hamilton became a nuisance for the Early Stoppers but Kimi disposed him off with ease to start his charge towards the Front. Fernando though wasn't so lucky.


Kimi had to play catch-up to bring down the gap :


Jules Bianchi suffered an Engine Failure and had to leave the car in a jiffy. ( Lap 23 ). However a Lap Later the Marussia started rolling backwards onto the Track triggering a safety car situation. This led to a flurry of pit-stops and Kimi was able to negate the 10 sec lead that Vettel had.


The Safety car came in at Lap 30 and Vettel started pulling away slowly. Romain and Kimi kept him in sight but Alonso could not keep up with the Trio.


Nico Hulkenberg pitting :


The Pit Lane Poker at the front started with Romain Grosjean being the first one to pit on Lap 41 :


Hamilton and Rosberg pitted soon after :


Kimi Raikkonen got a free track after Vettel pitted and the fight for the front was a wide-open one.


Kimi finally pitted on Lap 50 to switch to Soft Tyres ( Options ), Alonso followed suit. The Order though at the front remained unchanged.

Kimi on the Option Tyre started catching the duo at front and Alonso too seemed to be joining the party. 

Kimi passed Romain on Lap 55 but not before the latter being informed about the Finn being on the option tyre and the team request to not hold him up ( Championship Contender )

Kimi wasted no time in closing the gap to Vettel and reduce his lead to less than second in the penultimate lap :


Alonso too closed in on Grosjean but the latter held on for a deserved 3rd place. Kimi tried his best but had to settle for 2nd place. Vettel admitted that he was glad that the race ended on Lap 60 and not 61 or 62 else Kimi would have been the sure winner!

The Team Personnel and Fans rush towards the Podium :


The Podium Finishers and a Pensive Kimi :


The Team ensured that all the Paddock Club Guests got a photo opportunity with the Trophies!!


The Team Members with the Trophies!


The Trophies :


The Team Trucks and The Personnel began their work of Dismantling everything :


It was time to say goodbye to the Team after 3 days of being together...


A Big Thank You to Sophie, Luca, Gaby, Anne-Charlotte and James for hosting me and being extremely hospitable and gracious.

A Big Thank You to Oliver Anderson for all the assistance offered. Really missed his presence at Germany.

Finally a Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean for such a rocking weekend and fantastic results.

I hope the team goes from strength to strength from here on!!


Monza, Italy, The Land of the Tifosi is my next stop. The Paddock Club Diaries continue then....

God Bless Everyone!

Paddock Club Diaries - German GP 2013 Day 2

Day 1 at the German GP was a memorable one. Saturday would feature the Saturday Practice and the Qualifying Sessions for F1. Teams would try to get some more clarity about their race pace and more importantly run "Qualifying Simulations" in the Practice.

Enroute to the Circuit ( A different route this time ) :


I started early in the morning but couldn't make it in time for the Team Pit-Stop Practice. The Saturday Practice was pretty early in the morning to give the teams ample time to prepare cars for Qualifying.

Some shots from the Saturday Practice :



The Lotus F1 team going about their job :


Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest in the session, Kimi 6th and Romain 8th Fastest


The Top Bosses from Auden McKenzie shared the table and we were soon joined by the 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill. A healthy discussion was followed by lunch. Meeting the legend all over again was a great feeling  :


Lunch, forgot to click the Main Course in the excitement of meeting someone special ;)


The Lunch also overlaps the 2nd Pit Lane Walk timings. We all rushed to the pitlane to prepare for the arrival of the one and only ICEMAN KIMI RAIKKONEN!!

A quick Meet and Greet event. I was also able to give Kimi the gift I had made for him.

THE ICEMAN COMETH :


Jean-Eric Vergne's Car being wheeled back to the garage post FIA Checks


The Main Grandstand here is a lot closer than other tracks. Helps the Fans to be closer to the action!


It was time for the Qualifying to start! The Session that would decide the Race Grid.

Shots from Q1 :


Lotus F1 Team in Q1 :


Felipe Massa surprised everyone with the Fastest time. Kimi was 2nd and Romain 9th Fastest


Q2 began a few minutes later. The 2nd elimination would separate the Top 10 for the Final shootout in Q3.

Some Shots from Q2 :


Lotus F1 Team in their quest to make it to Q3 :


Felipe Massa was the Fastest again. Kimi was 2nd and Romain 4th Fastest.


