The Belgian Grand Prix remains one of the most iconic races on the F1 Calendar. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the venue for the Belgian Grand Prix is also the longest track on the calendar and a must-visit for any motorsport fan. Visiting this circuit has become like an annual pilgrimage for me and there was no hesitance in attending the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix when the opportunity presented itself.

The event was held from the 26th to the 28th of July in 2024, right before the summer break for the series. My dear friend Gautam ( who currently resides in Belgium ) also decided to accompany me for the weekend. As a childhood motorsport fan, it was his first F1 experience.

We stayed in Hasselt and had the luxury of driving to the circuit and back throughout the weekend. 

Memories from this race commence with the Friday Experience and the entire experience was shot with the Sony RX10 IV, DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Enroute to Spa-Francorchamps :

The Race Passes! We had to drive to the team hotel in Spa to collect the race passes for the weekend. Funnily enough, the team member mentioned my name incorrectly on the envelope!

After navigating through some traffic, we finally reached the parking and I walked over to the Paddock Club.

Welcome to the Ferrari F1 Club :

Views from the Paddock Club :

Coffee and Croissants for breakfast :

After a quick coffee to kickstart my Friday, it was time to head down for the Pit Lane Walk.

Shots from the first pit lane walk of the weekend :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Garage, Charles Leclerc taking a special child around his car :

Systems Checks on Valtteri Bottas' Car ( Video Link ) :

McLaren F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

Visa Cash App RB F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

As we returned to the Paddock Club, it was time to listen to some insights from Oliver York.

British Karting Champion, Former F4 driver and now an expert host, Oliver York visiting the Ferrari F1 Club and explaining about the F1 Steering Wheel :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Wheel, Explained by Oliver York ( Video Link ) :

It was now time for the first practice session of the weekend.

Shots from Free Practice 1 :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 duo during FP1 :

Practice Starts after Free Practice 1 ( Video Link ) :

Max Verstappen was the quickest in FP1 from Oscar Piastri and Alexander Albon. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr were P6 and P9 for Ferrari, respectively. 

Time for some lunch, shortly after FP1 :

After FP1, the team granted me access to visit the F1 Paddock.

Spending some time in the Paddock :

The time in the Paddock was fruitful as I met a couple of F1 Drivers.

Nico Hulkenberg, Moneygram Haas F1 Team :

Triple World Champion Max Verstappen, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Shortly after, it was time for the 2nd Practice session of the day.

Free Practice 2 underway :

 The Scuderia Ferrari duo during FP2 :

Lando Norris was the quickest in FP2 from Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr were P4 and P5 for Ferrari, respectively.

The Ferrari F1 Club was finally shut for the day ( after FP2 ) and it was time to say goodbye!

Enjoying some ice cream before leaving the Paddock Club :

Post the contract activities, I took my friend Gautam for a quick tour of the support race paddock.

A walk through the support race paddock :

The F1 Classic Car garages :

As we walked back from the support race paddock, we got invited over by our friends to hop onto one of the trucks for a tour of the circuit onboard one of the trucks. As always, touring Circuit de Spa Francorchamps is an amazing experience.

Stills from the Track Tour from one of the trucks :

Video Link to the Paddock Club Track Tour :

The pit lane shut and unfortunately, we couldn't visit the garages for the 2nd Pit Lane Walk of the day. Nevertheless, we walked down to the parking area outside the paddock to meet some more F1 Fraternity!

Formula E Champion, ex F1 Racer and Racing for Peugeot in WEC, Stoffel Vandoorne :

Hollywood Legend Brad Pitt!! or Mr Sonny Hayes ( his character in the F1 film ) :P

We left the circuit at 830 pm to return to Hasselt and arrange for some dinner!

Returning to Hasselt :

I also published my Friday experience as a Vlog on my YouTube Channel.

Vlog about my Friday Experience at the Belgian GP :

It was an amazing Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix and a big shout-out to the Hosts of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team and Philip Morris for their hospitality and attention!

The Saturday and Sunday experiences follow shortly!

The Austrian GP is one of the most exciting races on the F1 Calendar. The venue has also produced some nail-biting finishes in MotoGP. The Red Bull Ring ( as the track is called ) is nestled in the hills of Spielberg in the region of Styria and can easily rival Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium when it comes to being picturesque. 

