The second race I had the opportunity of attending in 2018 was the Belgian Grand Prix. Its become like an annual pilgrimage to be at Spa - Francorchamps simply because of how beautiful and amazing the track layout is. The weather is always impeccable not to mention the history of racing at this circuit.

Here is a small recap of how the weekend unfolded, starting with Friday.

My friend invited me over for dinner at the Radisson Blu in Spa on Thursday night. Scuderia Ferrari Team personnel stay there as well and my race passes were ready for pickup.

The Race Passes for the weekend :

I also had the opportunity of meeting 2 drivers at the hotel.

Sergio Perez, Racing Point Force India F1 Team :

The Professor! Alain Prost :

Friday morning was an early start from the Pullman in Aachen ( Germany ), a different destination to travel from. 

Enroute to the circuit. Friday Morning was really cold in Spa :

The Taxi service drops you a fair distance from the Circuit entrance, so be prepared to walk a bit : 

The Pit lane walk is the first event of the day for the guests since the Paddock Club doesn't open until 930 in the morning.

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Garage during the Pit Lane Walk :

Some teams also indulged in Pit Stop Practices.

The Pit lane walk done and it was time to enjoy the sessions from the comfort of our suite :

The Motorhomes neatly arranged on Friday morning, ready for the weekend!

Free Practice 1 underway :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during FP1 :

Sebastian Vettel was the fastest from Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in FP1. Kimi Raikkonen was P4.

The lunch menu!

Lunch is served!

Desserts! The Mousse is unbelievable!!

Marc Gene visits us in the Ferrari F1 Suite for a quick rundown of the session and the experience gained from it by the team.

Soon it was time for the 2nd Pit Lane Walk of the day!

I got a chance to meet Renault Sport Academy and Russian Time F2 Driver Artem Markelov!

Time for some GoPro Action in the Pit Lane!

It was then time to head back and get ready for Free Practice 2 :

Kimi Raikkonen was the Fastest in FP2 followed by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

I was down in the garage for the second half of FP2 and had an opportunity of taking in the sights of the Paddock :

I was loitering around the Paddock when I suddenly spotted Kimi Raikkonen walking towards me! I requested for a selfie..this was followed by a pause and then an "OK" My Day was made!!!

It didn't end there. I met many other famous figures from the Racing world.

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing F1 Team Principal :

Mika Salo, ex-F1 Driver and now a FIA Steward :

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal Williams Martini F1 Racing Team :

Karun Chandok, ex-F1 Driver and Presenter for Channel 4 F1 :

Juan Pablo Montoya! The Legend!

I made it back to the Paddock Club and was admiring these racing beauties until it was time to head down for the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour!

bShots from the Track Truck Tour! 

Some more selfies with the GoPro!

It was then time to head back to Aachen Germany and the comfort of the Pullman! 

It was a great day at the Belgian Grand Prix and Ferrari looked strong for the rest of the weekend. 

Thank you to Scuderia Ferrari and their Hospitality team for a great Friday. Thank you to Edge Global Events for their flawless service as always.

Saturday and Sunday Experiences to follow soon!

The 2018 Belgian Grand Prix was the second race of the season that I had the opportunity of attending. The Circuit is in the beautiful town of Spa nestled in the Ardennes. The 3 day experience starts with the "Gallery of Memories" :

Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India F1 Team :

Alain Prost! 4 Time F1 World Champion and the man whose nickname is the "Professor" :

Artem Markelov, Renault Sport F1 Reserve Driver and Russian Time F2 Driver :

KIMI RAIKKONEN!! The weekend is made!

Juan Pablo Montoya! Ex F1 and Nascar Driver from Colombia. He was one fearless racer!

