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 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 last day of the 2018 F1 Season had finally arrived. The Championships were decided, however there was still a race to be won. Everyone was really excited about the Sunday. The Season ender is really a spectacle to behold. Everyone was looking forward to seeing their families again, enjoying the winter break and spending Christmas and New Year. There were farewells as well with some moving on to greener pastures while some taking a sabbatical from the sport. This would be the last time we would see Fernando Alonso in a F1 Car ( probably ). Marcus Ericsson, Esteban Ocon, Brendan Hartley, Sergei Sirotkin, Stoffel Vandoorne would also not feature on the 2019 grid. Pierre Gasly would race for the last time for Toro Rosso, Charles LeClerc for Sauber & Kimi Raikkonen for Ferrari likewise.  

A lot happened over a Sunday..a lot..time to relive that day!

The Drive to Abu Dhabi :

The F1 Village. A lot has changed since Liberty Media took over...

The Paddock and the Yas Viceroy on a beautiful Sunday Afternoon :

Brother bonding between Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz mascots :

GP3 Race 2 Start ( Video Link ) ( was just in time for it ) :



F2 Sprint Race Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



The F2 Sprint Race Start was aborted after a car stalled on the grid ( Video Link ) :



F2 Sprint Race Start ( Video Link ) :



Some Photos from the F2 Sprint Race :

The Elaborate Lunch Menu :

Food, food and some Mousse!!

Sebastian Vettel was the driver guest for Sunday and the team principal would follow shortly after.

Sebastian Vettel looking forward to a good race and an even better winter break!

Video Link to the Interview :



Maurizio Arrivabene, the Team Principal joined us shortly after Seb left and he was at his talkative best! Bless him.

Maurizio Arrivabene Interview ( Video Link ) :



My dear friend being honoured for her loyalty and love for the team. She attended 14 Races in 2018!! Quite a feat! 

My Friend and our Do&Co ( the Hospitality partner in F1 ) Host Nil Mas saying goodbye to the World of F1 and heading out to Hospitality at Moto GP. 

Believe me..a lot of tears were shed that day..tears of joy, tears of sadness..

The Accolades distributed, the Thank yous said, it was time to head down to the Pits for a quick visit to the garages before the teams get down to serious business.

Shots from the Final Pit Lane walk :

There were goodbyes between the mechanics as well..Abu Dhabi tends to be an emotional race for fans and personnel alike.

Jack Aitken! 

Final set of Photos with the GoPro Hero 5 from the weekend :

The cars roll out of their respective boxes for sighting laps before the race :

Scuderia Ferrari mechanics lining up as Kimi Rolls out of his box for the final time ( Video Link ) :



The Grid kids make their way through the Pit Lane :

Kimi Raikkonen in a light mood, enjoying some moments with the family before business commences :

Media and guests all engrossed at the grid :

The Drivers gather at the front of the Grid for the National Anthem as well as for meeting the FIA Delegates and Circuit Organizers :

The Iceman putting on his gear, donning the Scuderia Red..one last time :

Will Smith being briefed about the Formation Lap Start procedure :

The Final preps before the Timer runs out for the Formation lap :

Will Smith the man flagging off the cars for the Formation Lap :

Video Link : 



The Mechanics running back to the pits as the cars complete the Formation lap :

The Race Start ( Video Link ) :



Shots from the Race :

Safety Car Period ( Video Link ) :



Race Restart after Safety Car ( Video Link ) :



Max Verstappen Pit Stop during the Race ( Video Link ) :



Kimi Raikkonen suffered a mechanical failure, a complete shutdown on all systems on his car and came to a halt at the start finish straight. The Team ran through some system resets but to no avail. It was a disastrous end to the race, his stint with Ferrari and also left me absolutely gutted..

The Ferrari guests have their eyes affixed on the race proceedings.

I got to meet Steve Robertson, Kimi's Manager since his Formula Days..was an enlightening chat!