The Austrian Grand Prix is also the home race for Red Bull Racing, the dominant force in this era of Formula 1. Having visited the circuit in 2015, I always wanted to return to this iconic race, but logistical issues and the scheduling made me think otherwise. Finally, I had the opportunity to revisit this race track in 2024 and wasted no time making the necessary arrangements!

It was also a Sprint Race weekend, which meant that there would be a single Practice Session followed by Sprint Qualifying on Friday. 

The Race was held from 28th June to 30th June and although it was quite a commute for me from the city of Graz, the journey was very much worth it!

This was also the first time where the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team didn't have a suite of their own but were in a shared space in the Club Suite.

This is the start of the Paddock Club Diaries from the 2024 Season!

Pictures and Videos were taken with the Sony RX10 IV and Samsung S24 Ultra.

Enroute to the circuit :

The Race passes for the weekend!

Welcome to the F1 Paddock Club in Austria :

Enjoying some Croissants in the morning :

Amazing backdrop with the Paddock in place :

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Visa Cash App RB F1 Team practising Pitstops ( Video Link ) :

Williams Racing F1 Team practising Pitstops ( Video Link ) :

Stills from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Garage :

Taking a ride around the track, thanks to the Paddock Club Track Tour :

Video Link of the Track Tour :

Time for some lunch before the start of Free Practice, the only one for the weekend :

Shots from Free Practice :

Max Verstappen was the quickest in Practice from Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. Carlos Sainz Jr was 4th in the other Ferrari.

I had the opportunity to visit the garage for the final few minutes of Free Practice. Some Stills from the Paddock :

ARAS, the world's most gifted freestyle bike rider performing stunts :

The F2 Qualifying session underway :

A lull after two intense sessions on track :

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

Moments outside the Scuderia Ferrari F1 garage :

The Pit Walls getting ready for Sprint Qualifying :

Shots from Sprint Qualifying!

SQ1 :

SQ2 :

Max Verstappen was the quickest of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Carlos Sainz Jr was P5 with Charles Leclerc failing to set a lap time in P10 for Ferrari.

It was a mixed bag for Ferrari in Sprint Qualifying but things still looked positive for the rest of the weekend.

Shortly after, the Club Suite shut but guests were allowed to spend more time in the Club Lounge, a common hospitality area.

Time for some Pizza and Gelato in the Club Lounge :

Friday ends at the Paddock Club, and time for the drivers to relax in the motorhomes :

As I got out of the Paddock Club, I decided to walk across to the Paddock Parking to see if I could get a few selfies with some drivers as they headed home from the track!

Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber :

Kevin Magnussen, Moneygram Haas F1 Team :

Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team :

Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing F1 Team :

Mick Schumacher, Reserve driver for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team and WEC Driver for Alpine Endurance Team :

Laurent Mekies, Team Principal, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team :

Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team :

Ravin Jain, Chief Strategist, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Charles Leclerc! Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Gerhard Berger, an Austrian F1 Legend!

Gianpiero Lambiase & Peter Bonnington, Race Engineers for Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton!

Goodbye, Paddock and the Paddock Club. The Curfew in effect for the teams and mechanics :

Heading back to Graz after a busy Friday!

I also compiled a Vlog about my Friday Experience, which is already live on my YouTube Channel!

Video Link :

It was an amazing Friday at the Red Bull Ring. Thankfully it stayed dry throughout the day and both the teams and drivers could make full use of the conditions to prepare for the Sprint Weekend. 

A big thank you to the New Hosts of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club for giving me a memorable Friday at the Racetrack. The Saturday and Sunday experiences follow shortly after!

Watch this Space!

The year was 1995 and during my school days, I rarely got any time away from my studies. Whenever I did, I used to tune in to a sports channel to check if there was anything of interest on TV. One day, I saw a motorbike race aired and a certain Mick Doohan led the field on a Repsol Honda bike. That was the moment I got hooked onto Motorsports. MotoGP was my first love & Mick Doohan was my first motorsports hero! Since then, I became a Repsol Honda fan and followed the team's exploits closely! Although I never had the opportunity to attend a MotoGP event, it was on my wishlist for many years.

The opportunity finally arrived when it was announced that MotoGP would hold its inaugural GP in India at the Buddh International Circuit from 22nd to 24th September 2023. Although preparations were in full swing to host a motorsport event after a decade at India's purpose-built track, there were major hiccups and hurdles along the way. Thankfully, after continued support from the government, the local authorities & the organizers, the race weekend was a go!