Karun Chandok, Ex F1 Driver from India and now with Channel 4 for F1 broadcasting :

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal of Williams Martini F1 Racing Team :

Mika Salo, now a FIA Steward :

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing F1 Team Principal :

Paddy Lowe of Williams Martini F1 Racing Team :

Callum Illot, Scuderia Ferrari Academy Driver in GP3 :

Jean Alesi, ex Ferrari F1 Driver :

Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren Renault F1 Team :

Toni Vilander, Cmore F1 co-presenter and a close friend of Kimi Raikkonen :

Felix Rosenqvist, Mahindra Formula E Racer and Porsche GT Racer!

Tadsuke Makino, Russian Time F2 Driver :

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Antii Kontsas, Sebastian Vettel's Physio and Trainer :

Carlo Santi, Kimi's Race Engineer and Carlos, a part of Kimi's crew :

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing Team :

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Charles LeClerc, Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team :

Marcus Ericsson, Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team :

Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team :

Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 Team :

Jolyon Palmer, ex GP2 Champion, ex F1 Driver and co-presenter for Channel 4 :

Mark Webber, ex - F1 driver and Channel 4 Presenter :

Sir Franz Tost, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team Principal :

Noemi de Miguel of Movistar F1 :

There is a lot to write about the Friday, Saturday and Sunday Experiences. I shall be posting about these soon! Apologies for the delay.

The Big day had arrived. It was the day of the 2018 German Grand Prix. Ferrari had one hand on the winner's trophy after Sebastian Vettel's brilliant pole on Saturday. So did they? Lets relive the day!

The Paddock on a Sunday Morning. The Place is abuzz with activity!

I went for a walk and bumped into some F1 Fraternity!

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Alexandre Molina, the man who is a regular feature at the podium ceremonies :

Antonio Giovinazzi, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Reserve Driver :

I headed back to the Paddock Club and was just in time for Maurizio Arrivabene, the Team Principal's interview in the club :

Video Link of the Interview :

A Moment with the man, cordial and friendly as always :

I then ran across to the Club Suite and met Brendan Hartley, the WEC Champion and Toro Rosso F1 Driver!

Brendan Hartley, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

I got myself some lunch and as I walked back, was shocked to see Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari F1 Club. He had come to see us before the scheduled time.

Video Link of the Interview :

Digging into some food :

I was one of the winners of the Golden Ticket, a Ticket that is placed in some F1 Race Programmes, the ticket enables you to be on the Truck Tour at the same time as the Drivers' Track Parade!

We waited for the truck to arrive and had front row seats as the Drivers headed out for the Track Parade.

Drivers' Track Parade Video Link : 

Still waiting for our truck. The main truck developed a technical snag so had to wait for the back-up :

On our way! The Track is ready for some action!

A special mention to the fans of Max Verstappen ( mainly Dutch ), better known as the Orange Army seated in the "Max Verstappen Stand".

I had the privilege of taking a Friend along on the Truck Tour. Some photos shot from the GoPro with my dear friend Jos Matthews!

The Truck tour ended and I just about had time to take some pictures before the Pit Lane shut for the guests.

The Drivers heading back to the Garage for the final time after bringing their cars on the grid. 

Grid Kids make their way to the front :

National Anthem time :

Getting ready for the Formation lap :

Formation Lap Video Link :

The 5 red lights illuminate and as they go out, the 2018 German Grand Prix is a go!

Race Start Video Link :

Some shots from the Race :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during the Race :

A light drizzle caused a lot of unrest. Sebastian Vettel crashed into the barriers while leading the race while Lewis Hamilton stormed from P14 to take an unlikely victory. A massive blow to Vettel's title chances.

I got the chance of being at Parc-Ferme below the podium and was able to see the Interviews up close. Lewis Hamilton took victory from Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen. 

Parc Ferme :

Podium Interviews :

The Drivers headed for the Podium and the heavens opened. It was quite a challenge to take photos in the pouring rain but it didn't come off as bad as expected.

Mechanics busy covering the cars as the rain got harder :

Bucketing down!

Drenched :

Some more shots of a rainy evening in Hockenheim :

The Paddock Club was going to shut for the weekend and Ferrari were kind enough to give me Paddock passes for the rest of the evening!

