2022 saw the advent of a new era in F1. COVID-19 delayed the introduction of new technical regulations by a year. The FIA, the sport's governing body, hoped to improve wheel-to-wheel racing and make it easier to follow cars with the planned changes. There were several challenges with the new designs, porpoising on the straight being the most prevalent amongst most teams, but everyone managed to find a solution in this new chapter of the Turbo Era. 

The calendar, slated for 23 races, saw China back out due to logistical challenges and the presence of COVID-19 in the country. The sport reopened its doors to the fans, relaxing access restrictions in the new season. 

As for personnel changes, there were quite a few. While Bottas said goodbye to Mercedes to move to Alfa Romeo, Russell graduated from Williams to take his place. Albon returned to full-time racing at Williams, while Zhou Guanyu entered the big league from F2. Russia's invasion of Ukraine forced Haas F1 to part ways with its title sponsor Uralkali, and Nikita Mazepin, as the team chose to stand in solidarity with the rest of the world. The fallout allowed Kevin Magnussen to make an unlikely return to the sport after a hiatus of only a year. 

With Formula 1's growing popularity in the west, Miami got added to the F1 calendar.

Sprint Races returned for Imola, Austria and Brazil, with tweaking in the points system, which would see the top 8 finishers earn points rather than the top three. 

How did the teams and drivers fare with the new regulations and less downforce in 2022? Was there a new contender for the crown? 

Time for a quick recap!

Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Red Bull Racing F1 had an unforgettable 2021. After a seven-year drought, the team finally won the Drivers' Championship with Max Verstappen ( albeit under questionable circumstances, according to many ), their first in the Turbo Era. After all the drama and controversy of Abu Dhabi ( in 2021 ) and the events that followed, Red Bull was keen on reaffirming their dominance in this new chapter of F1. 

Sergio Perez continued to partner with Max Verstappen in 2022, but Red Bull's campaign began on a faltering note. Both drivers struggled with reliability failures early in the season, and Ferrari seemed to be the more reliable and quicker car. However, post-Imola, Verstappen upped his performances and went on a winning spree which saw him take the lead in the Championship in Spain. Silverstone was a rare blip after Verstappen's car suffered damage from going over some debris, which eventually saw him finish P7. The Dutchman bagged 15 wins in the season, the most ever in Formula 1, going two better than the legend Michael Schumacher. Verstappen won his second world championship in Japan, ending the season with a mammoth 454 points from 15 wins and two podium finishes.

His teammate, Sergio Perez, struggled to match Verstappen's performances but won at two of the most prestigious races, both street circuits - Monaco and Singapore. The Mexican was on the podium in nine other races and contending for P2 in the Championship. An amicable and healthy relationship seemed to turn sour after Verstappen refused to concede his position in Brazil, citing his reasons ( already known to Red Bull ). Perez didn't mince his words post-race, and the team worked hard to bring closure before the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Despite his best efforts, Perez failed to beat Leclerc, settling for P3, three points shy of the latter's tally. 

Red Bull flattened the opposition in the Constructors' battle with a 205 points victory over Ferrari. It was a dominating performance by the Milton-Keynes-based outfit, ironing out the flaws and the reliability issues faced early in the season. Red Bull, however, couldn't escape scrutiny over breaching the cost cap in the previous season ( 2021 ). The FIA announced that Red Bull had breached the $145 million cost cap. Red Bull, which overspent by 1.6%, was fined $7 million and will have a 10% reduction in its aerodynamic testing allowance for 12 months. Will this affect the campaign in 2023, or does the team have enough to fend off another challenge by the suitors? The Pre-season Test will be a good indicator. 

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Scuderia Ferrari had a mercurial time in the first chapter of the Turbo Era. With the new regulations in force, everyone hoped to see a better showing, probably even a championship-winning one. The tried and tested duo of Charles Leclerc & Carlos Sainz Jr continued their alliance with Ferrari into 2022. The season kickstarted on the right note with an unthinkable Ferrari 1-2 followed by another win for Charles Leclerc in Australia, his 2nd in the first three races. The Monegasque stretched his lead over Verstappen, who suffered from two retirements in the first three races. However, things started to go downhill from thereon. Imola saw Verstappen respond with a vengeance both in the Sprint and the race. Meanwhile, Leclerc's campaign began to falter with strategic mistakes, reliability failures and driver errors. As for Sainz Jr, the Spaniard had his fair share of reliability issues and looked second best at most of the races.

While Leclerc managed to win again in Austria, it was his only win after Bahrain and Australia. He bagged eight podium finishes. Sainz Jr, meanwhile, won for the first time in his F1 career at Silverstone, his only in 2022, besides eight podiums. As the season continued, the challenge for both titles petered out rapidly. Verstappen became World Champion again in Japan with four races remaining. The tactics employed by the team attracted the ire of the Tifosi, who believed that the F1-75 ( Ferrari's car in 2022 ) had the potential to win both titles. Despite several pole positions bagged on Saturday, both drivers failed to convert these into wins on Sunday. Leclerc ended the season in P2, 146 points adrift of Verstappen, narrowly beating Sergio Perez. Sainz had a more humbling season with 246 points and P5 in the Drivers' Championship. Ferrari managed to prevail over Mercedes, with 39 points separating the two teams at the end of the season. 

2022 was "what could have been" for Ferrari. Mattia Binotto, the Team Principal, faced a lot of flak and parted ways with the team at the end of the year. Ferrari has appointed Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team Principal Fredric Vasseur to spearhead their charge in 2023. Will he be the answer to securing the title that has been eluding Ferrari for 14 years? Time will tell.

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 changed its driver lineup for 2022 by bringing in its protegee George Russell from Williams Racing to partner Lewis Hamilton. The 2021 Abu Dhabi GP fiasco made Hamilton and Mercedes return with renewed vigour to challenge for the title. The team returned to its original "Silver Arrows" livery for 2022. 

Mercedes had been the undisputed king of the Turbo Era, winning eight consecutive Constructors' Championships. However, the latest technical regulations overhaul left Mercedes' W13 with severe balance and porpoising issues. The car was more than a handful to drive, and Russell seemed to adjust to it better than Hamilton. The new Power Unit was also short on performance, adding to Mercedes' woes. The customer teams also struggled with outright pace. The team made several changes to reduce drag on the car, and things seemed to improve in the latter half of the season. The only silver lining in 2022 was the robustness and reliability exhibited by the machinery. Barring Hamilton's retirement in the season finale, there had been no other mechanical failure on either car. Reliability would become a base to build from for 2023.

