The Belgian Grand Prix is my favourite race on the F1 Calendar. Travelling to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps feels like a pilgrimage now! The circuit is one of the classic tracks with F1 history galore and is popular amongst drivers and fans. Nestled in the Ardennes forest, Spa's inclement weather and old-school layout ensure that a fan gets his cardio workout!
As always, the experience of a race weekend begins with a post in "A Gallery of Memories" series!
These are memories from the 2024 F1 Belgian GP!!
Nico Hulkenberg, Moneygram Haas F1 Team :
Triple World Champion Max Verstappen, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Formula E Champion, ex F1 Racer and Racing for Peugeot in WEC, Stoffel Vandoorne :
Hollywood Legend Brad Pitt!!
Yuki Tsunoda, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, selfies over two days :
Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Team Trackhouse Racing Team Principal ( MotoGP ), Mr Davide Brivio :
Daniel Ricciardo, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team :
Victor Martins, Alpine Academy F2 Racer :
Sophia Floersch, Alpine Academy and F3 Racer :
Esteban Ocon, Alpine Racing F1 Team :
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team :
Mr John Elkann, Chairman of Ferrari and Fiat :
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Kick Sauber :
Carlos Sainz Jr, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
The hosts of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
As I flew back to Mumbai from Brussels onboard Emirates, I spotted what seemed to be a legendary footballer from the yesteryears in the First Class Lounge. I wasn't mistaken!
Meeting Brazilian Football Legend, also a legend for FC Barcelona and AC Milan, Ronaldinho!!
Although the weather played spoiled sport on Saturday, it was great to capture selfies with some from the Motorsport Fraternity. A Big Thank you to the hosts of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team who entertained me over the weekend.
The Paddock Club Diaries follows shortly after, and this might be the last post for "A Gallery of Memories" in 2024.
2015 was the first time that I had the privilege of attending the F1 Austrian Grand Prix. Although it was a long trip to the circuit from Graz ( the closest city ), the location of the track in the hills of Styria was so beautiful. The Red Bull Ring as its called, became one of the most picturesque tracks on the calendar for me and I always wanted to re-visit this beautiful venue.
Finally, after a gap of 9 years, the opportunity presented itself and I simply couldn't miss being here at this iconic track. Along with the Austrian GP, I also had the chance of attending the Euros in Germany!
As always, the first post from the race weekend features moments I made with some who are part of the Motorsports Fraternity and some who are famous in their respective walks of life!
This is the latest post from "A Gallery of Memories" Series!
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!
Another F1 Legend, Juan Pablo Montoya :
Mohan Ritson, a British-Indian ADAC GT4 Racer who is also an expert host in the F1 Paddock Club :
Former F1 World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi :
Lance Stroll, Aramco Aston Martin Racing F1 Team :
Mike Krack, Team Principal, Aston Martin Racing F1 Team :
Liam Lawson, Reserved Driver for Red Bull Racing :
Alexander Albon, Williams Racing F1 Team :
Nicolas Todt, Charles Leclerc's Driver Manager :
Alexander Wurz, former F1 Driver and now a race steward :
Daniel Ricciardo, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team :
1997 F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve :
Former F1 Driver Roberto Merhi :
Upcoming Formula 2 sensation and McLaren Academy Driver Gabriel Bortoleto :
Rally Racer Christine GZ :
Hans Zimmer, the legendary Score Composer and Music Composer :
Yuki Tsunoda, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team :
Pierre Gasly, Alpine F1 Team :
Carlos Sainz Jr, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
A moment with friends from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
Meeting Mr. Hans Zimmer was the hallmark of this trip! A big thank you to the hosts of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team who helped me experience these amazing moments! The Friday, Saturday and Sunday Experiences from the Austrian GP follow shortly after!
2023 was a special year for me, motorsports-wise. Besides my travels to F1 Races ( Spain & Belgium ), I had the opportunity to attend the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. However, What was more amazing was seeing racing return to my homeland in September 2023.
India ( now Bharat ) hosted its first-ever MotoGP race at the Buddh International Circuit from 22nd to 24th September. The purpose-built racetrack returned to hosting an international motorsports event for the first time since 2013. MotoGP, the pinnacle of racing on two wheels, was my first exposure to motorsport in the late 1990s. Back then, the exploits of Mick Doohan made me a Repsol Honda fan and ever since I have been following their performances avidly.