Kimi Raikkonen also sent me a special gift, an autographed mini-helmet! Thank you Iceman!

Photos with the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club Team! Great hosts!

The Paddock after a race Sunday, tear-down, pack and head out :

Sunday evening is another great time to meet the famous faces from the world of F1.

Grace Capristo, German Artist who had the honour of singing the National Anthem before the Race.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Robert Kubica, reserve driver for Williams Martini Racing F1 Team :

Paul Ripke, Photographer for Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Matteo Bonciani, head of F1 Communications for FIA :

Riccardo Adami, Sebastian Vettel's Race Engineer in Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Rosanna Tennant, presenter and host for F1 :

Lance Stroll, Williams Martini F1 Racing :

Nico Rosberg, 2016 F1 World Champion :

Will Buxton, Broadcaster and Journalist in F1 :

Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault Sport F1 Team :

Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India F1 :

Bye bye Paddock, see you in Belgium :

Time to head back to Mannheim :

The German Grand Prix was a great experience. Sebastian Vettel's mistake which cost him a certain victory was a sad sight to behold, however a lot of races still remained to turn the tables. Kimi Raikkonen, my favourite stayed consistent as ever and I was happy to be under the podium under the pouring rain and celebrate his P3.

Belgian Grand Prix was the next race that I got a chance of attending. The experience will be documented soon. Once again, thank you to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team and the hosts in the Ferrari F1 Club for the all the love and hospitality. Thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring that nothing was out of order over the weekend. 

Saturday morning at the 2018 German GP began at 7 in the morning. I got out of my room, rushed to the Elevator and bumped into Bernd Maylander, the Safety Car Driver! 

Soon enough, I hailed a taxi for Hockenheim and I was on my way.

Way to the Circuit :

I was in time for the Saturday Morning Paddock Club Track Truck Tour! Our guides all suited up for a hectic day :

Shots from the Truck Tour :

Some stills with the GoPro Hero 5 Black :

The Truck Tour done, it was still a bit early for the Paddock Club to open and welcome its guests. I chose to stand outside the Paddock Entrance where Mechanics were waiting for the FIA Curfew to be lifted.

Beat Zehnder of Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team ( Kimi's close friend ) :

Peter Bonnington, Race Engineer for Lewis Hamilton :

Norbert Haug, a legend from the Kimi years in McLaren and Former Vice President of Mercedes Motorsport :

Mattia Binotto of Scuderia Ferrari, Gene Haas ( Team Owner ) and Guenther Steiner ( Team Principal ) of Haas F1 Team :

Shots from the Pit Lane in the morning :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Mechanics doing some stretching exercises before practicing some pit-stops.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Pit Stop Practice ( Video Links ) :

Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

Pierre Gasly's car being fired up before FP3 ( Video Links ) :

 

The Paddock Club opened for the guests and the first interview of the day was of the Honey Badger Daniel Ricciardo!

Daniel Ricciardo, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

I was trying out some simulators when I suddenly saw a legend from the corner of my eye. It was Mika Hakkinen! The man who made me fall in love with F1. The Man whom I adored before Kimi Raikkonen. It was a great conversation with him as he shared a lot from the past. One of the friendliest people in the Paddock.

Nico Hulkenberg, Renault Sport F1 Team :

The heavens opened before FP3 and we had a totally wet session before qualifying with limited running.

Some shots from FP3 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP3 :

Chequered Flag :

Antonio Giovinazzi, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Reserve Driver joined us after the session for a quick Q&A :

Video Link to the Interview :

Antonio returned to the Paddock Area and it was time to head down for the final pit lane walk of the day. Some stills :

McLaren 720 S, a Masterpiece on 4 Wheels, one of the cars used in the Pirelli Hot Laps Experience :

We headed back to the Paddock Club and Lunch was served.

Lunch! The Chocolate Mousse is so good!!

A quick meal and it was time to get prepped for Qualifying!