The top 3 finishers line up on Parc Ferme one last time in 2018. Lewis Hamilton took victory from Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. Hamilton, Vettel and Alonso indulged in some doughnut display on the start finish straight after the race.

Presenting to the fans their Podium Finishers of the 2018 Abu Dhabi GP :

The Trophy Presentation :

Time for Champagne..oops..no its Rosewater!  

Photo Op time with the Top 3 finishers!

The Podium Celebrations ( Video Link ) :



The mechanics ready to take the cars out of Parc Ferme :

I said goodbye to my friends and hosts at the Ferrari F1 Suite, a few other goodbyes to mates from the Paddock Club and I headed downstairs to the Paddock for a final walk around before heading home..I was glad to meet more people from the world of Formula 1!

Victoria Verstappen, Max Verstappen's sister :

Tatiana Calderon! So nice to meet her..hope to see her next year at Alfa Romeo!

KIMI RAIKKONEN!! 

Pierre Gasly, all the best with Red Bull in 2019 :

FIA Steward and ex F1 Driver Alex Wurz :

Ex-Real Madrid Footballer and Spanish Footballer Michel Salgado!

Toni Vilander! Always a pleasure to meet him.

Esteban Ocon..hope to see him on the grid in 2020 :

Marcus Ericsson, all the best in your future endeavours :

Sergio Perez, Racing Point Force India F1 Team :

Fernando Alonso, the Matador! We will miss him in 2019.

Minttu Raikkonen! Such a pleasant lady to speak to!

Peter Sauber, the supremo of the Sauber F1 Team :

The Fastest Pit Stop Award being awarded to the boys at Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Taking in the sights of the F1 Paddock one last time in 2018 :

Good bye Yas Marina and Yas Island...until next time.

It was a great experience being at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It wasn't the ideal farewell for Kimi Raikkonen with the car's mechanical failure but nonetheless he had a really decorated career at the Scuderia. He still remains Ferrari's Last Champion!

My loyalties shift to the Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team now and I would like to thank the folks at Scuderia Ferrari from the bottom of my heart for all the love and hospitality showered upon me since the past 5 years. I have made some great friends and the experiences that I carry with me, I shall cherish until my last breath. A big thank you to Edge Global Events for giving me a memorable 2018 and always ensuring a hassle free and professional experience with them. I hope to continue the association going forward. 

This brings me to the end of the Paddock Club Diaries in 2018. 2019 promises to be equally exciting and I can't wait to get back on my travels to the races!

It was a relatively early start to the morning from Dubai since the Pit Lane Walk on a Saturday is always an interesting affair. Some teams indulge in pit stop practice while some spend time in setting up cars for FP3. The crowd turnout for the first pit lane walk of the day is also pretty low.

Enroute from Dubai :

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Scuderia Ferrari Mechanics warming up and doing their practice pit stops :

Scuderia Ferrari Mechanics warming up ( Video Link ) :



Scuderia Ferrari Team Pit Stop Practice ( Shot with Nikon B700 ) :



Shot with Samsung Note 9 :

Some more shots :

Time to take the GoPro out and indulge in some selfie love :

The Stands and the atmosphere building up for the Qualifying. It was also time for the First Race of the Weekend for the GP3 Series :

GP3 Race 1 Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



GP3 Race 1 Start ( Video Link ) :



A New Addition to the Hospitality experience in the Paddock Club was the GO Karting Faceoff. The Yas Marina Circuit has a karting track and guests could sign up for a session of karting and have a piece of racing themselves. I finished P5.

I headed back in time for a hearty meal.

The Menu for today :

Lunch, lets dig in :

Photos from FP3 :

Chequered Flag :

Practicing Grid Starts :

Daniel Ricciardo's stricken Red Bull returning to the pits..

Lewis Hamilton was the fastest from Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. I also had the opportunity to be downstairs in the garage at the end of the session and roam the paddock after that.

The Paddock :

I also had the opportunity to meet people from the F1 Fraternity!

Gerhard Berger, ex F1 Driver :

Former Team Principal Flavio Briatore :

Lando Norris, McLaren Renault F1 Reserve Driver :

Reigning F2 Champion George Russell :

The Boss, CEO of Formula One Group :

Rami Raikkonen, Kimi Raikkonen's elder brother :

7 Time Nascar World Champion Jimmie Johnson!

Billy Monger :

I returned to the Paddock Club and it was time to get ready for Qualifying!

Shots from Qualifying :

I spent a lot of time in the Garage and after Q3 had the opportunity to visit Parc Ferme!

Lewis Hamilton grabbed pole from Valtteri Bottas who ensured a front row lockout for Mercedes. Sebastian Vettel was P3 and Kimi Raikkonen P4...not a bad place to start for the Iceman.

The Post Qualifying Interviews underway : 

The Media, Photographers and the FIA Personnel taking up their positions for the Parc Ferme formalities :

The Mechanics taking the cars to the FIA Weigh Bridge for Scrutiny Post Qualifying :

The Top 3 Finishers posing on Parc Ferme :

The Pole Position Award presented to Lewis Hamilton :

My Favourite place!

We made our way back to the Suite and the time of Kimi Raikkonen visiting the guests there was nearing!

Some great artwork of the Iceman :

The Iceman Kimi Raikkonen is in the House!

Kimi Raikkonen Interview ( Shot with Nikon B700 ) :



Shot with the Samsung Note 9 :



Raikkonen left to return to the comfort of the Team Building while we prepared to see the start of the Formula 2 Feature Race. 

Nicolas Latifi got taken out at the start, his car badly damaged. Indian Racer Arjun Maini was the driver that drove into him unfortunately.

Safety Car Period in F2 Feature Race ( Video Link ) :



F2 Feature Race Restart ( Video Link ) :



F2 Feature Race Pit Stop ( shot with Nikon B700 ) :



Shot with the Samsung Note 9 :



I made my way to the shared Hospitality Area as the Suite shut for the night and there were some great sights to behold

The Yas Viceroy Hotel..glittering in the Night sky :

Veg Panini anyone?

Time to head back..what an amazing sight to behold :

It was a great Saturday Experience at the Yas Marina Circuit and hopes of a strong end to the season by the Ferrari duo was high. I made my way back to Dubai thankful for the opportunity and privilege of being a guest of Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team. 

Sunday Experience to follow soon...

Kimi Raikkonen said Farewell to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team at the end of 2018 as he headed to Sauber F1 Team up until 2020. The news broke out in September and there was enough time to plan for being at the final race of the Iceman with the team. 

I was at Abu Dhabi when Kimi did his final race with Lotus F1 and would repeat the feat again. Here is a quick look at how the Friday experience panned out.

The Race Passes for the weekend :

Enroute to the Circuit. I was staying in Dubai, so the drive to Abu Dhabi was about 90 minutes :

The best way of entry into the circuit is through the Yas Viceroy Hotel and then through the Water Taxi service which drops you near the tunnel which goes under the circuit to the Paddock area :

2 Cars from the Pirelli Hot Laps experience. A man spent 25000 GBP for a Hot Laps Experience with Max Verstappen on Thursday! Wow!

The Stands quite empty on a Friday Afternoon :

The Ferrari F1 Suite with a slightly different layout, this one was Air Conditioned and thankfully so :

The first order of the day was Free Practice 1.

Red Bull Racing Team practicing Pit Stops ( Video Link ) :



The Pit Walls busy during FP1 :

Chequered flag to signal end of FP1 :

Practice Starts at the end of FP1 :

Returning to the Pits :

Max Verstappen was the fastest in FP1 from Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas.

Lunch service :

We were joined by Scuderia Ferrari Development Driver Marc Gene during lunch for a quick Q&A :

Video Link to the Interview :



Pit Lane walk on Friday :

Charles LeClerc!

Emilia Bottas, Finnish Olympian Swimmer and Valtteri Bottas' wife.

We returned to the Paddock Club and it was time for Free Practice 2 :

Chequered flag :

Time to do some practice starts :

The boys returning to the pits :

Max Verstappen returns to the Pits after FP2 ( Video Link ) :



Valtteri Bottas was fastest from Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.

FP2 ended and it was time for Qualifying for the Formula 2 Feature race :

Post Qualifying, all those who had signed up for the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour made their way downstairs for a tour of the track :

Taking in the sights with the GoPro Hero 5 Black :

A Final Walk of the Pit Lane in the evening before heading back.

It was a great day at the Abu Dhabi GP and I would like to thank Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for the Hospitality extended to me. A Big Thank you to Edge Global Events for organizing the passes and ensuring an enjoyable weekend.

I had the privilege of attending 3 races in 2018. I always desired to be at Kimi's final race with Ferrari and the 2018 Abu Dhabi GP was to be his last before his switch to Sauber F1 Team. 

The weekend experience begins with the Final "Gallery of Memories" post from 2018.

Charles LeClerc, Sauber F1 Team :

Emilia Bottas, Olympic swimmer for Finland and Valtteri Bottas' wife :

Gerhard Berger :

Flavio Briatore!

Lando Norris, F2 Driver who will graduate into F1 with McLaren for 2019.

George Russell, Current F2 Champion and Williams Racing driver in 2019 :

Billy Monger :

Chase Carey, the F1 Supremo :

Rami Raikkonen! ( Kimi's elder brother )

7 Time Nascar Sprint Champion Jimmie Johnson!

Jack Aitken, ART F2 Racer and a protegee of the Renault Sports Academy :

Steven Robertson, Kimi Raikkonen's Manager :

Victoria Verstappen, Max Verstappen's Sister :

Minttu Raikkonen, Kimi's wife! It was an honour to meet her!

KIMI RAIKKONEN!!

Tatiana Calderon, Sauber F1 Team Reserve Driver :

Fernando Alonso, McLaren F1 Driver and a Living Legend of the sport. We shall miss seeing him in 2019.

Esteban Ocon, Racing Point Force India F1 Team :

Marcus Ericsson, Sauber F1 Team. All the best to him for his endeavours in 2019.

Sergio Perez, Racing Point Force India F1 Team :

Toni Vilander, presenter for CMore F1 :

Michel Salgado, ex Real Madrid & Spanish Football Team defender :

Peter Sauber, the boss of the Sauber F1 Team and the man who got many talented drivers into F1 :

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team, will be in the A team in 2019 :

Alexander Wurz, ex F1 Driver and now a Steward :

The Paddock Club Diaries from the 2018 Abu Dhabi GP follow soon after. Watch this space!

Sunday had arrived. The hard work on Friday and Saturday would come to naught if Sunday wasn't a fruitful day for teams and drivers. Sunday is the D Day in F1. A lot can happen on a Sunday. Sebastian Vettel in P2, Kimi Raikkonen in P6...how enjoyable was our Sunday? Time to have a quick recap.

Enroute to the circuit :

A lot of companies offer supercars or even race spec cars for track days at Spa, some were on display.

Supercars on display near the circuit :

A Misty start to the day :

The day begins with the GP3 Race 2. I had the opportunity of being at the end of the Pit Lane and witnessing some Practice Starts. 

Video Link :



GP3 Race 2 Start ( Video Link ) :



The second order of the day was the Formula 2 Sprint Race. 

Cars lining up on the Grid for the start of the F2 Sprint Race :

Race Start ( Video Link ) :



Shots from the F2 Sprint Race :

The Sprint race ended and it was time to welcome the team principal Maurizio Arrivabene and Sebastian Vettel to the Suite for Interviews.

Maurizio Arrivabene Q&A :

The Video Link to the Interview :



Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari F1 Suite :

I missed Vettel's Interview since I was away in another area getting a photo with Bottas and Seb turned up before his allotted time.

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Meanwhile there was some activity happening ontrack too!

A Vintage Ferrari F1 car doing the rounds around Spa :

A friend of mine was kind enough to offer me a spot on the Gold Tour - The Paddock Club Truck Tour which follows the F1 Drivers' Parade Lap on Sunday. You must receive a Golden Ticket in the F1 Race Programme on Sunday to be eligible for the experience.\

Some great pics from the Sunday Paddock Club Truck Tour :

We made it back to the Club and there was still time for a final walk of the Pit Lane.

Shots from the Final Pit Lane Walk of the weekend :

The Drivers getting ready for the National Anthem at the front of the grid :

Counting down to the Formation lap :

Time to roll out for the Formation lap :

Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :



The Mechanics rushing back to their Pit boxes to prepare for any eventuality during the opening lap :

The 5 Red Lights illuminate and as they go out, the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix is a go!

The Video Link to the Race Start :



Safety Car Period ( Video Link ) :



Shots from the Race :

Kimi Raikkonen was one of those affected from the first lap shunt and suffered from the DRS Rear Wing Flap Failure. His car also had a lot of floor damage and he couldn't continue racing. Sebastian Vettel jumped Lewis Hamilton at the start and the latter could never mount any challenge after that. Ferrari took a deserved win, Lewis Hamilton in P2 and Max Verstappen in P3, leaving the Fans in the "Orange Stand" in a very joyous mood.

Parc Ferme and Sebastian Vettel takes the win, a comfortable win for the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Celebrations and Interviews before heading to the Podium :

Parc Ferme Celebrations ( Video Link ) :



Podium Celebrations :

Video Link :



Photo Session time :

Time to take the chariots back to their pens!

Friends..Family!

A Moment with the Hosts at Ferrari ( always smiling and welcoming ) and Julia from Red Bull :

I got an opportunity to head down to the Paddock post race and meet and interact with some F1 Fraternity!

Antii Kontsas, Sebastian Vettel's Physio :

Noemi de Miguel, Presenter for Movistar F1 :

Sir Franz Tost, Scuderia Toro Rosso Team Principal :

Mark Webber, ex F1 Driver and Channel 4 Co-Presenter :

Marcus Ericsson, Sauber F1 Team :

Charles LeClerc, Sauber F1 Team :

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Carlo Santi ( Kimi's Race Engineer ) and Carlos ( handling Engine Data ) from Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

The Paddock Packing up for Monza which was the weekend later. 

I made my way back to Aachen, thankful to the Lord for the experiences I experience in life. Yes I was massively disappointed with the result for Kimi but the day was very memorable nonetheless. 

Once again, Scuderia Ferrari had showered me with world class hospitality. Edge Global Events didn't put a foot wrong and ensured a hassle free weekend for me. There is nothing more that I could have asked for from these wonderful people!

The "Paddock Club Diaries" from 2018 will conclude after the Abu Dhabi GP ( Season ender ) experience. So watch this space!

Spa - Francorchamps is one circuit where a spectator loves the early mornings. I love the mist that settles around the Ardennes offering a cold yet blissful view. I headed out from Aachen at 630 in the morning to behold this.

Enroute to the Circuit :

The Sun breaking through the morning mist...this is the Beauty of Spa!

I missed the early morning Pit Lane Walk thanks to the traffic coming into the circuit.

The Paddock Club opened its doors for the guests and it was time to look forward to an exciting day ahead of Practice and Qualifying!

Coffee and Croissants to start the day :

I decided to head down to the F1 Village for some shopping and had a chance to meet Paddy Lowe briefly.

Paddy Lowe of Williams Martini F1 Racing Team :

The F1 Village, one of the Best Villages in the year. There is such buzz about the place :