Q3 was the final shootout for the Final 10 drivers. I was taken down to the Garage to be with the Team for Q3. However I was able to capture some stills.

The Final 10 minutes was a game of strategy. Everyone wanted to have their final stint as late as possible.

Q3 ended with Lewis Hamilton on top. Kimi made an error in the First sector that denied him a front row start. Kimi was 4th and Romain qualified 5th.

Both had strong qualifying positions and the signs looked good for the race.


We Returned upstairs and were soon informed that Sebastien Vettel was coming to the Red Bull Hospitality Area. I couldn't get too close but managed to capture some canny shots :


Eric Boullier and Alan Permane looking relaxed after the session. So Happy to see both Cheerful!


The New Wheels of the Lotus F1 Team :


It was a memorable Saturday and it was time to return in the evening. The Roads are very scenic. You have to love the Autobahns.


A Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the Hospitality shown and a special thanks to Oliver Anderson too for all the help.


The Events that unfolded on Sunday shall be updated soon. God Bless Everyone!


Paddock Club Diaries - German GP 2013 Day 1

I start a new series today. Its called the "Paddock Club Diaries". I shall be documenting my experiences from the various Paddock Clubs at the Grand Prix I have had the privilege of being at. The Silverstone GP in 2012 was already documented. The Indian GP ( 2012 ) shall be done soon but first I shall be sharing my experience of The Paddock Club of the German GP held at the Nurburgring from 5th July to 7th July 2013. The Circuit is nestled amongst the hills in the Eifel Region and has a great history in Motor-racing. The Circuit's chance of hosting the GP was almost jeopardized but Bernie Ecclestone ensured that this did not happen.


Once again as a guest of the Lotus F1 Team I was able to have the privilege of seeing my favourite driver KIMI RAIKKONEN up-close.

My passes were delivered a day before the GP - Elegant as ever :



All preparations done, it was time to leave for the circuit early in the Morning. Enroute to the circuit :


Nurburgring, Friday Morning :

The Paddock Club wasn't ready for its guests yet but the Pit Lane was open for the Pit Lane Walk and it was time to explore the garages up-close! As a guest of Lotus F1 , I had the privilege of entering their garage!!

The Lotus F1 Mechanics preparing the Cars for Battle :

The Pit Lane Walk lasted 45 minutes and we were then ushered into the Club Suite. The Location of the Suite was perfect and offered fantastic vantage points to view the sessions!!

Before we knew it, the First Friday Practice Session was already upon us! FP1 saw teams tinker with various setups and upgrades to monitor car performance. Some Shots from the FP1 :


The Iceman doing his job!


The Teams monitoring all the data :

Lewis Hamilton was the Fastest in the session, Kimi Raikkonen was 5th and Romain Grosjean 9th.


FP2 was still a couple of hours away so I dug into some sweets


Lunch was served on time and was delicious as always :


We were joined by Davide Valsecchi, the Lotus F1 Reserve Driver post lunch. A Very Humble and Gracious person indeed!

His Departure was soon followed by the 2nd Pit Lane Walk.

The 2nd Pit Lane Walk saw more guests and some teams had a lot more on display :


The Podium and the Safety Car :


Williams F1 were celebrating their 600th GP Weekend. A Big Congratulations to them!


FP2 finally began and I was able to capture some great photos. FP2 is a session that teams utilize to monitor Race Pace. Qualifying Simulations are also run. Some more stills!


Kimi Raikkonen flying again!


Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest in the session, Romain Grosjean was 4th and Kimi Raikkonen 5th.


Finishing my Desserts during FP2 :


FP2 ended and it was time for the GP2 Qualifying Session. The Train of Cars :


The Club Suite. A Fantastic Place to enjoy an F1 Weekend!


The Team Motorhomes from the Paddock Club :


I was also taken down to the Team Garage on 4 occasions. I was able to see the team work up-close during the sessions, the race engineers conversing with their respective pilots and the mechanics making setup changes and doing practice pit-stops. It was an amazing experience! ( Photography forbidden within the Team Garages )


The Paddock Club shut at 6:30 pm and I had some time to explore the F1 Village. This is the First Covered Village I have seen. The arrangements done by the organisers must be commended.


The Journey back to the Hotel :


It was a great day at the Paddock Club, a really memorable one.

A Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the Hospitality. A Big Thank You to Oliver Anderson too for all the help. Really appreciate it!

The Saturday experience shall be coming soon! Watch this Space!!


The Driver Merry-Go-Round... Surprise on the Cards??