Shots from Q1 :

Kimi Raikkonen was the fastest in Q1 from Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas.

Shots from Q2. 

Q2 was stopped due to a Red Flag and a major upset had occurred. Lewis Hamilton suffered from a Mechanical Failure on his car during his outlap. A big blow to his chances for the weekend. He eventually started 14th on the grid alongwith Daniel Ricciardo who started at 15th. 

Valtteri Bottas set the Fastest time in Q2, Verstappen and Raikkonen hot on his heels.

I spent the rest of the Q2 Session and a major part of Q3 in the Garage.

Some shots of Q3 :

Sebastian Vettel came to the fore again and grabbed pole at his home race. Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen completed the top 3. It would be a good place to start from on Sunday.

Kimi Raikkonen visited the guests in the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A :

Video Link of the Interview :

There was no F2 in Germany and after some nice evening tea, it was time to head back.

The Paddock on a Saturday Evening after a frenetic qualifying :

I made my way back to the Transfer point and happened to meet a few faces from the F1 circus!

Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 Champion and Sky Italia F1 Co-presenter :

Joe Saward, A renowned and respected F1 Reporter :

Mervi Kallio, the presenter for Finnish TV MTV F1 :

Mara Sangiorgio, Sky Italia F1 Co-presenter :

The Folks at Do&Co, offering us great hospitality always :

Federica Masolin, Sky Sports F1 Italia Presenter :

On the way back to Mannheim :

It was a long but very enjoyable Saturday at the German Grand Prix. Saturday was good, Sunday should be even better!

I would like to thank the folks at Scuderia Ferrari F1 for the Hospitality extended to me over the weekend. A big thank you to Edge Global Events for the organizing of the passes. 

A lot happened on the Sunday..will be documented soon!

The German GP returned to the F1 Calendar after a hiatus in 2017. Hockenheimring, the circuit in the region of Baden-Württemberg hosted the race. I had the privilege of being there in 2014, my first race as a guest of Ferrari and with Kimi leaving for Sauber in 2019, it was befitting that I be here as a guest of the team again. 

The German Grand Prix was held from the 20th to 22nd of July and this year I chose to stay in Mannheim, a city that is just a 30 minute drive from the circuit. Mannheim and Heidelberg are both great towns to stay over a race weekend. Frankfurt is a 75 minute drive from these cities / towns. 

I drove to Heidelberg for my race passes.

The Race Passes for the Weekend :

An early morning start on Friday to make it in time for the First Pit Lane walk of the weekend.

Enroute to the Circuit :

Friday Morning Pit Lane Walk :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 getting ready before FP1 :

Shots with the GoPro Hero 5 Black :

Kimi Raikkonen Car's Systems Check ( Shot with Samsung Note 8 ), Video Link :

Kimi Raikkonen Car's Systems Check ( Shot with Nikon B700 ), Video Link :

The Pit Lane walk done, the Paddock Club was ready to usher in the guests on the Friday.

Entering into the Paddock Club :

The Ferrari F1 Club, our race weekend abode :

Chase Carey, CEO & Executive Chairman of F1, he is a regular in the Paddock Club maintaining a keen eye on how the product is running:

Soon enough it was time for the start of Free Practice 1.

Pit walls occupied by the top bosses of the teams :

FP1 underway :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP1 :

Chequered Flag :

Daniel Ricciardo was the fastest of the session, four thousandths of a second separating Lewis Hamilton and him. Max Verstappen was third with the Ferraris of Vettel and Raikkonen in 4th and 6th respectively.

Marc Gene joined us to brief the guests after FP1 and explore the team's prospects for the weekend :

Lunch is served, I prefer sticking to the tried and tested!

Ice Cream anyone?

A fun feature happening in the Media Pen with Sky Sports F1 :

The 2nd pit lane walk coincided with the First Track Truck Tour of the day and I didn't wanna miss the opportunity of exploring the challenges the circuit poses for the drivers.