Attending a MotoGP event was always on my wishlist and when the opportunity to attend the inaugural edition of the Bharat GP presented itself, I simply couldn't refuse. The icing on the cake was that I got invited to the weekend as a guest of Repsol Honda!
As always, the first post from the experience documents all the known motorsport fraternity from the world of MotoGP.
So here goes!
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 :
Stefan Bradl, LCR Honda :
Mr Julia Marquez, the Father of the Marquez brothers :
Marc Marquez!! Massive Fan moment for a Repsol Honda loyalist :
Fabio Di Giannantonio, Gresini Ducati Racing :
Sam Lowes, Marc VDS Racing, Moto2 :
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 :
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 :
Darryn Binder, Husqvarna Intact GP, Moto2 :
Raul Fernandez, RNF Aprilia MotoGP :
Razlan Razali, Team Principal, RNF Aprilia MotoGP :
Jaume Masia, Leopard Racing, Moto3 :
Aleix Espargaro, Aprilia Racing, MotoGP :
Johann Zarco, Pramac Racing, MotoGP :
Mr Paolo Simoncelli, Team Owner, Sic58 Squadra Corsa :
Jake Dixon, Gas Gas Aspar Team, Moto2 :
Ana Carrasco, Boe Motorsports, Moto3 :
David Munoz, Boe Motorpsorts, Moto3 :
David Alonso, Gas Gas Aspar Team, Moto3 :
Franco Morbidelli, Monster Energy Yamaha, MotoGP :
Simon Crafar, former racer & Ace Commentator :
Jose Luis Martinez, Assistant & Best Friend to Marc Marquez :
Pablo Nieto, Team Manager, Mooney VR46 Team, MotoGP :
Joe Roberts, Italtrans Racing Team, Moto2 :
Dennis Foggia, Italtrans Racing Team, Moto2 :
Piero Taramasso, Michelin Motorsports Wheel Manager, It is Such a pleasure to meet him :
It was truly a special experience and a blessing to be at the inaugural edition of MotoGP of Bharat. A big thank you to Repsol Honda Racing for being kind enough to extend invites to my friend and me for the weekend. The Friday, Saturday and Sunday experiences will follow soon, so watch this space!
The Belgian Grand Prix held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is my favourite race on the F1 calendar. Every year, I make an effort to be present at the Grand Prix and a trip to this beautiful circuit in the Ardennes has become like an annual pilgrimage. The 2023 Belgian Grand Prix was the second F1 race that I attended in the year.
As always, I kickstart my experience from the weekend with "A Gallery of Memories" post, where I share my memories with all the famous and well-known people from the motorsport world and beyond!
Davide Brivio, ex-Yamaha, ex-Suzuki in MotoGP and Racing Director in Alpine Racing F1 Team :
Pierre Gasly, Alpine Racing F1 Team :
Alexander Albon, Williams Racing F1 Team :
Reigning World Champion, now a Triple World Champion, Max Verstappen, who races for Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
Beat Zehnder, Sporting Director, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :
1983 Cricket World Cup Winner, Indian Cricket Legend and now an ace commentator, Ravi Shastri :
Liam Lawson, Reserve Driver for Red Bull Racing F1 :
Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :
Tom Kristensen, WEC Champion & Record winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans :
Jakey Benham, Dani Bereznay, Jarno Opmeer & Marcel Kiefer, Sim racers for Mercedes F1 E-Sports Team :
Esteban Ocon, Alpine F1 Team :
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake :
Sophia Floersch, Van Amersfoort Racing, Formula 3 :
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team :
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team :
Jerome d'Ambrosio, Development Driver at Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :
Jason Cozzetto, one of the senior mechanics at Alpine F1 Team :
Friends and mechanics from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team!
Pietro Fittipaldi, Reserve Driver for Moneygram Haas F1 Team :
Mr Fritz van Amersfoort, the founder, Team Principal & F3 Team Manager for Van Amersfoort Racing :
Nico Hulkenberg, Moneygram Haas F1 Team :
Papa Perez! Mr Antonio Perez Garibay :
Hannah Schmitz, Principal Strategy Engineer for Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
Diego Ioverno, Sporting Director at Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
Jack Doohan! It is always a pleasure to meet him, he is a thorough gentleman & an even better racer :
Mohammed Bin Sulayem, former Rally Driver and Current President of the FIA :
Some dear friends from Belgium, such a blessing to know them!
The Hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club, such amazing moments with them, so gracious and welcoming as always :
Jamie Chadwick, development driver at Williams Racing F1 Team & the triple-world champion in the now defunct W Series :
Daniel Ricciardo, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :
Timo Glock, ex-F1 Driver and now a commentator for German TV :
Carlos Sainz Jr, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
An eventful and inclement weather-filled weekend!
A big thank you to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team and the hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club for having me over the weekend.
Although this was the last post of "A Gallery of Memories" from an F1 weekend, there remains a surprise, from a new event that I had the opportunity of attending in 2023. More on that later, so watch this space!
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a test of endurance. The hallmark event of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Le Mans is a motorsport event like no other. Man and machinery get tested to the hilt and finishing the race remains an achievement in itself.
My friend and I had decided to soldier on and stay awake for the entire duration of the race and as we headed into Sunday and the critical hours of the morning, our eyes began to feel heavy & we began to get drowsy.
The only way to beat this lethargy was to do some activity and we decided to head to Casa Ferrari from the Paddock and watch the racers and their rides navigate through the circuit at night!
Driving through the night, relentless endurance displayed by the drivers and the teams :
The AF Corse Ferrari Hypercars operating in tandem :
After an hour, we decided to head back to the Paddock again and this time, we took a different route.
The Ferris Wheel was fully illuminated as we walked back to the Paddock :
Once we made our way back to the Paddock, we took a short stop outside the Porsche Hospitality. The Hospitality had a large screen outside with the race feed being relayed live.
Incidentally, the broadcaster was showing onboard footage from Car Number 51, a lap around Circuit de la Sarthe!
Onboard with Ferrari Hypercar 51, for almost a lap ( Video Link ) :
As we headed back to the Ferrari hospitality, we got invited to spend some time in the garage. As the only guests present with the team overnight, we had the liberty and the luxury to spend as much time as we wanted, to see the team perform up close!
Spending a couple of hours in the garage was a special experience. The views from the box were amazing. The Pit crew tried to get some rest, as and when the opportunity arose.
After we exited the garage, we went up the stairs to the highest level of the Pits building. The views rivalled that of the Pit Grandstand, and we could see the cars go full throttle down the start-finish straight!
Some Stills from the highest viewing gallery above the Pits Hospitality :
The drivers continue driving as the dawn breaks :
The Ferrari Hypercars racing in the early hours of Sunday morning :
Video Link of the drivers racing with dawn arriving :
The light kept improving as dawn approached and we were slowly feeling hungry again!
Dawn breaks over the circuit :
Breakfast in the Hospitality, always been a fan of Lotus Biscoff! Healthy grub is always available in the Ferrari Hospitality, after all they are catering to the drivers and the team personnel!
As the morning hours crept in on us, people started returning to the paddock from their overnight slumbers.
The light improves as the Paddock begins to become a busy place again :
We decided to head to Casa Ferrari and enjoy the early morning views of the track from the penultimate corner, along with some more indulgent breakfast treats!
Some breakfast treats at Casa Ferrari :
The cars navigating through the penultimate chicane, on a glorious Sunday morning :
The AF Corse Ferraris soldiering on. Car number 51 was in contention for victory :
The guests of Casa Ferrari had the opportunity to watch the action from other parts of the circuit at appointed times. We too enrolled for one such tour and this tour took us to Hunaudieres, a high-speed section followed by an S-chicane that opened up to the legendary Mulsanne Straight!
Shots of the cars through the high-speed Hunaudieres-Mulsanne section :
After we returned from Hunaudieres, we decided to head to Casa Ferrari for the final time. Car Number 51 was leading the race and we hoped to be in the garage for the celebrations.
Walking from the Paddock to Casa Ferrari for the final time on the weekend :
En route, I met an ex-F1 Driver!
Will Stevens, Hertz Team Jota, Hypercar :
Grabbing some stills for the final time from Casa Ferrari!
Back in the hospitality, and lunch was ready!
A quick lunch but a tense one too!