The Cards are on the Table. The Time has come for speculations to start. The Time has come when Driver Lineups are being planned for next season.


Who Stays ? Who Goes ? Who Won't Go ? - Well, it shall be examined right here, right now!


The Situation is fragile at all the top teams barring Mercedes AMG Petronas and McLaren Mercedes.


Mark Webber Leaves F1 :

Mark Webber has decided to call it quits at the end of the 2013 Season. He has decided to retire from the sport altogether and will switch to Porsche in the Le Mans. The Australian has had a rough ride and his deteriorating relationship with team-mate Sebastien Vettel has been one of the causes of his departure. Red Bull are already in the market searching for a worthy replacement. Daniel Ricciardo has been impressive in the Scuderia Toro-Rosso, the Red Bull-B team effectively. Promoting himself ( Ricciardo ) into Webber's seat would be the final step in his endeavour to get to the top. Kimi Raikkonen and maybe Fernando Alonso ( Maybe just a rumour ) are also being considered for the seat. Clarity should come by the end of the Mid-Season break. I see Ricciardo grabbing this seat as he would play the perfect support role to Vettel.


The Situation at Ferrari :

Ferrari has suffered a big slump in form. Fernando Alonso seems to be unhappy and has stressed the importance of getting their act together. When asked on his birthday as to what he would want as a gift, Alonso said " Someone Else's Car ". The Presence of his manager in the Red Bull Motorhome in Hungary also sparked rumours of a possible switch at the end of this season. The Speculation has definitely unsettled the top bosses at Ferrari.

On the other hand, the team is running out of patience with Felipe Massa who has been producing mediocre results. The Possibility of seeing two new drivers at Ferrari ( next season ) can't be ruled out.

Raikkonen has been offered the 2014 seat. Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta are also being shortlisted as replacements. I don't see Alonso leaving but I don't see Massa staying either. Hulkenberg would be a worthy replacement for Massa.


Lotus driver lineup?

Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean are both out of contract at the end of this season. Kimi Raikkonen is hot property for 2014 with Lotus F1, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari vying for his signature.

I have explored his options in detail in my previous post : http://tech-know-crat.posthaven.com/where-art-thou-goeth-iceman

Romain Grosjean's future hinges on Raikkonen's. Lotus Team Principal "Eric Boullier" has admitted that he wants to hold onto at least one driver for 2014. Grosjean would have to improve his on-track results if he wants to justify his job at Lotus should Kimi stay. Kimi's departure to another team would definitely boost Romain's chances of holding onto his seat.

Hulkenberg, Maldonado and Davide Valsecchi ( Lotus F1's Reserve driver ) have been shortlisted as potential replacements. I would like to see Valsecchi get the seat. He is the current GP2 Champion and his work for the development of this car has been commendable. He deserves a drive in 2014.


Sauber Ferrari have been under great financial duress. Their situation has compelled them to release Hulkenberg from his contract, allowing him to join another team with immediate effect. However the German who hasn't been paid for some months now has decided to stay with the team. His drives now would be more like an audition to switch to another team next season.

Sauber Ferrari have got Russian Sponsors to give them the financial backing that they need. As a compromise, they are going to offer a young but unknown quantity a drive next season; a Russian named Sergey Sirotkin. The 17 year old is currently plying his trade in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series.


Scuderia Toro-Rosso have shortlisted Carlos Sainz, Jr. who has taken part in the Young Driver's Test at Silverstone should any of their current drivers leave for Red Bull.


Mercedes AMG Petronas, McLaren Mercedes would have the same driver lineups.


The Next Couple of Weeks would be crucial. Kimi Raikkonen's decision should get the ball rolling for the rest.


Till then we wait.....




Where art thou goeth ICEMAN ??

"Flying Finn", " Iceman", "The King of Spa" are some of the nicknames that he is associated with. Love him or Hate him, he is a character you can't stop talking about in F1, be it his uninteresting though straightforward answers to the media or his rant on the pit radio in the races. As Natalie Pinkham once said " We know that he knows what he is doing ", one must admit that Kimi Raikkonen is from a different planet altogether.

Kimi has been hounded by the press recently who want to know his future plans. Kimi is without a contract at the end of the season.

Steve Robertson, Kimi Raikkonen's Manager has admitted that Kimi would stay in F1 in 2014. It is clear that the Iceman has enjoyed his second stint in F1. Lotus F1, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari are all vying for Kimi's Signature. Where will he end up?

Let's explore his options...


1)  Lotus F1 :

Kimi
joined Lotus at the start of the 2012 season on a 2 year deal. The Team were a mid-table runner up until 2011. However Kimi's arrival has helped the team immensely and the team has been moving up the grid steadily. 2012 saw Kimi score in every race ( China the only exception ) and even win the Abu Dhabi GP. He Finished 3rd in the Drivers' Championship and the Team were 4th in the Constructors, a big leap compared to 2011.

The Team has gone from strength to strength with Kimi winning the season-opener at Australia in 2013, being 2nd 5 times after that and finishing every race in the points up until this point ( in 2013 ). Romain Grosjean has played the perfect support role to Kimi's Title Charge. Kimi is currently 2nd in the Standings, 38 Points behind leader Sebastien Vettel.



Reasons to stay at Lotus F1 :

Kimi
loves life at Lotus. He has openly admitted that this. The Team has allowed him to enjoy life outside F1be it participating in Motocross or other adventure sports that he loves. The Team have also kept Media and PR events at a minimal for him.

The Car has been extremely reliable for Kimi. He has finished every race so far, something that he couldn't accomplish even in his championship winning year in 2007. Kimi has responded with great results on track and will continue to do so as long as he has a strong package to play with.

Kimi is the no.1 driver in the team and shall always have the full support of the team.
The Team knows how to win Championships ( 2005 and 2006 ) and with Kimi they know another title is definitely on the cards.

An elaborate plan is in place for 2014 too and they would want him to spearhead the charge.


Hurdles in Contract Renewal :

Lotus F1
has a modest budget and fewer personnel compared to the bigger teams. However they have performed way better than the bigger names so far. F1 is an expensive sport and how long would the team be able to sustain the challenge at the front is the question.

Finances have started to trouble the team as some media reports suggest. Infiniti Racing, a 35 % Stakeholder in the team
( supposedly ) are yet to fulfill their financial commitment. The delay has put a strain on the team's resources. 

The reports of bigger players like Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari offering Kimi a seat in 2014 have not helped their cause.

If Lotus were to lose Kimi in 2014, finding a worthy replacement would be difficult. They might not be able to continue their climb up with the new replacement as he might lack the ability and the experience that Kimi possesses. 



2)  Red Bull Racing :

Mark Webber retires from F1 at the end of the season. Kimi is one of the options that Red Bull are considering for 2014. Will he make the switch?

Reasons to join Red Bull :

Red Bull Racing
have been the team to beat since 2010. They have won 3 consecutive Drivers' Championships ( Vettel ) and 3 Constructors' Champions and are favourites for both titles this year too. The Car has been fantastic at most circuits thanks to the aerodynamic expertise of Mr. Adrian Newey. Red Bull has been the best package in 2013 too and the rest have been playing catchup.

Kimi Raikkonen was sponsored by Red Bull during his rallying years and enjoyed a great relationship with Adrian Newey when both were at McLaren Mercedes. Dr. Helmut Marko, advisor to Red Bull Racing has always admired Kimi and has expressed his desire to see him at Red Bull at 2014. Kimi knows that he has only a couple more years of racing left in him and with Red Bull he improves his chances of winning a second title considerably. 


Hurdles for a Red Bull Switch :

SEBASTIEN VETTEL
is the biggest hurdle for such a switch. Vettel has been reared by Red Bull Racing and has come through the ranks to become their top driver. The 3 time World-Champion's life at Red Bull is reminiscent of the relationship Schumacher enjoyed with Ferrari during their Glory Years. Vettel would not want his co-driver to jeopardize this relationship or his position within the team. Kimi Raikkonen is very much capable of giving Vettel a hard time should he be his team-mate in 2014. Red Bull would find it difficult to show equality to both as they almost lost the plot in 2010 at the Turkish GP when Vettel crashed into Webber ending the latter's Championship hopes. Vettel has stated that he won't have a say in choosing his 2014 team-mate but I doubt that. He would want someone who would play a support role rather than challenge his throne.
Vettel also said that he would enjoy having Kimi as his team-mate as both are great friends off the track and Kimi is more straightforward according to him. Would events in 2014 put a strain on their friendship? Maybe..

Red Bull have a long-term plan in mind. They want someone who would build a similar relationship with the team like Vettel has. Kimi would not want more than 2 years on his contract and this might just dissuade Red Bull from obtaining his signature.