A Selfie with legends - James Towers, Sam Powers, William ( Hosts of F1 Paddock Club with a fair bit of racing history under their belts ), Philipp Frommenwiler ( Endurance Racing ) and Jos Matthews, my dear friend and a thorough Tifosi at heart.

Track Truck Tour ( Video Link ) :

Free Practice 2 commenced and I was in the Garage for most of the session. Some stills from FP2 :

Max Verstappen was the fastest in FP2 from Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Vettel and Raikkonen were P4 and P5 respectively.

Ferrari were kind enough to let us be in the Paddock after the session and roam in the most coveted area for a couple of hours!

Soon enough, I got to meet some F1 Fraternity!

Charles Leclerc, Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team :

Dr. Helmut Marko of Red Bull Racing!

The cars from Pirelli Hot Laps and a Porsche Racing Simulator in the Paddock Club! Wow!

We had to wait before heading to the 2nd truck tour of the day due to cars from the Boss GP Series making their way back after qualifying. These are Old Vintage F1 race cars privately run by their respective owners in the series!

Shots from the Evening Track Truck Tour :

Tour done and it was time to head back to the Radisson Blu in Mannheim!

Returning to Mannheim :

It was a pretty hot Friday at Hockenheim but an enjoyable one nonetheless! Ferrari looked off the pace on Friday but mainly because they were sand-bagging. 

Thank you to Edge Global Events for arranging the passes for the weekend and Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for their Hospitality. Saturday and Sunday Experiences to follow soon.

The German Grand Prix made a return to the F1 Calendar this year and the race was held at Hockenheimring. I was fortunate to be a part of the same and the first blog post from the weekend kicks off with the "Gallery of Memories"

Chase Carey, CEO and Executive Chairman of the Formula One Group :

Dr. Helmut Marko, Head of Red Bull's Driver Development Program and advisor to Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Charles Leclerc, Alfa-Romeo Sauber F1 Team!

Bernd Maylander, FIA Safety Car Driver :

Joe Saward, F1 Journalist :

Mervi Kallio, Finnish TV MTV Presenter :

Mara Sangiorgio, Sky F1 Italia Journalist!

Federica Masolin, Presenter for Sky Italia F1 :

Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 F1 World Champion :

The Man who made me fall in love with F1, Mika Hakkinen, 1998 and 1999 F1 World Champion! A LEGEND!!!

Nico Hulkenberg, Renault Sport F1 Team :

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Peter Bonnington, Race Engineer for Lewis Hamilton :

Norbert Haug, a legend from the Kimi years in McLaren and Former Vice President of Mercedes Motorsport :

Mattia Binotto of Scuderia Ferrari, Gene Haas ( Team Owner ) and Guenther Steiner ( Team Principal ) of Haas F1 Team :

Beat Zehnder of Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team :

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Grace Capristo, German Artist who had the honour of singing the National Anthem before the Race.

Brendon Hartley, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Maurizio Arrivabene, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :

Antonio Giovinazzi, Reserve Driver for Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Alexander Molina, Marketing Operations, F1 Hospitality :

Toto Wolff, Team Principal for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Robert Kubica, reserve driver for Williams Martini Racing F1 Team. Nice to see him back in the Paddock.

Paul Ripke, Photographer for Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Lewis Hamilton, 4 time World Champion and Driver for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Matteo Bonciani, head of F1 Communications for FIA :

Riccardo Adami, Sebastian Vettel's Race Engineer in Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Rosanna Tennant, presenter and host for F1 :

Lance Stroll, Williams Martini F1 Racing :

Nico Rosberg, 2016 F1 World Champion :

Will Buxton, Broadcaster and Journalist in F1 :

Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault Sport F1 Team :

Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India F1 Team :

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

Sunday had arrived! D day! The Day that mattered! Friday and Saturday's performances are meaningless if a team or driver can't perform on the Sunday!

Race Day beckoned and once again it was an early start to the day. The Commute from Hasselt could easily take a good 2 hours..so it was imperative to head out at 630 in the morning.