Car Number 51 had been leading from the Toyota Car Number 8 comfortably. The final pit-stop was completed but an electrical shutdown ( due to a malfunctioning steering ) caused number 51 to stall in the pits. With Alessandro Pier Guidi frantically trying to re-activate all systems, all of us in the hospitality were reciting our prayers and gasping with fear. Finally, the car roared back to life and the Italian emerged from the pits, still in the lead, but the gap truncated considerably. Thankfully, that was the last stop and we hoped for no more hiccups in the final hours of racing.
As the clock ran down, we headed to the garage to get ready for the celebrations ( once car number 51 took the chequered flag of course ).
The agonizing wait!
Finally, Victory!! There were jubilant celebrations, tears of joy, hugs and ecstasy as we celebrated this victory for Ferrari AF Corse, on Debut!!
It was time for the drive of honour through the pit lane for the winners of the Centenary Edition of Le Mans.
We lined up on both sides of the pit lane to get a good view of the winners :
Getting a glimpse of the Le Mans winners as they drive through the pit lane!
Drive of Honour through the Pits ( Video Link ) :
Like in F1, we then ran towards the Podium for the celebrations!
As we waited for the podium finishers to come onto the stage, Charles Leclerc got invited for a quick interview.
Charles Leclerc talks about attending the race and his experience as a spectator. The Monegasque expressed his desire to race in the future :
Video Link of the Interview :
The podium finishers from the Hypercar Category make it to the podium :
2nd and 3rd Place Finishers ( Video Link ) :
Winners of the Centenary Edition of Le Mans ( Video Link ) :
The trophy and wreath presentations begin :
Ferrari AF Corse car number 51 finished ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing car number 8 and Cadillac Racing car number 2.
Well done to James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi ( Ferrari AF Corse ), Sebastien Buemi, Brendan Hartley, Ryu Hirakawa ( Toyota Gazoo ) & Earl Bamber, Richard Westbrook, Alex Lynn ( Cadillac Racing ) for finishing on the podium!
The winners of the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, AF Corse Car Number 51 :
Trophy Presentation & Podium Celebrations ( Video Link ) :
Walking back to the Hospitality after the Podium celebrations :
Time to add 2023 to the list of victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ferrari AF Corse :
The team personnel brought the constructor trophy to the hospitality.
The Winning Constructor Trophy :
This got shortly followed by the drivers of Car Number 51 - James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi, who took the Chequered Flag at the end.
The drivers of Car Number 51, returning to the Hospitality amidst some applause!
Video Link :
Signatures of all 6 Ferrari Hypercar drivers, mission accomplished!
My friends bid adieu as they had a train and plane to catch! I decided to loiter around the Paddock for one last time!
As I made one final round of the Paddock, I had the opportunity of meeting two more drivers!
Neel Jani, former Le Mans Winner & P3 in LMP2 this year with Oreca-07 Gibson :
Sebastien Buemi, Great P2 for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the Hypercar Category :
Having said my farewells to Ferrari, I headed back to the tram station, via the same entrance that I had come through the previous day.
The circuit and the fan zones bear a deserted look a few hours after the race finished. It was a long walk back to the tram station, but also a memorable one, as I bid goodbye to this iconic circuit.
The sun sets over the town of Le Mans. What an end to a beautiful weekend!
I have also compiled a Vlog on my YouTube Channel about my Sunday Experience.
Video Link :
This was a special special weekend for me, personally. As an ardent motorsports fan, attending the 24 Hours of Le Mans was on my bucket list for quite some time, and what better way than to attend the Centenary Edition and see the Ferrari AF Corse Hypercar win on debut!
A big thank you to the team for the amazing hospitality over the weekend, and for an all-access experience that allowed me to enjoy all that this event had to offer!
It was great to have my friend Raul and his son for company the entire weekend and as guests of Antonio Giovinazzi, we got treated like Royalty.
Always thankful to God, truly blessed! Motorsport Weekends will return, from another event in 2023 that I had the privilege of attending, so watch this space!
Friday at the 24 Hours of Le Mans was quite a memorable one as we enjoyed meeting a host of drivers at the city parade, but what made it even more special was to meet F1 team personnel from past & present who had congregated to the town of Le Mans to enjoy their bit of endurance racing!
We met personnel from Cosworth, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1, Ford and so many others in the trams, in the cafes and even in the bars! To rub shoulders with these heroes & hear their stories, no holds barred, made the trip worth it.
Eventually, we headed to bed to prepare ourselves for the marathon that beckoned us on Saturday.