In the intra-team battle, new arrival Russell got the better of Hamilton. Russell also secured his first win in F1 at the Brazilian GP. The Briton scored seven podiums, besides twelve other finishes in the top 10. Russell, who earned the nickname of Mr Saturday in 2021, got rechristened as Mr Consistent for his performances on race days in 2022. Russell bagged P4 in the Drivers' Standings with 275 points, beating Carlos Sainz Jr, who was in a quicker but unreliable Ferrari.

As for Hamilton, 2022 was a season to forget. Despite his best efforts, the most successful driver in F1 history went winless in 2022, his first-ever season such as this. He did get close to winning the race in Brazil, but Russell held on to the lead despite unrelenting pressure. Hamilton had nine podiums and ten other finishes in the top 10 that placed him P6 in the standings, on 240 points, six short of Carlos Sainz Jr's tally.

Mercedes finished 2022 as the third-best team with 515 points after reducing the deficit to Ferrari in the 2nd half.

Alpine F1 Team :

Alpine F1 finished P4 in the Constructor Standings with 173 points, edging  McLaren after a topsy-turvy battle. The Enstone-based team looked to Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso for success, and the duo helped the team do better than in 2021. 

Ocon won the intra-team battle, but it wasn't as straightforward as it looked. Alonso suffered more retirements due to unreliable machinery, making his displeasure known quite often on and off the track. Only 11 points separated the two teammates in P8 and P9, with Ocon securing his best finish in P4 in Japan. The Frenchman finished in the top 10 in 15 other races. As for Alonso, P5 was his best finish at Silverstone, Belgium and Sao Paulo. Besides these, he had 12 more results in the top 10. 

Both drivers had been consistent as long as the machinery under them was reliable. However, Alpine's plan of fighting at the sharp end of the grid hasn't reached fruition. With Gasly coming in to replace Alonso for 2023, the all-French team would hope to inch closer to the top. Alpine has the resources as a works team, and bringing success to the table is imperative for the future.

McLaren F1 Team :

McLaren, the 2nd oldest team on the grid, had a disappointing 2022. They got beaten by Alpine and had to settle for P5 in the Constructors Standings with 159 points. Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo had contrasting seasons, with the latter suffering from the handling of the car all season. The team scored an unlikely P3 with Norris at Imola, their only podium finish of 2022.

Norris scored most of the points, finishing P7 in the Drivers' Championship with a tally of 122. Besides the P3 at Imola, the Briton finished in the top 10 in every race bar five, which included two retirements. Meanwhile, Ricciardo managed a meagre 37, finishing P11 in the standings, tied with Vettel. The Australian's best result was P5 at Singapore, besides six other finishes in the top 10. The gulf of performance between the two drivers cost the team dearly, and Ricciardo eventually fell out of favour with the team. 

There have been changes at the Woking-based outfit, with Ricciardo replaced by fellow Australian and the 2021 F2 Champion Oscar Piastri. Andreas Seidl bid farewell to the team, and Andrea Stella got promoted to Team Principal for 2023. Will the changes bode well for McLaren? Time will reveal all!

Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen :

Alfa Romeo sported an all-new Driver Lineup for 2022. While Kimi Raikkonen retired from the sport, the team parted ways with Antonio Giovinazzi, which paved the way for Zhou Guanyu, a Chinese F2 driver, to leap into the big league. As for the seat vacated by Raikkonen, the team secured the services of Valtteri Bottas, who left the Mercedes AMG F1 team after a five-year stint. 

With the assistance of an upgraded Ferrari power unit, Alfa Romeo experienced a drastic change of fortunes in 2022. The team finished P6 in the Constructor Standings, level on points with Aston Martin, but placed higher due to a better finish at the races. 

Bottas finished P10 in the Driver Standings with 49 points to his name. The Finn's best result was P5 in Imola, fending off a challenge by Leclerc in that race. He also had eight other finishes in the points. 

On the other hand, Zhou scored only 6 points in his rookie year with two 10th-place finishes in Bahrain and Italy, along with a P8 in Canada. The Chinese driver needs to improve his performance in 2023 if he wishes to hold onto his seat. 

With the arrival of Andreas Seidl as the CEO in 2023 and the announcement that Sauber will become an Audi Works team in 2026, the future looks promising!

Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team :

Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll renewed their partnership at Aston Martin for 2023. The Silverstone-based outfit fared poorly in 2022, ending the season level on points with Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Orlen ( 55 points ) but got placed lower due to a better finish for Alfa Romeo. An underperforming Mercedes Power Unit didn't help either, as the AMR22 suffered from a lack of performance and balance issues throughout the season. 

In the intra-team battle, Vettel outscored his younger teammate with ten top-ten finishes, P6 being his best result at Azerbaijan and Singapore. The four-time World Champion missed the first two races due to Covid-19 but still managed to bag P12 in the Drivers' Standings with 37 points, tied with Daniel Ricciardo. He got replaced by Reserve Driver Nico Hulkenberg, who finished P17 and P12 in the first two rounds.

As for Stroll, the Canadian had eight finishes in the points ( majorly P10 ), with P6 in Singapore being his best result.

It was a humbling 2022 for Aston Martin, having failed to compete regularly in the midfield. The saving grace, more often than not, was their pit-stop strategies. With Vettel hanging his boots, the team needed an equally talented driver to lead the charge in 2023. Fernando Alonso decided to switch over from Alpine, and it will be interesting to see how the Spaniard adjusts to his new life at Aston Martin.

Haas F1 Team :

2022 was an eventful season for Haas F1 Team. The team kickstarted its pre-season testing with Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher. However, after Russia invaded Ukraine, the sporting world took drastic measures, isolating Russian athletes. Haas F1 team followed suit and parted ways with Mazepin and its title sponsor, Uralkali, a Russian Fertilizer company owned by Mazepin Senior.

There was uncertainty surrounding the team's future, but Haas F1 weathered the storm and re-hired an old accomplice in Kevin Magnussen! The Dane made an unlikely return to the sport, having plied his trade in North America in 2021. The decision paid dividends as Magnussen scored double the points Schumacher managed and was instrumental in securing P8 in the Constructors' Championship for Haas F1. It was a more fruitful first half of the season, with five finishes in the top 10 to one in the latter half. P5 at the season opener in Bahrain was Magnussen's best finish. The Dane finished the season on 22 points, P13 in the Drivers' Standings. 

Schumacher, meanwhile, had only two finishes in the points, P8 in Silverstone and P6 in Austria. The German driver was level on points with Tsunoda but placed higher ( P16 ) due to a better finish in 2022. 

Haas F1 managed to outscore Alpha Tauri to secure P8 in the Constructors' Championship, a stark improvement from a point-less 2021. The upgraded Ferrari engine played a pivotal role in improving their performances in 2022. 