What was even more amazing was that I got the rare opportunity to be a guest of Repsol Honda for the entire weekend! 

My friend Yash Gosalia, who runs a nationwide sim-racing series called "The Hybrid Theory" was a co-guest at Honda with Prima Pramac Racing hosting another friend in Shamit Desai!

So, how was the experience at the inaugural Indian GP? The Friday experience begins here!

Enroute to the circuit, from New Delhi, but first, we had to pick up our race passes from the Collection centre :

Race Passes in hand, it was time to head to the track!

Welcome to the Buddh International Circuit :

Walking into the Paddock, so many memories come rushing back from a decade ago :

As we walked to the Honda Hospitality, I bumped into some riders from the current MotoGP grid!

Alex Marquez, Gresini Ducati Racing :

Joan Mir, Repsol Honda Team :

Augusto Fernandez, Gas Gas Factory Racing Tech3 :

Miguel Oliveira, Cryptodata RNF MotoGP :

Massimo Rivola, Aprilia Factory Racing Sports Director :

Jorge Martin, Prima Pramac Racing :

After settling ourselves inside the Hospitality, we decided to explore more areas of the Paddock.

Walking to the other end of the paddock & I got to see Sadhguru up close :

Meeting more people from the MotoGP fraternity continued!

Stefan Bradl, LCR Honda :

Mr Julia Marquez, the Father of the Marquez brothers :

Soon enough, it was time to follow the action on track, with FP1 getting underway. We sneaked our way up into the VIP viewing area!

The views from the Hospitality Arena, just after the VIP Village :

Shots from FP1 :

The Repsol Honda riders getting used to setups during FP1 :

Practising grid starts at the end of FP1 :

Video Link :

Marco Bezzecchi was the quickest in FP1 from Marc Marquez & Brad Binder. Joan Mir was P10 in the other Repsol Honda.

Post FP1, it was time to enjoy some lunch in the Hospitality area :

Shots of the Area :

The on-track action resumed with Moto2.

Time for the Moto2 riders to find their optimal setups for the weekend :

Post the Moto2 practice session, we had a brief lull and our group decided to head back down to the Paddock and try and get more selfies and signatures!

Returning to the Paddock before MotoGP Practice kicks off :

The decision turned out to be the right one as we met a host of other riders!

Marc Marquez!! Repsol Honda Racing Team! Fan moment with the most successful ( current ) MotoGP rider!

Sam Lowes, Marc VDS Racing, Moto2 :

Fabio Di Giannantonio, Gresini Ducati Racing :

Somkiat Chantra, Honda Team Asia, Moto2 :

Lin Jarvis, Team Principal for Monster Energy Yamaha :

Fabio Quartararo, Monster Energy Yamaha Team & 2021 World Champion :

Marc Marquez' Crew Chief, Santi Hernandez :

Takaaki Nakagami, LCR Honda :

Six-time World Champion & Aprilia ambassador, Max Biaggi :

Pol Espargaro, Gas Gas Factory Racing Tech3 :

Luca Marini, Mooney VR46 Racing Team :

Davide Tardozzi, Ducati Racing Team Manager :

We then headed back to the VIP Viewing area to get ready and prepped for MotoGP Practice. This session was most important since the lap times would decide which riders would qualify for Q2 and which would need to battle it out in Q1 on Saturday.

Enjoying some evening snacks before the start of the Practice :

The track looks stunning as dusk draws in :

Shots from the Practice :

The riders doing practice starts from the Grid :

Video Link :

Luca Marini was the quickest in Practice from Jorge Martin & Aleix Espargaro. Marc Marquez and Joan Mir were P4 & P10 for Honda respectively. Thankfully, both Repsol Honda riders automatically qualified for Q2 on Saturday!



Returning to the Paddock gave us the opportunity to meet more riders!

Aron Canet, Pons Racing, Moto2 :

Jack Miller, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team :

Deniz Oncu, Red Bull KTM Ajo, Moto3 :

Daniel Holgado, Red Bull KTM Tech3, Moto3 :

Celestino Vietti, Fantic Racing, Moto2 :

Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM MotoGP :

Tony Arbolino, Marc VDS Racing, Moto2 :

Marco Bezzecchi, Mooney VR46 Racing Team :

Ducati General Manager, Luigi Dall'lgna :

Albert Arenas, Red Bull KTM Ajo, Moto2 :

MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Lenovo Team :

Maverick Vinales, Aprilia Racing Team :

Lucio Cecchinello, Founder of LCR Honda Team. Had a great chat with this racing legend!