Saturday morning arrived sooner than we expected and our day began at 7 am. After some coffee and croissants for breakfast, we headed out to the circuit, prepped and ready for the 24 hours of endurance!
Leaving for the circuit and taking the tram, which turned out to be a convenient conveyance :
Welcome to Circuit de la Sarthe! It was a 30-minute walk to the paddock from this entrance but it was well worth it!
Walking towards the paddock, also getting a chance to walk on the track tarmac ( which wasn't being used for the weekend of course) :
En route, we got to explore various fan experiences and stations erected by the organizers for the weekend!
The Manufacturers Village, an area consisting of makeshift pavilions created by the manufacturers competing in the WEC Championship :
NASCAR, Garage 56 featuring the winning team Hendrick Motorsports had a special entry at the Centenary Race of Le Mans, and was the star attraction in the Village :
The list of winners and our walk to the Paddock continued :
Finally, we reached where we needed to be!
The Ferrari Hospitality in the Paddock is quite a big area!
Lunch was almost ready and famished as we were, we went full send!
Post-lunch, I couldn't stop myself from running over and meeting some Ferrari superstars!
A moment with Pole Sitter Antonio Fuoco, Ferrari AF-Corse, Hypercar :
Exploring the vicinity of the Ferrari Hospitality and taking selfies too!
As the race start time neared, we had the opportunity to get onto the Grid! It would be my first grid walk ever and I wanted to enjoy every minute of it. We made our way to the grid through the garage and then the pit lane.
Helmets and gear are ready for the big race ahead!
Ferrari had a special guest for the weekend, Charles Leclerc! It was such an amazing feeling to see him up close and in a relaxed mood, not having to race but enjoying one as a spectator instead!
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
Walking through the pit lane as we make our way to the grid!
Moments on the actual tarmac, oh what a feeling!
Selfies on the Grid!
The grid walk is a busy place to be, and navigating through the crowd was an issue :
Cars from the grid walk, shot with the Sony RX10 IV :
Shots of the cars from the grid walk, taken with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra :
Some stills of the Ferrari Hypercars on the grid! The Ferraris secured a front-row lockout!
We made our way back to the Paddock and then decided to rush over to Casa Ferrari, the team hospitality at the penultimate turn to witness the race start.
The stands and balconies of various hospitality buildings were full as the fans waited for the Centenary Race to begin!
The Centenary Race is a go & we already got a Safety Car on the Opening Lap!
Video Link to the Race Start :
Video Link to the Safety Car Deployed :
Race Restart ( Shot with the Sony RX10 IV ) ( Video Link ) :
Video with the Samsung S23 Ultra :
Shots of the cars navigating the Ford Chicane while a Cadillac Hypercar has front body damage and enters the pits :
The Ferraris navigating the last corner of the circuit :
Video Link of the cars battling it out!
Some of the Shots of Casa Ferrari :
Pizza and Ice cream anyone?
A couple of hours into the race, we decided to walk back to the Paddock and relax in the Hospitality building.
We entered the building and I met a close friend of Kimi Raikkonen!
Le Mans winner and a close ally of Ferrari, Toni Vilander :
Enjoying some evening snacks on offer inside the Ferrari Paddock Hospitality :
Nice to see the signatures of all the personnel on some of the bodywork of the Ferrari Hypercar!
The hospitality was abuzz with activity as the drivers of the cars were either returning from their stint or getting ready for one. I had the privilege of meeting Nicklas after his opening stint in Car No. 50
WEC Champion and Driver for Car No. 50 for Ferrari - AF Corse, Nicklas Nielsen!
The sun hadn't set yet ( European Summers ) but it was time for dinner already!
Time for some dinner, healthy again!
Post dinner, we decided to head back to Casa Ferrari to enjoy the racing at night and also capture some memories of these beautiful racing cars.
Shots of the Paddock at night, as we make our way to Casa Ferrari :
A fireworks display to celebrate the Centenary Race of the 24 Hours of Le Mans :
The Fireworks Display ( Video Link ) :
Shots from Casa Ferrari, the cars and the drivers epitomizing endurance racing, as they battle all odds to race to supremacy, through the night!
The Ferrari 499P Hypercar relentlessly competing in the darkness :
The Safety Cars being put through their paces throughout the night :
Racing through the night ( Video Link ) :
Enjoying some Pasta, a midnight binge indeed!