The top brass at Haas F1 saw it necessary to replace Schumacher after an under-whelming year, and Nico Hulkenberg got the callup for 2023. 

Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :

Scuderia Alpha Tauri, Red Bull's B Team, retained the services of Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda for 2022. 2022 was a baptism by fire for the Italian-based outfit, the team finishing a lowly P9 with only 35 points, two shy of Haas F1 Team. 

Gasly outshone Tsunoda again, finishing in the points in 6 races, with P5 being his best result in Azerbaijan. The Frenchman was P14 in the Drivers' Championship with 23 points. As for Tsunoda, P7 in Imola was his best result, besides point finishes in 3 other races. The Japanese driver scored 12 points, finishing P17 in the Standings, level on points with Mick Schumacher. 

Scuderia Alpha Tauri needs to arrest its downward spiral, and the team should hope for a better outing in 2023. The arrival of Nyck De Vries, who replaces the outgoing Pierre Gasly, is a welcome change within the team's ranks. 

Williams Racing F1 Team :

Williams Racing hired Alexander Albon to partner with Nicolas Latifi for the 2022 season after losing George Russell to the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. The team hoped to maintain its momentum after a strong showing in 2021. However, with the overhaul of technical regulations with a not-so-quick Mercedes engine, the team struggled to replicate its performances from the previous season. 

The team scored a meagre 8 points in 2022, with Albon securing two 10th-place finishes in Australia & Belgium and P9 in Miami. As for Latifi, P9 in Japan fetched him 2 points. Albon got hit with Covid-19, which allowed Nyck De Vries to step in for him in Italy, securing P9 on his F1 debut!

Williams finished the season in P10 and last, 27 points adrift of Scuderia Alpha Tauri. With the appointment of James Vowles as its new Team Principal for 2023, along with their protegee Logan Sargeant, who replaces Latifi, the team hopes to give its fans and sponsors a stronger showing.

2022 was a great year for F1. The FIA achieved its goal of improving wheel-to-wheel racing with hard-fought battles at several races. Verstappen and Red Bull enjoyed a clean sweep, and deservedly so. Although Ferrari faltered in its challenge, it formed a base to build on for 2023. Mercedes could manage only one win in 2022, but reliability was its forte, and with performance gains over the winter, the kings of the Turbo Era might reclaim the crown in 2023. 

It was sad to see Sebastian Vettel say goodbye to the sport. He was instrumental in bringing Red Bull to the top, not to forget his stellar drives at Ferrari and Aston Martin. Here is wishing him a happy & restful retired life! F1 lost two icons, Raikkonen, and Vettel, in 2021 and 2022, but as the old guard leaves, new legends will be born! 

With the changes in personnel and a Team Principal merry-go-round that unfolded over the winter, 2023 promises to be an exciting prospect for everyone throughout the grid. 

2022 saw the Dutch Lion reign supreme again with his beloved Red Bull. Will the "Prancing Horses" challenge him, or will the "Silver Arrows" hit the jackpot in 2023? Could a new contender be joining the fight? 

Bring on 2023!

Raceday arrived and I was excited about the prospect of seeing another Ferrari victory in 2022. The day began early as I headed out from Hasselt to be at the circuit in time for Charles Leclerc's visit to the Ferrari F1 Club.

The early start helped me to avoid the long lines heading into the circuit. 

So how was the race day experience at the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix? Well, this is a humble attempt at covering such a memorable day. Photos were taken with both my Sony RX10 IV and Samsung S22 Ultra.

En route to the circuit and enter via La Source. Always a pleasant sight to behold Hotel La Source.

After the usual cardio workout through the woods, I finally reached the Paddock Club!

Sunday Morning views from the Ferrari F1 Club :

All the calories shed got recovered with some Belgian Ice Cream on Sunday Morning!

The Formula 3 race was underway when I arrived and it was yet another win for Prema Racing!

Formula 3 Feature Race Podium Finishers celebrating :

The F3 race got quickly followed by the Formula 2 Feature Race!

The Formula 2 drivers line up on the grid!

The Race is a go-go!

Video Link of the Start of the Feature Race :

Jack Doohan leading after a brilliant strategy call :

As the F2 race continued, I visited the Fan Zone. I had won a selfie contest and Spa Grand Prix had asked me to visit the fan booth to collect my prize. I won an Alpine F1 cap signed by both the drivers and a t-shirt with all the circuits printed from the 2022 season! Amazing!!

The F2 cars negotiate their way through Raidilion, onto the Kemmel Straight, a sight to behold indeed :

Jack Doohan celebrating with this team on Parc Ferme, his first-ever F2 Feature Race win, a deserved one indeed!

Parc Ferme Celebrations ( Video Link ) :

Getting onto the Podium to celebrate his success! Well done Jack Doohan!

Video Link to the Podium Celebrations :

The F2 Feature race got followed by a Red Bull Air Show!

Some stunts performed in the air :

Soon enough, it was time for Charles Leclerc to visit the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A!

Charles Leclerc Interview in the Ferrari F1 Club ( Video Link ) :

Post his interview, I decided to head down to the support race paddock to congratulate Jack Doohan on his maiden Feature Race win!

As I made my way down I bumped into someone famous!

Jacky Ickx, an F1 legend and six-time Le Mans winner :

Down at the support race paddock, I caught a glimpse of the vintage cars lined up for the Drivers' Track Parade!

More selfies followed!

Bernd Maylander, Formula 1 Safety Car Driver :

Paul di Resta, Ex-F1 Driver and Sky Sports F1 Presenter :

Finally, after waiting for the debrief to end, I had a chance to meet and converse with Jack about his weekend! Such an amazing human being and I wish him all the best for the future!

The man, with his spoils from the weekend!

As I legged it back to the Paddock Club, I realized that I had missed the only Pit Lane Walk on Sunday :(

Once I got back to the club, I quickly went through the menu to see what appealed to my palette...

Enjoying some lunch before the real action begins :

As the drivers headed out for their sighting laps, the mechanics made their way to the grid to get the cars ready for the race :

The activity on the grid is increasing steadily :

Running through the grid, through a series of photos :

National Anthem time :

The drivers make their way back to their cars to get ready for the Formation Lap :

Formation lap time :

Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

Ready to race!

