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Posts for Tag: German GP

The F1 Travel Guide : Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Germany

The German Grand Prix was a regular feature on the F1 Calendar and produced some memorable races. The track where this race was hosted alternated between the legendary Nurburgring and Hockenheim circuits. Nurburgring couldn't host more events post 2013 ( due to financial woes ) and Hockenheim became the permanent abode for the German Grand Prix ( 2014 onwards ). The country, home to multiple F1 greats, be it drivers or constructors like Mercedes has seen some incredible racing over the years. 

The 2019 German GP was voted as the "Race of the Decade" by the fans! 

However, citing financial issues, the race was sadly taken off the calendar for 2020. The season hasn't kicked off yet due to the Covid-19 pandemic and after the cancellation of many races from this year's calendar, there is a glimmer of hope that this circuit might make an unlikely return. 

I had the honour of attending the 2014 and the 2018 editions. 2014, was my first as a guest of Scuderia Ferrari F1 team while 2018 saw Vettel make an uncharacteristic error and crash out of the lead. Kimi Raikkonen was the saving grace that day after he finished P3 with a very compromised strategy. Who can forget how the heavens opened after the race came to an end!



My experience from the 2018 German Grand Prix :






The Circuit Layout :



Official Website :



Location :

The circuit is located at a short distance from the town of Hockenheim in the Rhine Valley in the Baden-Württemberg region. The circuit is well connected by road ( thanks to the high-speed Autobahns of the country which run into the neighbouring countries as well ), rail ( DB Bahn ) and even air! It is also close to bigger towns like Mannheim and Heidelberg and cities like Frankfurt and Stuttgart! 


Closest Airports :

The Closest Airport is Mannheim City Airport but it is used majorly for Chartered Travel. 

Frankfurt Airport ( FRA ) is the airport of choice for almost all F1 travellers. The busiest airport in Germany caters to a large number of International Carriers bringing in flyers from all habitable continents. It is also the main hub for the National Carrier Lufthansa. Lot of low - cost European carriers offer connections to Frankfurt from major European cities.

Stuttgart Airport ( STR ) is another point of entry, albeit further away and caters to several European and a couple of Asian Carriers.

I chose to fly on Emirates to Frankfurt via Dubai. The 2018 Experience is featured here :




Where to Stay :

Accommodation options in the town of Hockenheim are limited and tend to get sold out early in the year. 

Walldorf is another town which offers a few options and its a 10-minute drive to the circuit. However, most of the hotels are occupied by the teams over the weekend. One can still try and book a room at inflated non-refundable rates and probably meet someone famous from the paddock at one of these properties. 

I chose to stay in Frankfurt during the 2014 race weekend; the commute was good on Friday but come Saturday and Sunday, an early departure ( around 7 pm ) was advisable to make it in time for the morning sessions.

In 2018, I considered staying in the town of Heidelberg, a city well frequented by other tourists as well. However the options there were quite expensive; besides the "touristy" element, a lot of F1 Media and Personnel choose to stay there which explains the inflated pricing and limited availability. Heidelberg is situated on one side of Autobahn 6 while on the other side is the city of Mannheim! 

Mannheim is the third-largest city of the region and one of the important commercial and economic hubs. The accommodation options are many and prices are relatively cheaper than those on offer in Hockenheim or Heidelberg. Mannheim is also the only city which offers direct connections to the circuit via rail ( more on that later ). This is the city of choice for me if I were to make plans in the future. I chose the Radisson Blu which is close to the city centre and also used by the FIA and the Safety car Drivers over the weekend!

The ones who plan to rough it out would be glad to know that the circuit offers some great camping facilities! A lot of fans flock to Hockenheim from all over Europe over the weekend.

More Information is available here :



Circuit Access :

By Road :

The circuit is extremely well connected to various cities of Germany and beyond by their efficient road networks and the Autobahns. The commute from Frankfurt can vary between 60 to 90 minutes ( depending on the traffic over the weekend ). The commute from Mannheim ( via Autobahn 6 ) and Heidelberg ( via Autobahn 5 ) is about 30 minutes. It is best to opt for car hire and buy parking passes over the weekend. There are a couple of taxi drop-off points but they can be a considerable walk if one doesn't opt to use the circuit shuttle. Taxis are sparse on the return journey as well so its advisable to wait longer at the circuit post-race.
This is the only way of a commute if one chooses to stay in Walldorf for the weekend.


By Rail :

DB Bahn is a great way to travel across the country. Major Cities are well connected to the station in Hockenheim. There are circuit shuttles which ply from the station to the circuit, the distance is about 3 km. Commute time from Mannheim to Hockenheim is about 20 minutes, from Heidelberg & Frankfurt is about 45 minutes & 75 minutes respectively. All connections run via Mannheim. 