Enroute to the Circuit :

Croissants for Breakfast!

The Second Event of the day was the Formula 2 Sprint Race. I was busy shopping in the F1 Village hence missed Race 2 of GP3.

Formula 2 Sprint Race Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

 

Formula 2 Sprint Race Start ( Video Link ) :

 

Lap 1 of Formula 2 Sprint Race ( Video Link ) :

 

Formula 2 ended and we were joined by Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene in the Ferrari F1 Club :

A Moment with the Man :

Maurizio Arrivabene in the Ferrari F1 Club ( Video Link ) :

Kimi Raikkonen then visited the club for a quick Q&A!

I had to run behind him to click this. He did stop but my phone camera failed me! This was the best I could do! Next time..

Kimi Raikkonen Interview in the Ferrari F1 Club ( Video Link ) :

 

A Quick lunch before heading down for the final pit lane walk of the weekend!

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Mick Schumacher driving his father's Benetton!

Some Stills with the GoPro Hero5 Black :

Gino Rosato from Ferrari :

Time to return to the Paddock Club and grab a vantage point for the race!

Cars heading out for the sighting laps as the pit lane opens :

Team Personnel, celebrities make their way to the grid :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team readying their grid slots :

5 minutes to the Race Start :

Kimi Raikkonen doing a final run through with his strategists :

The Grid gearing up for the start of the Formation Lap..the tension mounts!

The Clock winds down and we are ready for the Formation Lap before the Start of the Belgian GP!

Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

 

Race Start ( Video Link ) :

Lap 1 of the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix ( Video Link ) :

 

Shots from the Belgian Grand Prix :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team fighting it out in the Belgian Grand Prix :

Chequered Flag ( Video Link ) :




Lewis Hamilton took victory from Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo. Kimi Raikkonen finished P4 while Valtteri Bottas had a race to forget in P5.


Cars returning to Parc Ferme :

The Podium Celebrations!!

Crowds allowed to run onto the track after the race and join in the celebrations

Mechanics rolling the cars back to the garages post race :

Lewis Hamilton decides to join his faithful and do some crowd-surfing.

Scuderia Ferrari were gracious enough to bring Vettel's P2 Trophy to the Paddock Club.

With Sebastian's P2 Trophy :

Some more pics with Friends over the weekend.

A Selfie with the Hosts in the Ferrari F1 Club :

Packing up to head to Monza which was only a week away, so the turnaround time was short.

Enjoying the Track Walk after the Race!

Massimo Rivola, Scuderia Ferrari Academy Supremo :

Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Sir Franz Tost, Team Principal, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Daniil Kvyat, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Moko!

Silvia Hoffer, McLaren F1 Team PR and one of the oldest faces in the paddock :

Mark Arnall and Kimi's Partner in Ice One Racing ( Motocross ) :

Giuliano Alesi, Jean Alesi's son & Scuderia Ferrari Academy Driver in GP3 :

Returning to Hasselt from Spa :

It was a memorable weekend in Spa and I would like to thank Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for the Hospitality and the graciousness shown to me over the weekend. Of course Kimi Raikkonen just missing out on the podium was a disappointment but the team had a great weekend nonetheless. A big thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring nothing was out of place and ensuring that I had an enjoyable weekend.

Sadly this marks the end of the Paddock Club Diaries for 2017. The Diaries shall return in the 2018 Season!

Saturday Mornings mean an early start when one attends a Formula One Race Weekend. The Day begins with a Paddock Club Track Truck Tour, followed by the morning Pit Lane Walk where Paddock Club Guests can see teams practice their pit stops up-close. Free Practice 3 takes place in the morning where teams run their Qualifying setups followed later by the Qualifying in the Afternoon.

So how did the Saturday at the 2017 Belgian GP pan out? Time to take a peek :

Enroute to the Circuit :

Walking to Spa Francorchamps Circuit via La Source Hairpin :

Photos of the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :

Some Photos with the GoPro Hero 5 Black :

The First Pit Lane Walk of the Day :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Garage during the Pit Lane Walk :

Romain Grosjean's Haas being readied for FP3 ( Video Link ) :




Saturday morning also see the teams practicing their Pit Stops.


Williams Martini Racing F1 Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

Sahara Force India F1 Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

We had the Opportunity of visiting ART Grand Prix in the Formula 2 Paddock :


The Final Practice session of the Weekend FP3 :


Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP3 :


Chequered Flag :


Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel were the fastest in FP3 with Lewis Hamilton a close third.


An Early Lunch before heading down for the final Pit Lane Walk of the Day :


Shots from the 2nd Pit Lane Walk of the day :

Shots of the GoPro Hero 5 Black from the Pit Lane Walk :

Sebastian Vettel's Car being readied for Qualifying ( Video Link ) :




It was then time for the Qualifying Session to commence.

Shots from Q1 :

Lewis Hamilton was fastest in Q1, Sebastian Vettel & Max Verstappen were P2 & P3 respectively.




Shots from Q2 :

Q2 saw Mercedes Flex their muscles and Lewis Hamilton dipped into the 1:42s and was fastest again. Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen completed the top 3.

Q3 was the top 10 shootout.

Shots from Q3 :

Lewis Hamilton took pole. Kimi Raikkonen had to back out of his flying lap due to a mistake and a tow to Sebastian Vettel helped him to snatch P2 from Valtteri Bottas!


The Top 3 parked on the Grid for the Post - Qualifying Interviews :

Top 3 Driver Interviews ( Video Link ) :




Vettel and Hamilton inspecting each others' machinery :


Marshalls fortunate to have their suits autographed by Vettel and Hamilton.

We were then joined by Antonio Giovinazzi, Reserve driver for Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Antonio Giovinazzi Interview in the Ferrari F1 Club (  Video Link ) :




Sebastian Vettel visits the Ferrari F1 Club post Qualifying.

Sebastian Vettel Interview ( Video Link ) :




Vettel left and it was time for the start of the Formula 2 Feature Race!

Shots from the Feature Race :

Arjun Maini on the grid for Race 1 in GP3 :

GP3 Race 1 Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :




Formation Lap done for GP3 :


GP3 Race 1 Start ( Video Link  ) :





Shots from Race 1 :

Post race I walked down to the other end of the Paddock Club to experience the F1 Simulators on offer.

F1 Simulators in the Paddock Club :

Got a sneak peek of the Podium!

Williams Crew sitting and watching the movie on "Sir Frank Williams" and the team of yesteryear.


Returning to Hasselt from Spa :


Kimi Raikkonen's mistake in his final run in Qualifying cost him a chance to be on the Front Row. Arjun Maini also narrowly missed the podium in Race 1 in the evening. Barring these disappointments, it was a great Saturday at Spa Francorchamps! The Highlight for me was the Track Tour early in the morning.

A Big Thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team and their hosts for their hospitality throughout the day. Thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring everything was in place for the Saturday.

Sunday Experience to follow soon..

The Latest post in the Paddock Club Diaries comes in from the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix. The Event was held from 22nd August to 24th August at the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

I had the privilege of being a guest of Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team in the Paddock Club and as always, the first post is from what I experienced on Friday.

I stayed at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Hasselt. Hasselt is the birthplace of Red Bull Racing Driver Max Verstappen and about an hour's drive from the circuit. An early morning drive from Hasselt is recommended as the traffic was atrocious going into Spa.

Enroute to the Circuit :

The Race Passes picked up from Radisson Blu Hotel in Spa :

Walking to the circuit :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club :

The View from the Ferrari F1 Club :

I didn't have the opportunity of making it to the First Pit Lane walk of the day and as soon as I settled in the Suite, it was time for Free Practice 1.

Shots from FP1 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP1 :

Chequered Flag :



Kimi Raikkonen was the fastest in FP1 with Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel completing the Top 3. Only a tenth of a second separated the trio.