We then walked back to the Paddock to spend some time and relax in the Ferrari Hospitality.
More than half the distance and still going strong!
It had been a hectic Saturday which began early morning and tested the endurance and resolve of both our body and mind. Despite the inclement weather and the walking from the Paddock to Casa Ferrari and back, we were still feeling fresh and soldiered on into Sunday.
I also did a two-part Vlog Series about our Saturday Experience at the Circuit!
Part 1 :
Part 2 :
The Sunday Experience follows soon, but first, a big thank you to Ferrari for their Hospitality on Saturdayand for giving us all-access to experience the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A truly special weekend was going to become even more special!
In the world of Motorsport, there is a term called "The Triple Crown". The title gets awarded to the racer that wins the Indy 500, Monaco Grand Prix ( F1 ) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The three events pan three different racing classes. Many a racer has striven, but only Graham Hill accomplished this feat.
Although I have been an avid follower of Formula 1, there was always something appealing about the World Endurance Championship. Over the years, I slowly understood different aspects of this series and began following its hallmark event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans with enthusiasm. A true test of grit and endurance, watching a race non-stop for 24 hours was impossible, let alone seeing it live.
However, during the 2022 edition, I discovered that Le Mans would be having its Centenary Grand Prix in 2023! I decided to leave no stone unturned to be present for this special edition! 2023 was also the debut season for Ferrari in the Hypercar category and the Italian marquee roped in the services of Antonio Giovinazzi as one of its six drivers lineup for the season.
With the pieces falling into place, I finally had an invite to be Giovinazzi's guest at the 24 Hours of Le Mans! After a lot of meticulous planning, which would see me attend the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix before the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I finally had my itinerary ready for this Motorsport-filled trip to Europe!
My friends Raul Martinez & his son Raul Jr were the partners in crime as we embarked on a mission to stay awake for the full 24 hours!
So how did the weekend pan out? Was the schedule similar to that of F1? Motorsport Weekends, a new series on my blog, begins right here, right now!
The WEC Championship has practice sessions and qualifyingsessions on Thursdays. Friday is reserved for support races and the Driver Parade through the city of Le Mans. Unlike F1, WEC has the parade through the city centre of the host city and the town gets decked up as if it's for a carnival!
We were yet to receive our race passes for the weekend and had a late start to the Friday. Nevertheless, we decided on a reconnaissance trip to the circuit to work out our commute options for the rest of the weekend! The easiest way, to and fro, was the tram!
Enroute to the Circuit :
Circuit de la Sarthe is the home to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
We got to the circuit and walked around the periphery.
The entrance to the circuit and seeing some safety cars driving around the outskirts :
Soon enough, it was time to head back to the city to make it in time for the Drivers' Parade.
Walking to the starting point of the Drivers' Parade :
After a little wait, we finally got our passes!
The Race Passes for the weekend :
The square from where the Drivers' Parade commences :
There was a band that was playing some melodious tunes as they walked around the Parade Square.
Video Link :
As we made our way to the Parade Square entrance, I got a chance to bump into some of the contenders from the weekend!
Alex Lynn, Cadillac Racing, Hypercar :
Daniil Kvyat, Prema Racing, LMP2 :
Robin Frijns & Sean Gelael, Team WRT, LMP2 :
Alessandro Pier Guidi & Antonio Giovinazzi, Ferrari-AF Corse, Hypercar!
James Calado, Ferrari-AF Corse, Hypercar :
Jean-Eric Vergne, Peugeot, 9X8, Hypercar :
The drivers start heading out for the parade :
Some beauties, from the yesteryears and now!
Antonio Felix da Costa, Hertz Team JOTA, Hypercar :
Jack Aitken, Cadillac Action Express Racing, Hypercar :
Kamui Kobayashi & Mike Conway, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hypercar :
Jose Maria Lopez, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hypercar :
Jimmie Johnson, 7-time NASCAR Champion racing with a Camaro ZL1, Innovative Car Category :
Scott Dixon & Sebastien Bourdais, Cadillac Racing, Hypercar :
Alexander Sims, Cadillac Action Express Racing, Hypercar :
Olli Caldwell, Memo Rojas & Andre Negrao, Alpine Elf Team, LMP2 :
Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Iron Dames, 911 RSR, LMGTE AM :
Felipe Nasr, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Hypercar :
Dane Cameron & Michael Christensen, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Hypercar :
Laurens Vanthoor & Kevin Estre, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Hypercar :
With almost all the drivers leaving the square, I followed the Parade Path till the end of the Parade route!