Tickets can be purchased from https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml


By Air :

Helicopter Transfers are also available for those who wish to fly into the circuit. A lot of the F1 Drivers use this mode for travel.


More information on all these options can be found here :

F1 Village, Fan Zones :

The F1 Village is located behind the Main Grandstand and has a semi-modern feel to it. There are a plethora of merchandising outlets ( the Official F1 Store included ) selling different team merchandise. Outlets selling Michael Schumacher Merchandise are always crowded and there are some unique items on sale at the Official Circuit Merchandise outlet as well. 

The Village is also a hub for off-track activity, be it Simulator Experiences or Fan Q&A sessions or Pit Stop and Reaction Time ( Batak ) Challenges. Food & Beverage options are pretty good with the "Frankfurter" outlets being the most popular. The village is well planned and I never came across the issue of over-crowding on any of the days.

There are smaller merchandising and F&B outlets behind other grandstands as well.


Fan Experiences :

The circuit is home to some of the most passionate fans and the Mercedes Grandstand is one of the star grandstands. It offers some of the best views of the track and its popularity has increased all the more, thanks to the dominance of the Three-Pointed Star in the Turbo Era. 

Friday is an open-access day to most of the grandstands so fans can take in views from different sections of the track! 

3-day Ticket Holders can enjoy a Pit Lane Walk, Driver Autograph Sessions and a Track Walk on Thursdays. There is trackside commentary in English and German.

It is advisable to carry rain gear as torrential rain isn't uncommon. The drainage facilities need to improve though; a lot of the access tunnels and roads got flooded after the race in 2018.

The circuit changed in 2002 and although a part of the old circuit layout is now a forest, it is a nice walk in the woods for race fans.

VIP Guests, Paddock & Paddock Club Guests can avail of Pirelli Hot Laps Experience around this iconic track.

F1 Experiences offers upgrades for standard tickets with experiences such as Guided Track Truck Tour, Guided Paddock Tour, Support Race Paddock Visit, Podium Visit and Photo-op with Race Winning Trophy!

The Hockenheimring Museum is a must-visit for those who love racing history. There are also track days organised for those who wish to hire supercars or bring their own for a round of the track; for those who want to indulge in some racing, there are go-karting facilities in and around Hockenheim!


Hockenheimring has so much history about it and Germany has contributed so much to the world of F1. It is unfortunate to not see this track on the F1 Calendar anymore but I still believe that it might make a return either this year or the next and if it does, then one must draw up plans to be at the legendary German Grand Prix!
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Paddock Club Diaries - 2018 German GP - Day 3

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. 


Paddock Club Diaries - 2018 German GP - Day 2

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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!

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Paddock Club Diaries - 2018 German GP - Day 1

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.

A Gallery of Memories - Part 15

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!

Paddock Club Diaries - German GP 2013 Day 3

Sunday finally arrived. I had 2 wonderful days at the Paddock Club and Sunday would be the icing on the Cake.


Day 3, the day of the Race!


I left early in the morning and still encountered some traffic near the circuit. The Journey though was smooth over all 3 days. KUDOS to the Organisers!



Enroute to the Circuit :


I was in awe of the F1 Village, the only covered facility I have seen so far. One must admit that the Germans are very organised. I spent some more time exploring and buying some merchandise :


The Paddock Club finally opened and the First Surprise of the Day was Mark Webber's appearance in the Red Bull Hospitality Area.

He spoke about the circuit in general and events that led him to believe that the time was right to retire from the sport and explore other endeavours


The Motorhomes on Sunday Morning :


The Paddock Club on Sunday Morning :


Tyres being Readied for Battle ( although Wets would not be used ) :


Valtteri Bottas made an appearance in the Williams Hospitality :


The Lotus Guests were soon joined by Romain Grosjean who was in a cheerful mood as usual :


A Moment with Romain :


The First Race of the Day was the Porsche Super Cup :


Lunch was fairly early in the afternoon to make time for the only Pit Lane Walk on Sunday :

Starters :


Main Course :


After a hearty meal, it was time to burn some calories and watch the teams prepare ( up-close ) for the Grand Prix.


Shots from the Lotus F1 Team Garage :


I returned from the Pit Lane Walk and was in for a pleasant surprise. The team took me down to the garage to witness all the preparations going on 30 minutes prior to the race start. I was there till Lap 8. I took some photos but cannot share them as they are the ownership of the Lotus F1 Team.

However there is one : Kimi walking to his Lotus E21 on the Grid :


Once I returned to the Paddock, I was shocked to see the unfortunate incident of the Cameraman being hit by a loose wheel from Webber's Car unfold right below me. Thank God he has recovered from the incident and the FIA has taken bigger steps to improve safety within the Pit-Lane.


Shots from the Early Part of the Race :


Kimi pitted early but Romain continued his charge and set a series of Fastest Laps in the lead!


Hamilton became a nuisance for the Early Stoppers but Kimi disposed him off with ease to start his charge towards the Front. Fernando though wasn't so lucky.


Kimi had to play catch-up to bring down the gap :


Jules Bianchi suffered an Engine Failure and had to leave the car in a jiffy. ( Lap 23 ). However a Lap Later the Marussia started rolling backwards onto the Track triggering a safety car situation. This led to a flurry of pit-stops and Kimi was able to negate the 10 sec lead that Vettel had.


The Safety car came in at Lap 30 and Vettel started pulling away slowly. Romain and Kimi kept him in sight but Alonso could not keep up with the Trio.


Nico Hulkenberg pitting :


The Pit Lane Poker at the front started with Romain Grosjean being the first one to pit on Lap 41 :


Hamilton and Rosberg pitted soon after :


Kimi Raikkonen got a free track after Vettel pitted and the fight for the front was a wide-open one.


Kimi finally pitted on Lap 50 to switch to Soft Tyres ( Options ), Alonso followed suit. The Order though at the front remained unchanged.

Kimi on the Option Tyre started catching the duo at front and Alonso too seemed to be joining the party. 

Kimi passed Romain on Lap 55 but not before the latter being informed about the Finn being on the option tyre and the team request to not hold him up ( Championship Contender )

Kimi wasted no time in closing the gap to Vettel and reduce his lead to less than second in the penultimate lap :


Alonso too closed in on Grosjean but the latter held on for a deserved 3rd place. Kimi tried his best but had to settle for 2nd place. Vettel admitted that he was glad that the race ended on Lap 60 and not 61 or 62 else Kimi would have been the sure winner!

The Team Personnel and Fans rush towards the Podium :


The Podium Finishers and a Pensive Kimi :


The Team ensured that all the Paddock Club Guests got a photo opportunity with the Trophies!!


The Team Members with the Trophies!


The Trophies :


The Team Trucks and The Personnel began their work of Dismantling everything :


It was time to say goodbye to the Team after 3 days of being together...


A Big Thank You to Sophie, Luca, Gaby, Anne-Charlotte and James for hosting me and being extremely hospitable and gracious.

A Big Thank You to Oliver Anderson for all the assistance offered. Really missed his presence at Germany.

Finally a Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean for such a rocking weekend and fantastic results.

I hope the team goes from strength to strength from here on!!


Monza, Italy, The Land of the Tifosi is my next stop. The Paddock Club Diaries continue then....

God Bless Everyone!

Paddock Club Diaries - German GP 2013 Day 2

Day 1 at the German GP was a memorable one. Saturday would feature the Saturday Practice and the Qualifying Sessions for F1. Teams would try to get some more clarity about their race pace and more importantly run "Qualifying Simulations" in the Practice.

Enroute to the Circuit ( A different route this time ) :


I started early in the morning but couldn't make it in time for the Team Pit-Stop Practice. The Saturday Practice was pretty early in the morning to give the teams ample time to prepare cars for Qualifying.

Some shots from the Saturday Practice :



The Lotus F1 team going about their job :


Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest in the session, Kimi 6th and Romain 8th Fastest


The Top Bosses from Auden McKenzie shared the table and we were soon joined by the 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill. A healthy discussion was followed by lunch. Meeting the legend all over again was a great feeling  :


Lunch, forgot to click the Main Course in the excitement of meeting someone special ;)


The Lunch also overlaps the 2nd Pit Lane Walk timings. We all rushed to the pitlane to prepare for the arrival of the one and only ICEMAN KIMI RAIKKONEN!!

A quick Meet and Greet event. I was also able to give Kimi the gift I had made for him.

THE ICEMAN COMETH :


Jean-Eric Vergne's Car being wheeled back to the garage post FIA Checks


The Main Grandstand here is a lot closer than other tracks. Helps the Fans to be closer to the action!


It was time for the Qualifying to start! The Session that would decide the Race Grid.

Shots from Q1 :


Lotus F1 Team in Q1 :


Felipe Massa surprised everyone with the Fastest time. Kimi was 2nd and Romain 9th Fastest


Q2 began a few minutes later. The 2nd elimination would separate the Top 10 for the Final shootout in Q3.

Some Shots from Q2 :


Lotus F1 Team in their quest to make it to Q3 :


Felipe Massa was the Fastest again. Kimi was 2nd and Romain 4th Fastest.


Q3 was the final shootout for the Final 10 drivers. I was taken down to the Garage to be with the Team for Q3. However I was able to capture some stills.

The Final 10 minutes was a game of strategy. Everyone wanted to have their final stint as late as possible.

Q3 ended with Lewis Hamilton on top. Kimi made an error in the First sector that denied him a front row start. Kimi was 4th and Romain qualified 5th.

Both had strong qualifying positions and the signs looked good for the race.


We Returned upstairs and were soon informed that Sebastien Vettel was coming to the Red Bull Hospitality Area. I couldn't get too close but managed to capture some canny shots :


Eric Boullier and Alan Permane looking relaxed after the session. So Happy to see both Cheerful!


The New Wheels of the Lotus F1 Team :


It was a memorable Saturday and it was time to return in the evening. The Roads are very scenic. You have to love the Autobahns.


A Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the Hospitality shown and a special thanks to Oliver Anderson too for all the help.


The Events that unfolded on Sunday shall be updated soon. God Bless Everyone!


Paddock Club Diaries - German GP 2013 Day 1

I start a new series today. Its called the "Paddock Club Diaries". I shall be documenting my experiences from the various Paddock Clubs at the Grand Prix I have had the privilege of being at. The Silverstone GP in 2012 was already documented. The Indian GP ( 2012 ) shall be done soon but first I shall be sharing my experience of The Paddock Club of the German GP held at the Nurburgring from 5th July to 7th July 2013. The Circuit is nestled amongst the hills in the Eifel Region and has a great history in Motor-racing. The Circuit's chance of hosting the GP was almost jeopardized but Bernie Ecclestone ensured that this did not happen.


Once again as a guest of the Lotus F1 Team I was able to have the privilege of seeing my favourite driver KIMI RAIKKONEN up-close.

My passes were delivered a day before the GP - Elegant as ever :



All preparations done, it was time to leave for the circuit early in the Morning. Enroute to the circuit :


Nurburgring, Friday Morning :

The Paddock Club wasn't ready for its guests yet but the Pit Lane was open for the Pit Lane Walk and it was time to explore the garages up-close! As a guest of Lotus F1 , I had the privilege of entering their garage!!

The Lotus F1 Mechanics preparing the Cars for Battle :

The Pit Lane Walk lasted 45 minutes and we were then ushered into the Club Suite. The Location of the Suite was perfect and offered fantastic vantage points to view the sessions!!

Before we knew it, the First Friday Practice Session was already upon us! FP1 saw teams tinker with various setups and upgrades to monitor car performance. Some Shots from the FP1 :


The Iceman doing his job!


The Teams monitoring all the data :

Lewis Hamilton was the Fastest in the session, Kimi Raikkonen was 5th and Romain Grosjean 9th.


FP2 was still a couple of hours away so I dug into some sweets


Lunch was served on time and was delicious as always :


We were joined by Davide Valsecchi, the Lotus F1 Reserve Driver post lunch. A Very Humble and Gracious person indeed!

His Departure was soon followed by the 2nd Pit Lane Walk.

The 2nd Pit Lane Walk saw more guests and some teams had a lot more on display :


The Podium and the Safety Car :


Williams F1 were celebrating their 600th GP Weekend. A Big Congratulations to them!


FP2 finally began and I was able to capture some great photos. FP2 is a session that teams utilize to monitor Race Pace. Qualifying Simulations are also run. Some more stills!


Kimi Raikkonen flying again!


Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest in the session, Romain Grosjean was 4th and Kimi Raikkonen 5th.


Finishing my Desserts during FP2 :


FP2 ended and it was time for the GP2 Qualifying Session. The Train of Cars :


The Club Suite. A Fantastic Place to enjoy an F1 Weekend!


The Team Motorhomes from the Paddock Club :


I was also taken down to the Team Garage on 4 occasions. I was able to see the team work up-close during the sessions, the race engineers conversing with their respective pilots and the mechanics making setup changes and doing practice pit-stops. It was an amazing experience! ( Photography forbidden within the Team Garages )


The Paddock Club shut at 6:30 pm and I had some time to explore the F1 Village. This is the First Covered Village I have seen. The arrangements done by the organisers must be commended.


The Journey back to the Hotel :


It was a great day at the Paddock Club, a really memorable one.

A Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the Hospitality. A Big Thank You to Oliver Anderson too for all the help. Really appreciate it!

The Saturday experience shall be coming soon! Watch this Space!!