Marc Gene visits the Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A :

Video Link of the Interview :

A Moment with Marc Gene :

Friends, Scuderia Ferrari Family!

Prior to the Pit Lane Walk, I signed up to go downstairs and join other guests on a truck which would take us around the track for an amazing tour. Its a part of the F1 Experiences, a new initiative by the new owners of F1 to bring the sport closer to its fans.

I got the Chance to do the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour. The Best Experience ever!

Video Link of the Track Truck Tour :

Shots from the 2nd Pit Lane Walk of the day :

The Scuderia Ferrari Garage :

Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari being readied for FP2 ( Video Link ) :

Lunch!

I had a hearty lunch and it was time to settle in for Free Practice 2. FP2 saw limited running after an hour thanks to rain belting down on the track. Only Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso volunteered to venture out but the conditions got treacherous really quickly.

Shots from FP2 :

Free Practice 2 saw Lewis Hamilton set the Fastest time. Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas not too far behind.

The track was then thrown open to the 2 Seater F1 Cars from the F1 Experiences.

2 Seater F1 cars offering those with deep pockets a couple of laps around the circuit. A new venture called F1 Experiences.

Formula 2 cars then took to the track for the Qualifying Session.

Qualifying Session of F2 :

The Session over, it was time to head back to the hotel, get some dinner, rest and be ready for Saturday Morning!

Returning to Hasselt :

It was quite an eventful Friday. I got the opportunity to be in the garage when it was raining in FP2 and the Ferrari cars up close!


Thank you to Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team and the hosts for hosting me over the weekend. Thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring everything was arranged for and I was not found wanting anything.

Saturday and Sunday experiences to follow soon. Watch this space!

The Latest post in the "Gallery of Memories" comes in from the Legendary Track of Spa Francorchamps in the Ardennes region of Belgium. I got the opportunity of attending the Belgian Grand Prix in the final week of August and it was a great experience!

Once again I had the privilege of meeting celebrities and the tradition began from the day I flew out of Mumbai Airport bound for Brussels International.

A Quick trip down memory lane!

Bollywood Actress Parineeti Chopra :

Bollywood Music Director Anu Malik :

Bollywood Actress & Comedian Sugandha Mishra :

Marc Gene, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Development Driver :

Mattia Binotto, Chief Technical Officer of Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Riccardo Adami, Sebastian Vettel's Race Engineer :

Federica Masolin, Sky Sports F1 Italia Hostess :

Jacques Villeneuve, Former F1 Champion and Expert on Sky Sports F1 Italia :

The Jovial trio, Martin Brundle, Damon Hill & Paul Di Resta of Sky Sports F1! Stay blessed guys!

Pat Symonds, Ex Williams and Sky Sports F1 co-presenter :

Mark Webber, Fan moment here with the AussieGrit!

Jock Clear, Scuderia Ferrari F1 team :

Niki Lauda!

The Professor! Alain Prost! What a gentleman!

Pierre Gasly, Red Bull Racing F1 Team Reserve Driver :

Maurizio Arrivabene, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :

Not the selfie I wanted but nonetheless, Kimi Raikkonen!

Gino Rosato, Scuderia Ferrari F1 :

A Moment with Seb's P2 Trophy :

Massimo Rivola, Scuderia Ferrari Academy Supremo :

Giuliano Alesi, Jean Alesi's son & Scuderia Ferrari Academy Driver in GP3 :

Mark Arnall and Kimi's Partner in Ice One Racing ( Motocross ) :

Silvia Hoffer, McLaren F1 Team PR and one of the oldest faces in the paddock :

MOKO!!

Daniil Kvyat, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Sir Franz Tost, Team Principal, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

It was a memorable weekend in Spa and I would like to thank Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for the Hospitality and the graciousness shown to me over the weekend. A big thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring nothing was out of place and ensuring that I had an enjoyable weekend.

Apologies for the delay, Paddock Club Experiences coming thick and fast!