Night fell upon us and it was time to head back to New Delhi.

Goodbye from the Paddock! 

I also compiled a vlog on my YouTube Channel about my Friday Experience at the Inaugural MotoGP of Bharat!

Vlog Link :

It had been a memorable Day 1 at the Buddh International Circuit for us as we met a host of Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP riders and enjoyed watching some great action on the track. Sadly, my Sony RX10 IV malfunctioned which meant that I would have to survive the rest of the weekend without my camera. Nevertheless, I returned from the track with great stills and amazing memories!

Thank you to Repsol Honda Racing for having us over the weekend and thank you to everyone who made MotoGP of Bharat a reality! The Saturday experience follows shortly!

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, home to the Belgian Grand Prix, is my favourite track on the F1 calendar. Ever since Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Raikkonen delivered stunning victories at this vintage F1 track, visiting this circuit nestled in the Ardennes forest has become an annual pilgrimage for me. Having attended this race on six occasions, I can now declare myself as half-Belgian :)

Spa-Francorchamps is one of the few classic F1 tracks that remain on the calendar, and I hope the contract extends beyond 2025.

The Paddock Club Diaries begin with the Friday Experience, and although I am six months late, it is amazing to relive the memories through these blog posts!

Pictures taken with the Sony RX10 IV and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

En route to the circuit on a rainy Friday morning:

I had to pick up my race passes from the Radisson Blu Hotel in Spa and luckily, I got myself parking passes too!

Race Passes for the weekend :

The walk from the Taxi Drop-off to the Paddock Club completes my cardio workout for the day!

Walking to the Paddock Club :

The Ferrari F1 Club, the home of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Guests for the weekend :

Coffee and Croissants to kickstart my day!

Thanks to the team, I got myself some time to visit the Paddock but unfortunately, a downpour began.

Walking through a wet and rainy Paddock :

The rain let up soon and I had the opportunity of getting selfies with some famous faces from the F1 Paddock.

Davide Brivio, ex-Yamaha, ex-Suzuki in MotoGP and Racing Director in Alpine Racing F1 Team :

Alexander Albon, Williams Racing F1 Team :

Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

It was then time for the first pit lane walk of the weekend and I walked across to the Pits to behold the cars up close!

Shots from the first pit lane walk :

Stills with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra :

Williams F1 Team Practicing their Pit Stops ( Video Link ) :

Meeting Beat Zehnder, Sporting Director, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake ( in the pit lane ) :

Lunch is served! A great spread indeed :

The Belgian Grand Prix was a Sprint-Race weekend in 2023, so the drivers had only one Practice session before the Grand Prix qualifying that gets held on a Friday evening.

Free Practice gets underway!

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team working hard in FP1 in inclement weather :

The chequered flag brings to an end an FP1 which was battered by rain :

Drivers practising their starts from various grid slots :

Video Link :

Carlos Sainz Jr topped the timesheets from Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Charles Leclerc was P4 in the other Ferrari.

Post Free practice, Marc Gene visited the Ferrari F1 Club for a quick Q&A :

I decided to spend some more time in the Paddock before Qualifying and as I walked through the Paddock Club, I met an ace ex-cricketer!

1983 Cricket World Cup Winner, Indian Cricket Legend and now an ace commentator, Ravi Shastri :

The Media pen in the Paddock, abuzz with activity after a session :

The trip to the Paddock was fruitful as I met more drivers.

Liam Lawson, Reserve Driver for Red Bull Racing F1 :

Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :

Tom Kristensen, WEC Champion & Record winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans :

Soon enough it was time for Qualifying and I headed back upstairs.

Q1 underway :

The Ferrari Drivers in Q1 :

Shots from Q2 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 fighting it out in Q2 :

The sun came out before the start of Q3. Glorious views!

The final shootout commences :

Leclerc and Sainz go full send :

The Parc-Ferme after Qualifying :

Max Verstappen was the quickest at the end of Qualifying from Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez. Carlos Sainz Jr was P5 in the other Ferrari. 

However, Leclerc inherited Pole Position since Verstappen had a five-place grid penalty due to new engine components.