Walking along the Parade path until the end of the parade itself :
Meeting the drivers wasn't the only special part of the weekend. We had the privilege of hanging out with some iconic mechanics who were associated with the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team and Cosworth! The experience was simply elevated to another level!
I also created a Friday Experience Vlog on my YouTube channel that does a much better job of showcasing this weekend!
Video Link :
Although we didn't get to witness any on-track action, it had been a memorable opening day at the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans! A Big Thank you to Ferrari for giving us an indescribable experience!
More to follow from the WEC Weekend, so watch this space!
2023 has been an eventful year with motorsport events outside the world of F1 getting checked on my wishlist.
While the 2023 Spanish GP was my first F1 race of the season, I also had the opportunity to attend the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans!
Ever since I realized that Circuit de la Sarthe would complete 100 years of hosting the biggest event of the World Endurance Championship, I drew up plans to attend the event and it was a dream fulfilled!
Like any other weekend experience, the first post features meeting drivers and personnel from the racing series. Interestingly this is the 24th post in the Gallery of Memories series!
I met most of the drivers during the driver parade through the city on Friday and the rest over the race weekend.
Welcome to the latest edition of "A Gallery of Memories"!
Alex Lynn, Cadillac Racing, Hypercar :
Daniil Kvyat, Prema Racing, LMP2 :
Robin Frijns & Sean Gelael, Team WRT, LMP2 :
Alessandro Pier Guidi & Antonio Giovinazzi, Ferrari-AF Corse, Hypercar!
James Calado, Ferrari-AF Corse, Hypercar :
Jean-Eric Vergne, Peugeot, 9X8, Hypercar :
Antonio Felix da Costa, Hertz Team JOTA, Hypercar :
Jack Aitken, Cadillac Action Express Racing, Hypercar :
Kamui Kobayashi & Mike Conway, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hypercar :
Jose Maria Lopez, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hypercar :
Jimmie Johnson, 7-time NASCAR Champion racing with a Camaro ZL1, Innovative Car Category :
Scott Dixon & Sebastien Bourdais, Cadillac Racing, Hypercar :
Alexander Sims, Cadillac Action Express Racing, Hypercar :
Olli Caldwell, Memo Rojas & Andre Negrao, Alpine Elf Team, LMP2 :
Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Iron Dames, 911 RSR, LMGTE AM :
The First Race I had the privilege of attending in 2023 was the 2023 F1 Spanish Grand Prix. The trip to Spain was part of a rollercoaster tour across three countries in Europe where I had the blessing of attending 2 Motorsports events, back-to-back!
While this was my third visit to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the Spanish GP didn't fail in giving me memories to last a lifetime, again!
So here starts the latest post in the Gallery of Memories series!
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 :
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 :
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :
2016 F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg!
Ex-F1 Driver and Dakar Legend, Carlos Sainz Sr :
Mr Peter Sauber, the man who was instrumental in bringing some iconic drivers into the sport with his team Sauber F1 :
Spanish Racer Carmen Jorda :
F1 Academy Driver and an Expert Host in the Paddock Club, Nerea Marti :
Kristaps Porzingis, Latvian & Boston Celtics Basketball Player :
Portuguese and Chelsea FC Footballer, Joao Felix!
Chelsea FC and English Footballer, Mason Mount :
Portuguese and Benfica FC Footballer Hugo Felix :
Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing F1 Team :
World Number 3 in Tennis, Daniil Medvedev :
Serge Gnabry, Bayern Munich FC and German Footballer :
Kevin Magnussen, Moneygram Haas F1 Team :
Mick Schumacher, Reserve Driver for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :
Chelsea FC and England Footballer Ben Chilwell :
Martin Whitmarsh, Aston Martin Group CEO & a man who accomplished so much in the 2000s with McLaren Mercedes :
Ex-F1 Driver and 2012 Spanish GP Winner Pastor Maldonado :
George Russell, Mercedes Petronas AMG F1 Team :
Arthur Leclerc, F2 Driver for DAMS Racing and Charles Leclerc's brother :
Frederic Vasseur, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :
Mark Webber, Multi-race winner in F1 and a WEC Champion :
Nice to meet Billy Monger :
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
SHAKIRA!! No Introduction is needed!
Patrick Kluivert, Dutch Footballer who played for FC Barcelona :
Randy Mamola, a Moto GP Legend. Such an amazing man to talk to about racing in general :
Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing Reserve Driver :
Andreas Seidl, Sauber Motorsports CEO :
David Coulthard, an F1 legend and currently a commentator & Red Bull Racing Ambassador :
Christian Horner, Team Principal, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Extreme E and Rally Racer Christine GZ :
Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo Stake F1 Team :
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Trackside Engineering Director :
Peter Bonnington, the man who says those famous words as his race engineer - "Ok Lewis, it's Hammer time!"
An eventful and hectic weekend indeed. The F1 Race Weekend got soon followed by a weekend at Le Mans, which was also the centenary event of the 24 Hours of Le Mans! Updates from that weekend to follow soon!
A big thank you to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend. The Gallery of Memories returns soon, with updates from the 24 Hours of Le Mans!
The 2022 Belgian Grand Prix was the 2nd race in the 2022 F1 Calendar that I had the privilege of attending, as a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team.
The Belgian Grand Prix is my favourite race on the calendar and this was my 5th visit to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. To kickstart documenting my Belgian GP experience, here is the latest addition to the "Gallery of Memories" series.
Mika Hakkinen, Double F1 World Champion :
with Jehan Daruvala, Prema Racing F2 Driver :
F2 Driver for Carlin and Williams Racing Academy, Logan Sargeant :
Juri Vips and Liam Lawson! What an amazing duo this is!
Meeting Juan Manuel Correa, who fought all odds to return to a full-time racing seat, following the accident in Spa 2019 :
Robert Schwartzman, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Development Driver :
McLaren CEO, Zak Brown :
Felipe Drugovich, who went on to become the Formula 2 Champion :
Arthur Leclerc, Prema Racing and Charles Leclerc's younger brother :
Emerson Fittipaldi, Double World Champion and a legend of F1 :
Caio Collet, MP Motorsport F3 Driver and Alpine Driver Academy :
Theo Pourchaire, Sauber Driver Academy and ART Grand Prix Formula 2 Driver :
So happy to see Tatiana Calderon back in F2 at Charouz Racing :
Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal :
Mick Doohan, 5 time Moto GP World Champion, again!
To have a personalized signature of my Motorsport hero, what a humbling moment :
Meeting Jack Doohan, his son, who finished P2 in the Sprint Race :
Stoffel Vandoorne, Reigning Formula E World Champion :
Nyck De Vries, reserve driver for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :
James Vowles, Chief Strategist, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :
Jost Capito, CEO and Team Principal, Williams Racing F1 Team :
Frederic Vasseur, MD, CEO and Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team :
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team :
Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal, Alpine Racing F1 Team :
Lando Norris, McLaren Racing F1 Driver :
Peter Bonnington, famously known as Bono, Lewis Hamilton's Race Engineer :
Jacky Ickx, an F1 legend and six-time Le Mans winner :
Bernd Maylander, Formula 1 Safety Car Driver :
Paul di Resta, Ex-F1 Driver and Sky Sports F1 Presenter :
Belgian and Manchester City footballer Kevin de Bruyne :
Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal :
Mats Hummels, Germany and Borussia Dortmund Football Team, my favourite centre-back:
Nicholas Latifi, Williams Racing F1 Team :
Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen Team :
Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia Alpha Tauri F1 Team :
A silver medalist at rowing in the Olympics and Daniel Ricciardo's Race Engineer, Tom Stallard :
A selfie, well not really, with the reigning World Champion Max Verstappen :
Esteban Ocon, Alpine Racing F1 Team :
Sergio Perez, Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team :
Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren F1 Team :
Fernando Alonso, Double World Champion, Alpine Racing F1 Team :
Mara Sangiorgio and Federica Masolin, journalists from Sky Sports F1 Italia :
The Hosts at Ferrari F1 Club always do a fantastic job of entertaining guests over the weekend :
A big thank you to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for hosting me over the weekend and helping me forge memories that will last me over my lifetime. Thank you to Edge Global Events for organising the race passes and giving me a seamless experience leading up to the weekend.
The Paddock Club Diaries follow soon, so watch this space!