The 2014 Season might be another factor. The Massive Regulation changes would level the playing field and Red Bull might not have the same advantage that they have enjoyed so far. Vettel too has renewed his contract only till the end of the 2014 season, so he also is keeping his options open. Kimi's decision to switch might just backfire on him.

The Car isn't immune to unreliability or problems either. Mark Webber has suffered from many mechanical and personnel errors. Vettel too had to retire in some races due to issues in his car.

 

Scuderia Ferrari :

Ferrari have been playing catchup and have not won a championship since Kimi Raikkonen's title in 2007. They have come close in 2010 and 2012 only to end up second-best to Red Bull. They are 3rd in the Constructors this year and seemed to have lost their way. The Team has been going backwards and their development has been hampered by the lack of a proper wind tunnel for testing.

Why Ferrari :

Kimi
always had admirers at Ferrari. Michael Schumacher stated that only Kimi Raikkonen was a worthy successor to his seat for 2007. Kimi performed exceptionally well and won the Drivers' Championship in 2007. Stefano Domenicali, the Ferrari Team Principal still shares a healthy relationship with Kimi.

Ferrari
still is the most successful team in F1 History and has enough finances to turn around the deficit that they face right now. James Allison joins the team on the Italian GP weekend and it is the first step towards addressing their problems. James had been an instrumental figure at Ferrari from 2002-2006 and helped Lotus regain ground until he left them this year. Kimi would feel at home and with James to assist the team with development, they might just return to their glory years.
Ferrari needs Kimi rather than vice-versa.



Issues at Ferrari :

Ferrari
are very strict when it comes to regulating Drivers' Lives outside of F1. Kimi had to be wary whenever he participated in events outside F1. He did it all in secret much to the displeasure of Ferrari. Kimi's contract was cut short and he had to leave the team in 2010 to open the door for Alonso's entry who also brought in Santander who became Ferrari's Biggest Sponsors. Kimi thus had an unceremonious exit. He is not on good terms with Luca Montezemolo and has told those close to him that he would never work with the Ferrari top boss.

2014 with the Regulation Changes brings in its fair share on unpredictability and Ferrari engineers are reportedly struggling with keeping the fuel efficiency of the 1.6L V6 Engines in check. It might not be a smooth ride for Kimi if he were to switch.

Kimi would also be monitoring who would partner him at Ferrari. Alonso has expressed displeasure at the car's lack of performance this season and some sources believe that might jump ship to Red Bull. If so then Ferrari must bring in someone of Raikkonen's calibre. Massa too has had a torrid season and Ferrari is running out of patience with him. Raikkonen would face a similar situation ( like Red Bull ) if Alonso stays. Two champions in one team would make it difficult for Ferrari to play the balancing act.



Kimi Raikkonen has maintained the stance of concentrating on this season. He has not let next year's talk hamper his performance so far. Clarity would come sometime during the mid-season break. Kimi said in the Thursday Press Conference at Hungary that he shall take a decision soon. He said : "I think there is going to be an overall package and whatever feels right for me. Whatever the decision will be it might feel stupid to somebody else but then it might feel right for me. I have no idea what will happen. We have to wait and see what will come but hopefully whatever it will be, it will be the right choice." " Basically everything just has to feel right and I think in the end it comes down to whatever I think is the right choice and there will be no guarantee that the choice will be the good one in the long run but I’m fine with it, whatever the outcome will be; you live with the choices." ( Credit : www.fia.com )

The Word "Stupid" indicates different possibilities :

1) Some might interpret Kimi's decision to stay at Lotus as stupid as he had the chance to switch to Red Bull.

2) Some might interpret Kimi's decision to switch to Red Bull as stupid as he might have to play second fiddle to Vettel

3) Some might interpret Kimi's decision to switch to Ferrari as stupid as they are currently struggling and the struggle would continue 
    into 2014.

However he is ready to live with whatever he chooses as he knows it would be right for him

I believe that Lotus still offers him the best package overall. Leaving them at the end of the season would cause all the good work come to naught. He has built a great relationship with them and he enjoys life at Lotus. Others might be better off in other areas but Kimi would have to start from scratch and he might struggle with the working environment of other teams.


We can talk, speculate, discuss but we would never know what goes on in the mind of the Iceman. He would eventually make the call and believe its the right one for him.


He definitely knows what he is doing.


Wherever Kimi Raikkonen goes, I shall support him!!

The Flying Finn is at his best! All Hail the ICEMAN!! Common Kimi!!