Post-Qualifying, the Paddock Club guests had the privilege of going on a track tour on trucks!

Ready for the tour!

Shots from the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :

Video Link of the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :

As I got off the trucks, I got to meet Jakey Benham, Dani Bereznay, Jarno Opmeer & Marcel Kiefer, Sim racers for Mercedes F1 E-Sports Team :

The tour was the last activity of the day and it was time to head back to my hotel in Aachen.

Goodbye Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps :

I also compiled a Vlog about my Friday Experience on my YouTube Channel!

Video Link about the Friday Experience :

A big thank you to the hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club and the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for their hospitality and for making my Friday Experience a memorable one. The Saturday Experience follows shortly!

Hungary and Belgium were the two destinations I had the privilege of visiting in 2022 during the 2022 F1 World Championship.

I drew elaborate plans to attend not just F1 races but also other motorsport events in 2023. The dream turned into reality when I got the opportunity to attend the 2023 F1 Spanish Grand Prix, followed by the 24 Hours of Le Mans the following weekend!

My first trip to Europe in 2023 was truly memorable, and this is the start of the Paddock Club Diaries from the 2023 F1 Season. 

As always, let's begin with the Friday Experience of an F1 Grand Prix Weekend!

Enroute to the Circuit :

We first needed to visit the Team Hotel to pick up our Race Passes for the weekend :

Welcome to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya! A truly beautiful Friday morning :

Coffee and Croissants to kickstart my day :

The views from the Ferrari F1 Club :

The Ferrari F1 Club, as always, Ferrari had a suite of their own!

It was soon time for the Formula 2 Practice Session to begin and here are some shots from that session :

Post-session, my friend and I decided to head down to the Paddock to enjoy some "behind the scenes" views!

As expected, I had the opportunity to meet some people from the Motorsport Fraternity, including some drivers from the 2023 grid.

Pedro De La Rosa, Aston Martin Racing Ambassador :

Laurent Mekies, Scuderia Ferrari F1 team Racing Director : 

Current F2 Champion and Aston Martin Racing Reserve Driver, Felipe Drugovich :

Aston Martin Racing Ambassador Jessica Hawkins :

Miguel Molina, Driver for Car Number 50 with Ferrari Hypercar in the World Endurance Championship :

Ralf Schumacher, an F1 Legend from the 2000s :

Nyck de Vries, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :

Lawrence Stroll, the owner of Aston Martin Racing :

Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team :

Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo Stake F1 Team :

Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :

After spending some time in the Paddock, I walked across to the Pit Lane to be a part of the first pit lane walk of the weekend, beholding the 2023 cars up close!

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team, practising pit stops :

Time for some lunch! A great spread of course, and oh, the Pizza is amazing!

While Lunch was served, it was time for some F1 action on track,and  Free Practice 1 got underway.

Shots from FP1 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP1  :

Charles Leclerc pits during FP1 for a Pit Stop ( Video Link ) :

Some stills with the Samsung S23 Ultra :

The Chequered Flag gets waved at the end of FP1 :

The drivers use the time after a practice session to practice their starts from the Grid Slots :

Video Link for the Practice Starts :

The Ferrari drivers returning to the Pits after FP1 :

Max Verstappen topped the timesheets from Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. were P8 and P9, respectively.

After the session, Rupert Manwaring, Carlos Sainz's Performance Coach, visited the Ferrari F1 Club for an interview :

Video Link of the Interview :

I then headed to the Club Lounge to enjoy some light bites from the Food Stations there :

I returned in time to enjoy watching an interview with the Scuderia Ferrari Ambassador, Marc Gene :

Video Link of the Interview :

Free Practice 2 getting underway :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during FP2 :

Some shots of FP2, with the Samsung S23 Ultra :

Drivers gaining more experience with their Practice Starts :

Sainz returning to the pits after a fruitful session at his home race :

Verstappen was the quickest again in FP2, from Alonso and Hulkenberg. Leclerc and Sainz improved to P6 and P7, respectively.

Post FP2, it was time to leave the Paddock Club and head downstairs for the second pit lane walk of the day.

Saying goodbye to the Paddock Club on Friday evening :

Shots from the Pit Lane walk, taken with the Sony RX10 IV :

Some Stills with the Samsung S23 Ultra :

Shots from the Scuderia Ferrari Garage during the Pit Lane walk :

Jack Doohan!