Race Start ( Video Link ) :

The Race gets underway :

End of Lap 1 ( Video Link ) :

A First lap collision between Hamilton and Alonso brought out the Safety Car, with the former bowing out of the race :

Safety Car Deployed in the Race ( Video Link ) :

Race Restarts after Safety Car period ( Video Link ) :

The Race restarts again :

Battles galore up and down the field :

Some more shots from the Race :

George Russell Pit Stop ( Video Link ) :

Sergio Perez Pit Stop ( Video Link ) :

Max Verstappen Pit Stop ( Video Link ) :

Pit Stop stills :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 boys battling it out in the race :

Parc Ferme Interviews and Podium Presentations :

Parc Ferme Interviews ( Video Link ) :

The Lifting of the trophies! Well done to Verstappen, Perez and Sainz for their performances over the weekend!

Taking some photos of the Podium finishers :

Video Link - Podium Celebrations :

The fans invade the track and take over the start-finish straight as they hope to catch a glimpse of their favourite drivers :

As I made my way back to the Paddock Club, I met a Belgian superstar!

Belgian and Manchester City footballer Kevin de Bruyne :

With the Paddock Club shutting for the weekend, it was time to head downstairs to the Paddock.

The Paddock at Spa Francorchamps :

I met a host of famous people while I spent time in the Paddock. 

Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :

Mats Hummels, Germany and Borussia Dortmund Football Team, my favourite centre-back :

Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team :

Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team Principal :

Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :

A silver medalist at rowing in the Olympics and Daniel Ricciardo's Race Engineer, Tom Stallard :

A selfie, well not really, with the reigning World Champion Max Verstappen :

Esteban Ocon, Alpine Racing F1 Team :

Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren F1 Team :

Fernando Alonso, Double World Champion, Alpine Racing F1 Team :

Mara Sangiorgio and Federica Masolin, journalists from Sky Sports F1 Italia :

The hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club! Such a great bunch of people! So blessed to know this trio, always cheerful, and welcoming and giving me memorable race weekends!

The sun sets on the Belgian GP weekend. We had to vacate the Paddock area earlier than usual since the teams needed to dismantle and ship everything to Zandvoort. 

Returning to Hasselt, through village roads, the main highway was full of traffic!

A Vlog on the Sunday Experience at the 2022 Belgian GP, uploaded on my Youtube Channel :

Although Carlos Sainz Jr couldn't convert his pole position to a victory, it was a fine drive to bag P3 on Sunday. The Red Bull cars had too much pace and Max Verstappen cut through the field to take victory from Sergio Perez.

Charles Leclerc tried to bag the point for the fastest lap by pitting on the last lap of the race, but due to speeding in the pit lane, the Monegasque incurred a time penalty and finished P6. Another disappointing weekend for him. It was another difficult weekend for Ferrari but both drivers tried to extract the maximum.

A big thank you to Edge Global Events for organising the race passes for the weekend. Thank you to Scuderia Ferrari and the hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club for always being so welcoming and hospitable! I can't wait to return in 2023!

The Paddock Club Diaries might have ended for 2022, but there will be more content coming your way on the Blog! Thank you for all your support and love and wishing you all a wonderful 2023! God Bless you all!

Saturday is Qualifying day on an F1 weekend and when the feeder series like Formula 2 and Formula 3 have their Sprint Races. An action-packed Saturday translates into an early morning start and it isn't easy to get out of bed after a late Friday night.

Thankfully, I had rested well and was able to stick to my schedule for the day!

Enroute to the circuit :

Good morning, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps :

Taking the Polestar shuttle to the Paddock Club :

The view of the Paddock on a cloudy Saturday morning :

Overcast conditions to begin the Saturday proceedings :

Some Coffee and Croissant to kickstart the day :

Carlos Sainz Jr visits the Ferrari F1 Club for an interview on Saturday morning :

Video Link of the Interview :

The menu for today :

Oliver Bearman took the win in the first F3 race of the weekend. Shots from the Parc Ferme :

Video Link of the Parc Ferme Celebrations :

The Podium celebrations followed shortly after :

Video Link of the Podium Celebrations after the F3 Sprint Race :

Lunch is served :

The first pit lane walk on Saturday :

Some shots with the Samsung S22 Ultra :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team garage, looking regal as ever :

Felipe Drugovich, the MP Motorsport driver who eventually became the F2 Champion this year :

A Selfie with Arthur Leclerc, Prema Racing!

Emerson Fittipaldi, Double World Champion and a legend of F1 :

Theo Pourchaire, Sauber Driver Academy and ART Grand Prix Formula 2 Driver :

Walking through the support Race Paddock and you discover some classics :

Time to capture some stills from FP3, just after the La Source hairpin :

Shots from FP3, from the comfort of the Ferrari F1 Club :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team running its program in FP3. With Charles Leclerc starting at the back of the grid due to engine penalties, all hopes were on Carlos Sainz Jr to deliver in Qualifying as well as on Sunday.

Post FP3, the drivers lined up on the grid to practice their race starts :

Practice Starts at the end of FP3 ( Video Link ) :

The cars and the drivers return to the pit lane at the end of Free Practice 3 :

Post FP3, I decided to visit the garages housing the F1 Classic Cars and what a treat it was to behold these beauties, up close and personal!

It was then that I spotted a famous racer from Colombia chatting outside the F2 dining area.

So happy to see Tatiana Calderon back in F2 with Charouz Racing :

Soon enough, it was time to head back to the Paddock Club for the start of Qualifying.

Some stills from Qualifying. I had the privilege of being in the garage for Q2 and Q3.

Despite a mistake on his final run, Carlos Sainz Jr inherited the pole position, thanks to Verstappen's grid penalty. While Verstappen got bumped down to P14, Leclerc started P15.

As I walked back to the Paddock Club, I bumped into Zhou Guanyu from Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen. 

Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team :

Post Qualifying, the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club had the opportunity to meet Mattia Binotto, the Team Principal for a quick Q&A :

Mattia Binotto Interview in the Ferrari F1 Club ( Video Link ) :

As Mattia Binotto said goodbye to us, it was time to enjoy the F2 Sprint Race and post that I had the opportunity of seeing a couple of the podium finishing cars up close :

Once again, just like in Hungary, I met my hero, the Legend! Mick Doohan, 5-time Moto GP World Champion, again! 

Meeting those from the F1 Fraternity didn't end there. From there on, met a plethora of people!

Jack Doohan, Mick Doohan's son, who finished P2 in the F2 Sprint Race :

Stoffel Vandoorne, Reigning Formula E World Champion :

Nyck De Vries, reserve driver for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

James Vowles, Chief Strategist, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Nicholas Latifi, Williams Racing F1 Team :

Jost Capito, CEO and Team Principal, Williams Racing F1 Team :

Frederic Vasseur, MD, CEO and Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team :

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team :

Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal, Alpine Racing F1 Team :

Lando Norris, McLaren Racing F1 Driver :

Peter Bonnington, famously known as Bono, Lewis Hamilton's Race Engineer :

Time to say goodbye to Spa Francorchamps and head back to the hotel. It had been a long day!

The Saturday Vlog from the Belgian Grand Prix on my Youtube Channel :

I headed back to Hasselt around 10 pm. This was the longest that I had ever been at a race track. It was a fulfilling day meeting drivers and F1 personnel, besides interacting with fellow fans during those hours. 

With Carlos Sainz Jr starting in P1, things looked encouraging, most of us hoped to see him secure his 2nd win of the season. 

Thank you to Edge Global Events for organizing the race passes, as well as to the hosts of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club for giving me yet another memorable Saturday at the races!

The Raceday experience follows shortly after this, so watch this space!

Formula 1 as a sport has gained popularity after the advent of the Drive to Survive series on Netflix. The opening of borders and lifting of restrictions post-COVID-19 led to more races allowing fans on the circuit.

The 2022 F1 Season allowed levels of access that were as good as the pre-pandemic times and both fans and sponsors wanted to experience racing, live! Such was the demand to be at the races, that several races became sell-out events early on in the season. 

Thankfully, I got the opportunity of securing a pass for myself for the Belgian Grand Prix, my favourite circuit on the calendar. Once again I had the privilege of being a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team. 

This is day 1 of the Belgian Grand Prix experience.

The first task of the weekend was to collect my race passes from the team hotel, which was Radisson Blu in Spa. 

Enroute to the town of Spa to pick up my race passes :

The Race Passes are here!

With the passes collected, I made my way down to the circuit entrance. The walk is long with a lot of gradient changes. The cardio for the day is done!

Making my way to the Paddock Club :

The Polestar, a futuristic electric vehicle to ferry guests from the Paddock Club Parking to the Club :

Hello Paddock Club!

The Ferrari F1 Suite at Spa-Francorchamps :

The Menu for the day!

Lunch is served, loved the spread, definitely did justice!

Shots from the first Pit Lane walk of the weekend :

Some stills with the Samsung S22 Ultra :

Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen mechanics practising the pit stops ( Video Link ) :

Slow Motion Video of the mechanics practising pit stops :

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Garage getting prepped for FP1 :

Meeting Benjamin Daly, sim racer and famous Youtuber ( tiametmarduk fame ) :

The view from the Paddock Club before the start of FP1 :

The host had ensured that I would get a clear view of the Podium, the Bus Stop Chicane and the Start-Finish straight, very thoughtful of her!

Shots from FP1 :

Some shots from FP1, with Samsung S22 Ultra :

Max Verstappen pitting during FP1 ( Video Link ) :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP1 :

Marc Gene visited the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club to share his insights and also explain the 2022 F1 Steering Wheel :

Video Link of the Interview :

Post the interview, I rushed to the Global Partner Lounge to catch a glimpse of Mika Hakkinen.

Mika Hakkinen, Double World Champion and my first F1 hero!

I then decided to head down to the support race paddock for a stroll and in an attempt to meet Mick and Jack Doohan.

Walking through the Support Race Paddock :

Time to head back for the start of Free Practice 2 :

Shots from FP2 :

Some stills with the Samsung S22 Ultra :

Max Verstappen pitting in FP2 ( Video Link ) :

Drivers practising their practice starts at the end of the pit lane, during FP2 :

The end of FP2 got quickly followed by the arrival of some old F1 cars on the track.

The F1 Classic Cars parade, is a sight to behold, rolling back the years!

Shots from F2 Qualifying :

Cappuccino and Pizza anyone?

The circuit organisers razed an entire stretch of greenery on the Kemmel Straight. Reasons best known to them but their decision has wrecked a beautiful sector of the circuit.

The Paddock Club Photo stop does a fine job of getting your photos clicked with your favourite drivers :

A selfie with the McLaren CEO, Zak Brown!

Returning to Hasselt on Friday evening :

I have also shared a Vlog of my Friday Experience on my Youtube Channel, just like the Vlogs from the Hungarian GP weekend.

Video Link :

It was a wholesome and fulfilling Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix. It felt so nice to return to this iconic track after a hiatus of 3 years and I was excited about the events to follow over the next two days. A truly memorable day in my Motorsport travels!

Thank you to Edge Global Events for organizing my race passes and a big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 team for hosting me, making me feel welcomed, as always!

Saturday and Sunday Experiences to follow shortly!

The 2022 Belgian Grand Prix was the 2nd race in the 2022 F1 Calendar that I had the privilege of attending, as a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team.

The Belgian Grand Prix is my favourite race on the calendar and this was my 5th visit to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. To kickstart documenting my Belgian GP experience, here is the latest addition to the "Gallery of Memories" series.

Mika Hakkinen, Double F1 World Champion :

with Jehan Daruvala, Prema Racing F2 Driver :

F2 Driver for Carlin and Williams Racing Academy, Logan Sargeant :

Juri Vips and Liam Lawson! What an amazing duo this is!

Meeting Juan Manuel Correa, who fought all odds to return to a full-time racing seat, following the accident in Spa 2019 :

Robert Schwartzman, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Development Driver :

McLaren CEO, Zak Brown :

Felipe Drugovich, who went on to become the Formula 2 Champion :

Arthur Leclerc, Prema Racing and Charles Leclerc's younger brother :

Emerson Fittipaldi, Double World Champion and a legend of F1 :

Caio Collet, MP Motorsport F3 Driver and Alpine Driver Academy :

Theo Pourchaire, Sauber Driver Academy and ART Grand Prix Formula 2 Driver :

So happy to see Tatiana Calderon back in F2 at Charouz Racing :

Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :

Mick Doohan, 5 time Moto GP World Champion, again! 

To have a personalized signature of my Motorsport hero, what a humbling moment :

Meeting Jack Doohan, his son, who finished P2 in the Sprint Race :

Stoffel Vandoorne, Reigning Formula E World Champion :

Nyck De Vries, reserve driver for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

James Vowles, Chief Strategist, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Jost Capito, CEO and Team Principal, Williams Racing F1 Team :

Frederic Vasseur, MD, CEO and Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team :

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team :

Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal, Alpine Racing F1 Team :

Lando Norris, McLaren Racing F1 Driver :

Peter Bonnington, famously known as Bono, Lewis Hamilton's Race Engineer :

Jacky Ickx, an F1 legend and six-time Le Mans winner :

Bernd Maylander, Formula 1 Safety Car Driver :

Paul di Resta, Ex-F1 Driver and Sky Sports F1 Presenter :

Belgian and Manchester City footballer Kevin de Bruyne :

Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :

Mats Hummels, Germany and Borussia Dortmund Football Team, my favourite centre-back:

Nicholas Latifi, Williams Racing F1 Team :

Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team :

Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :

A silver medalist at rowing in the Olympics and Daniel Ricciardo's Race Engineer, Tom Stallard :

A selfie, well not really, with the reigning World Champion Max Verstappen :

Esteban Ocon, Alpine Racing F1 Team :

Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren F1 Team :

Fernando Alonso, Double World Champion, Alpine Racing F1 Team :

Mara Sangiorgio and Federica Masolin, journalists from Sky Sports F1 Italia :

The Hosts at Ferrari F1 Club always do a fantastic job of entertaining guests over the weekend :

A big thank you to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend and helping me forge memories that will last me over my lifetime. Thank you to Edge Global Events for organising the race passes and giving me a seamless experience leading up to the weekend.

The Paddock Club Diaries follow soon, so watch this space!

The final day of the 2022 F1 Hungarian GP dawned on us and unlike the Saturday, I tried to leave early in the morning. However, it wasn't early enough and once again I was at the mercy of errand taxi drivers quoting absurd fares to ferry me to the circuit. Thankfully, a couple decided to join me and the price seemed acceptable after negotiating with one taxi driver

Sunday morning and welcome to Raceday! Enroute to the circuit :

Due to the traffic snarls caused by the flurry of vehicles into the circuit, the taxi dropped us at an alternate entry and I had to walk almost around the length of the track to make it to the Paddock Club. The Vlog on my Youtube Channel, shared further on on this page, has a segment dedicated to that.

Coffee and Croissants to kickstart the Sunday in the Paddock Club :

The hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club obliged me with a paddock pass but asked me to return in time for the Charles Leclerc interview in the Club, scheduled around midday.

A quick visit to this very narrow and small paddock :

The story of meeting those from the F1 Fraternity began again!

Pat Fry, a Legend of F1 and Chief Technical Officer for Alpine F1 Team :

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :

Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :

Fernando Alonso, Double F1 World Champion and Alpine F1 Driver :

It was time to head back and grab a vantage point to see Leclerc up close in the Ferrari F1 Club.

Charles Leclerc joining the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club for an interview :

The menu for Sunday :

Lunch is served :

With Lunch complete, it was time for the final pit lane walk of the weekend.

Shots from the Pit Lane walk on Sunday :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team getting prepped and ready for the Race and pitstop practice is a must!

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

The Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team mechanics practiced some stops of their own :

I had the opportunity of meeting some more famous people from the F1 circle.

Andrea Stella, Executive Racing Director for McLaren with a glorious career in F1 :

Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer for Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Ralf Schumacher, Ex-Williams and BMW Williams F1 Driver, brother to Michael Schumacher and now an F1 Presenter :

I rushed back to the club and it was time to put the Headsets on, grab a good view and buckle up for the race!

The drivers leaving the pits for sighting laps :

Pit Lane opens for Drivers to leave the garages ( Video Link ) :

Carlos Sainz Jr leaves for sighting lap ( Video Link ) :

Obliging with interviews and legging it to the front of the grid for the pre-race formalities :

The drivers line up at the front of the grid for the Hungarian National Anthem :

The guests and dignitaries with grid access make their way back to the pit lane :

Time for the formation lap and the Race start :

Counting down to the Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

Time for the Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

A Video of the Race Start :

A Photo Dump of photos from the Race :

Virtual Safety Car period in the Race ( Video Link ) :

A Daniel Ricciardo Pit Stop in the Race ( Video Link ) :

Scuderia Ferrari drivers battling hard during the Hungarian GP :

Charles Leclerc pitting for Hard Tyres ( Video Link ) :

The Red Bull and Mercedes mechanics celebrate victory and podium finishes for their drivers from the Pit Wall. Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell completed the podium for Mercedes. A strategic blunder left Sainz and Leclerc in P4 and P6, respectively.

Chequered Flag gets waved at the Hungarian GP ( Video Link ) :

Celebrations in Parc-Ferme :

The crowds invading the track to have a closer look at the podium celebrations and the pit lane :

Soon, it was time for the paddock club to close and I decided to head to the Paddock for some signatures and some selfies before we would get asked to leave from there too!

Roaming through the Paddock, post-race :

Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Driver :

Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo Orlen F1 Driver :

Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :

Sebastian Vettel!! Quadruple F1 World Champion and Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team Driver :

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal :

Tom Kristensen, a Record Nine-time LeMans winner!

The team trucks getting loaded up with equipment as they make their way back to the team factories :

The sun sets on the 2022 Hungarian GP weekend :

Back at my Hotel in Budapest :

As promised, here is the Vlog of the Sunday Experience at the 2022 Hungarian GP :

It was a memorable weekend, despite the results for the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team from the race. Finally, after a three-year break, I had the privilege of attending a race, live! A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend. 

This wouldn't be the last post from "The Paddock Club Diaries" in 2022. The Belgian GP experience will follow soon! So watch this space!

The Hungarian Grand Prix gets held at Hungaroring, close to the capital Budapest. Although it isn't too far from the city, hailing a taxi to the circuit is a cumbersome process and I learnt my lesson the hard way on Saturday morning. After several attempts, I could finally hop into a taxi with a couple of Dutch friends, but the delay meant that I would miss out on meeting Carlos Sainz Jr in the Ferrari F1 Club when the Spaniard visited.

Enroute to the circuit on Saturday morning :

I finally reached Hungaroring and it was already time for the Pit Lane walk.

Shots from the first pit lane walk of the day :

As I made my way back to the Paddock Club, I had the opportunity of meeting a couple of people from the F1 fraternity.

F2 Driver and Reserve for Williams Racing, Roy Nissany :

David Coulthard, ex-McLaren F1 Driver and Presenter :

The skies were overcast and rain was a certainty.

The Paddock and the drivers getting ready for action on a wet Saturday!

The view before the Final Practice session of the weekend :

Shots from Free Practice 3 :

As soon as FP3 got over, I headed to the food stations to grab some lunch.

The menu for Saturday :

Time to enjoy some goodies on offer in the Paddock Club :

With lunch done, it was time to get prepped for Qualifying.

The Pit Walls get ready for the start of Qualifying :

Drivers roll out of their pit boxes to get on the track for the start of Qualifying.

Shots from Q1 :

The Scuderia Ferrari drivers pushing hard in Q1.

Yuki Tsunoda, Alexander Albon, Sebastian Vettel, Pierre Gasly and Nicholas Latifi got eliminated at the end of Q1.

Shots from Q2 :

Leclerc and Sainz at it in Q2 :

Sergio Perez, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll and Mick Schumacher were the next lot of drivers to drop out of Qualifying. Perez's failure to make it into Q3 was a major upset.

The final top-ten shootout, time for Q3 :

Will the Ferrari duo come out on top?

George Russell took an unlikely pole from Carlos Sainz Jr and Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen, the Championship Leader, could only manage P10. It seemed like Red Bull was on the back foot. This was Ferrari's race to lose.

Post Qualifying, Mattia Binotto, the Team Principal joined the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A :

Video Link of the Interview :

Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :

I decided to walk to the Paddock Club entry and enjoy a moment with some trophies on display!

Take some photos with the Race Winning, Drivers' and Constructors' Championship Trophies!

I signed up for the Photo Safari that took Paddock Club guests to turn 5 to allow the latter to have a closer look at the cars. We had the opportunity of visiting the spot during the Formula 2 Sprint Race.

Some Selfies taken at the Photo Safari :

The drivers battling during the F2 Sprint race :

Video of the view from turn 5 at the Photo Safari :

Returning to the Paddock Club and taking more stills from the F2 Sprint race :

The Paddock Club shut shortly after the F2 Sprint Race but there was still a pit lane walk on offer for those wanting to visit the garages on Saturday evening.

Shots from the 2nd and final pit lane walk of the day. It bore a deserted look as most of the guests had left the track. All the cars were under wraps, waiting for Raceday.

As I bid adieu to the Paddock Club, I went down to the Support Race Paddock in the hope of meeting Mick Doohan, Jack Doohan's father. Mick Doohan had been my first Motorsport hero and I didn't want to miss the opportunity of meeting him. Jack, an Alpine Academy and Uni Virtuosi Driver had won the F2 Sprint race and it was befitting to wish Mick on his son's success.

I waited for his arrival and was surprised to bump into the podium finishers from the F2 Sprint Race.

Enzo Fittipaldi and Juri Vips after finishing on the podium in the F2 Sprint Race :

Jack Doohan, the Winner of the F2 Sprint Race! I got to meet the son too!

After a long wait, night fell on the F2 paddock and distraught, I finally gave up the hope of meeting Mick Doohan. As I headed back up the bridge, I made one final glance to the entry. To my surprise, I saw the outline of a man in a white t-shirt walking with three people towards the Paddock Club parking. I couldn't follow their route since they went through the race track. I decided to leg it to the parking and as he was entering his vehicle, I shouted "Mick Mick!" It was really Mick Doohan! 

What followed was a brief and amazing exchange, followed by a picture clicked by Jack Doohan! This truly was a dream come true. I am still getting goosebumps as I type this! 

Meeting my hero, the man who made me fall in love with Motorsport. Got me hooked on Moto GP. Mick Doohan!

It was finally time to head back to my hotel and process all that had transpired on the Saturday!

Like the Friday Experience showcased in a Vlog on Youtube, here is the link for the Saturday experience :

A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend and being a part of these memorable days of my life. The Raceday experience follows suit shortly, so watch this space!!

The world as we knew it got turned upside down in 2020 when the pandemic COVID-19 caused havoc across the globe. Little did I know that I wouldn't have the opportunity to travel again after the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, and it would be a three year wait before the international borders would fully open to welcome travellers without any restrictions!

In the interim, I had to say goodbye to my hero Kimi Raikkonen, who retired from the sport at the end of 2021, from the comfort of my home.

Thanks be to God for helping my family and me survive the onslaught of this pandemic and kudos to the government and local authorities for weathering one of the toughest times known to mankind. As the world recovered and people tried to return to normalcy, the gates finally opened to welcome guests to sporting events and Formula 1 was no such exception. Such was the demand for race passes and tickets that several races were sold out early in the year.

I was privileged to get myself races passes for the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix, as a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team. It wasn't smooth sailing as I fell ill on the Sunday of my departure week and after a series of cancellations and rebookings, I got declared fit for travel on the Thursday before the Grand Prix weekend. PHEW!

After a three-year hiatus, The Paddock Club Diaries make a return to my blog, and it is the Friday experience from Hungaroring that will kickstart this series again!

The race was held on the final weekend of July, before the summer break in the F1 calendar. 

Photos clicked with the Sony RX10 IV and Samsung S22 Ultra.

Time to revisit 29th July, 2022!

The Race Passes for the weekend, picked up on Thursday evening from the team hotel :

Enroute to the circuit on Friday morning:

Home! Welcome to the F1 Paddock Club, after a hiatus of 3 years :

The views from the Ferrari F1 Club Suite :

The Ferrari F1 Club, a private hospitality space for the guests of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

The schedule had changed drastically from the pre-Covid era, with the sessions happening later in the day.

Shots from the first Pit Lane walk of the weekend :

Some more stills, shot with the Samsung S22 Ultra :

Getting up close and personal with the Ferrari F1-75, in the Scuderia Ferrari garage :

McLaren F1 Team mechanics practising Pit Stops :

Williams F1 Racing Team Pit Stop Practice :

Former Honda F1 Boss and now Consultant to Red Bull Racing, Masashi Yamamoto :

The menu for Friday in the Paddock Club :

Lunch is served, from live food counters to buffet stations. The Desserts are to die for!

Free Practice 1 gets underway :

Cars leaving the garage at the start of FP1 ( Video Link ) :

I had the opportunity of visiting the garage during FP1 and it felt so good to be back!

With FP1 done, it was time to welcome Marc Gene, Scuderia Ferrari's brand ambassador, test and development driver to the suite for a quick interview. The Italian decided to do a feature on the 2021 Steering wheel!

Marc Gene explains the role of the buttons on the 2021 Steering wheel :

Video Link from Marc Gene's crash course!

Beholding the wheel, in the flesh:

It was then time for some Formula 3 action on the track!

The F3 cars make their way into the pit lane before the start of their Qualifying session :

It was pure coincidence that the Ferrari F1 Club overlooked Kush Maini's pit box! What an encouragement to see Indian representation in the feeder series again.

Some shots from the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :

Video of the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :

As I made my way back to the Paddock Club, I came across a familiar looking face walking back with the guests from the Track Truck Tour. She was W Series and Le Mans Racer Beitske Visser. One of the best women racers of our era! More Power to her!

Back to the club and I bumped into Nicolas Longuet, F1 Esports Driver for Alfa Romeo :

Gelato, a saviour on warm European days and the Gelato station in the Paddock Club serves up some delicious flavours :

Time for Free Practice 2 :

Scuderia Ferrari running its program in FP2 :

Drivers practising Race Starts at the end of FP2 ( Video Link ) :

Norris is trying to assess his performance on Friday, in the paddock interviews :

I then made my way down through the support race paddock and met Red Bull Junior and F2 Driver for Carlin, Liam Lawson :

Time to head back to the hotel after a hectic day at Hungaroring :

It was an eventful and action-packed Friday at Hungaroring. The Paddock Club felt different than it used to be before COVID-19. Nevertheless, it felt great to be back, meet familiar faces, catch up on life and experiences and just enjoy the sport that I love, live!

To add more appeal to Paddock Club Diaries, I have also kickstarted a Vlog Series on my Youtube Channel that documents my experience on each day of the Race Weekend. I have tried to cover and show you the fans and supporters things that I am not usually able to cover in this blog series. 

The Video Link to my Friday Experience on my Youtube Channel :

A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend. Saturday and Sunday experiences to follow soon!

The 2019 Japanese GP was the last race I had the privilege of attending before COVID-19 overtook the world. Little did I know that it would be three years before I would get an opportunity to be at a Formula 1 race again. Despite a few hiccups, I was back with my F1 travels with the 2022 Hungarian GP being the first trip since COVID-19.

The "Gallery of Memories" makes a return to kickstart the experiences from the Hungarian GP weekend, featuring people from the F1 Fraternity and otherwise.

Former Honda F1 Boss and now Consultant to Red Bull Racing, Masashi Yamamoto :

W Series and Le Mans Racer Beitske Visser. One of the best women racers of our era! More Power to her!

Nicolas Longuet, F1 Esports Driver for Alfa Romeo :

Pietro Fittipaldi, Reserve driver for Haas F1 Team :

Red Bull Junior and F2 Driver for Carlin, Liam Lawson :

F2 Driver and Reserve for Williams Racing, Roy Nissany :

David Coulthard, ex-McLaren F1 Driver and Presenter :

Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :

Enzo Fittipaldi and Juri Vips after the F2 Sprint Race :

Jack Doohan, the Winner of the F2 Sprint Race!

Meeting my hero, the man who made me fall in love with Motorsport. Got me hooked on Moto GP. Mick Doohan!

Pat Fry, a Legend of F1 and Chief Technical Officer for Alpine F1 Team :

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :

Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 driver :

Fernando Alonso, Double F1 World Champion and Alpine F1 Driver :

Ralf Schumacher, Ex-Williams and BMW Williams F1 Driver, brother to Michael Schumacher and now an F1 Presenter :

Andrea Stella, Executive Racing Director for McLaren with a glorious career in F1 :

Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer for Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Driver :

Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Driver :

Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :

Sebastian Vettel!! Quadruple F1 World Champion and Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team Driver :

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal :

Tom Kristensen, a Record Nine-time LeMans winner!

A big thank you to Scuderia Ferrari for hosting me over the weekend. The Paddock Club Diaries also make a return!

Watch this space to relive the experiences from Hungary with me!

The 2022 F1 Season saw the start of a new chapter in the Turbo Era of Formula 1. With an overhaul of technical regulations that would see closer racing, it was back to the drawing board for all teams for 2022. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Russian GP got excluded from the calendar, making 2022 a 22-race season. The Australian, Japanese and Canadian Grand Prix returned to the calendar following a two-year absence ( due to COVID-19 ), while the Miami Grand Prix made its debut in 2022.

2022 also saw a change in personnel at some teams. The F1 Sprint weekend format would feature at Imola, Red Bull Ring and Interlagos ( Brazil ).

With eleven races completed, how are things unfolding for the contenders? Is there a change in the pecking order? What are the challenges posed by the new technical regulations? 

Time to review the performances of the teams and drivers midway through 2022!

Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Verstappen, the reigning World Champion, had a tough start to the 2022 Campaign, suffering from two retirements in the opening three races. The Dutchman trailed Leclerc by 40 points before going on a race-winning spree that saw him overturn the deficit and take the lead in the Championship. The Dutchman won six races in the first half of the season, besides two podium finishes in Monaco and Austria. Damage to his car ( due to debris ) denied him victory in Britain. Verstappen seems to be the favourite to lift the crown again and is 38 points clear of Leclerc in the Championship.

As for teammate Perez, who sits in P3, trails Verstappen by 57 points. Perez suffered from retirements in Bahrain, Canada and Austria but bagged his first win of 2022 at Monaco. With five 2nd place finishes, Perez has displayed exceptional consistency in the first half of 2022 and has already earned himself a seat at Red Bull until 2024. The Mexican still harbours hopes of fighting for the Championship but will Red Bull maintain the status quo in the second half of 2022? It seems unlikely.

Despite a stuttering start to 2022, Red Bull sits 56 points clear at the top in the Constructor Standings. The Milton Keynes-based outfit has had fewer reliability issues than Ferrari. It seems likely that Red Bull also might incur penalties in the latter half of the year for exceeding the allocation.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Leclerc and Sainz renewed their partnership in 2022, and the duo remains locked in an intense battle for supremacy within the team. At the halfway point, Leclerc is 37 points clear of his teammate in P2. The Monegasque has three wins to his name along with two podium finishes. Reliability problems robbed Leclerc of victories/podium finishes in Spain and Baku, while strategic blunders denied him wins at Monaco and Britain. Leclerc also incurred a grid penalty during the Canadian GP for exceeding the allowed allocation of Power Units. Although he trails Verstappen by 38 points, Leclerc is Ferrari's best hope of winning the Drivers' Championship.

Sainz Jr bagged the first win of his career at the British GP, besides five podium finishes at the halfway point of the season. The Spaniard sits P4 in the standings, 37 points shy of teammate Leclerc. Having suffered more retirements than anyone else in the top 4, Sainz cannot afford more mediocre days if he wishes to harbour any thoughts of fighting for a Championship.

Reliability remains the biggest chink in Scuderia Ferrari's armoury. The 2022 challenger has enough performance to win races, but sudden failures in the future can cost the team and driver precious points. The team also needs to decide on prioritizing one driver over the other. The cost cap has only compounded matters, but thus far, it has been a more positive display by the Maranello-based outfit.

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Mercedes, the undisputed champions of the Turbo Era, are yet to win a race in 2022. The 2022 challenger has been struggling with porpoising and bouncing issues, which have gotten addressed, finally. 

On the personnel front, George Russell is partnering with Lewis Hamilton with Bottas moving over to Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen. Russell leads the intra-team battle by 19 points, with three podium finishes and finishing in the points in all races bar one ( Britain ). Russell, dubbed Mr Saturday in 2021, is now called Mr Consistent on a Sunday with his performances in an under-performing Mercedes. 

Except for Imola, Hamilton has finished every race in the points, including four podiums. However, the multi-world champion is struggling more than Russell in extracting performance from the car. The porpoising and bouncing issues were physically draining in Baku, while a crash in Qualifying at the recently concluded Austria Grand Prix denied Hamilton a chance to finish higher than P3.