Davide Brivio, Alpine F1 Racing Director & formerly Team Manager for Ecstar Suzuki in Moto GP :

Meeting my Motorsports hero again, Mick Doohan! Such a joy it is to see him fighting fit as always!

Esteban Ocon, Alpine Racing F1 Team :

James Vowles, Williams Racing F1 Team Principal :

Returning to my hotel in Barcelona :

I have also shared my Friday Experience in a Vlog published on YouTube.

Video Link :

Thank you to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team and the Hosts of the Ferrari F1 Club for having me as a guest at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. It wasn't the strongest showing by the Ferrari drivers but the team looked positive for a better showing on  Saturday and Sunday.

The experiences from the rest of the weekend to follow shortly, 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 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 Canadian GP is held in the city of Montreal in the state of Quebec and has been on my to-do list for a long time. The Opportunity finally came in 2019, my first race of the season. Kimi Raikkonen had switched teams to Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team for 2019 and the "Italian Stallion" Antonio Giovinazzi would be his team-mate. I decided to try the F1 Experiences Legends since Alfa Romeo wasn't having a hospitality of their own.

The "Paddock Club Diaries" make a return and this was Day 1 ( Friday ) from the 2019 Canadian GP.

The Race Passes for the Weekend :

McLaren Racing F1 Team were staying at the same hotel and it was nice to meet Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr.

Lando Norris! 

Carlos Sainz Jr.!

The Race Passes were made available trackside from Thursday and picking these up on Friday Morning was a bad bad decision. The pickup location was pretty poor and a good 20 minute shuttle bus ride away from the Casino entry point, the place of entry for Paddock Club Guests. This is something they must have a relook at.

Enroute to the Circuit :

The Circuit is on an island and the only way to get to the Paddock Area is via a boat! Now that is one way to arrive!

The F1 Experiences Suite at the Race :

The View from the Suite :

The traffic problems, time spent to collect passes and head to the Paddock meant that I missed the start of Free Practice 1.

Shots from Free Practice 1 :

Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team during FP1 :

VSC deployed after an incident on Track

Cars returning to the Pit Lane until the Track gets clear again :

The cars go back out again :

Haas F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

Renault Sport F1 Team Pit Stop Practice ( Video Link ) :

Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team back ontrack :

Chequered Flag to bring an end to FP1 :

Cars returning to the Pits :

Lewis Hamilton was fastest in FP1 from Valtteri Bottas and Charles LeClerc. Kimi Raikkonen was P6 and Antonio Giovinazzi P14 for Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team.

The Paddock in unwind after FP1 as Track is prepared for the Ferrari Challenge Cars :

Esteban Gutierrez, test driver for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team!

It was also time to head downstairs for the Pitlane Walk of the Day :

The Pit Lane Walk :

Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team Garage :

Some Selfies with the GoPro Hero 7 Black :

The Pit Lane walk ended and we made our way back to the Paddock Club :

Lunch is Served :

Free Practice 2 followed shortly after. Charles LeClerc was the fastest from Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas. Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi were P16 and P18 respectively.

Shots from Free Practice 2 :

Renault Sport F1 Team Pit Stop ( Video Link ) :

Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Team during FP2 :

Chequered Flag!

Time for the Boys to return to the Pits :

One of my friends was the Physio & Trainer for one of the Drivers in Ferrari Challenge ( Ferrari Club Miami ) and I decided to head across the lake to say a quick hello. It was a nice feeling to have the whole boat to myself! These Boats would ferry guests from the Paddock Club entrance to the Support Race Paddock and back.

The Ferrari Challenge Cars heading down to the track for their Qualifying Session :

Video Link :

The Support Race Paddock :

The last activity of the day for the Paddock Club Guests was the much awaited Paddock Club Track Truck Tour! The Guests board 2 trucks which take them for a lap around the track accompanied by a Paddock Club Host and a Professional Racer ( here an ex-GP2 driver ). 

The Track Truck Tour! 

Shots with the Samsung Note 9 :

Selfie time!

That was an amazing Track Truck Tour!

Video Link of the Entire Truck Tour ( Apologies for the shaky video ) :

It was now time to say goodbye to the Paddock Club and head back to the parking. However I decided to stop for sometime outside the Paddock Gates and surely enough, I met a couple of the drivers!

Charles LeClerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :