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

Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India F1 Team :

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

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

KIMI RAIKKONEN!! The weekend is made!

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

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

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

Mika Salo, now a FIA Steward :

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing F1 Team Principal :

Paddy Lowe of Williams Martini F1 Racing Team :

Callum Illot, Scuderia Ferrari Academy Driver in GP3 :

Jean Alesi, ex Ferrari F1 Driver :

Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren Renault F1 Team :

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

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

Tadsuke Makino, Russian Time F2 Driver :

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team :

Antii Kontsas, Sebastian Vettel's Physio and Trainer :

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

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing Team :

Pierre Gasly, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Charles LeClerc, Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team :

Marcus Ericsson, Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team :

Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team :

Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 Team :

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

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

Sir Franz Tost, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team Principal :

Noemi de Miguel of Movistar F1 :

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

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

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

Enroute to the Circuit :

Croissants for Breakfast!

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

Formula 2 Sprint Race Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

 

Formula 2 Sprint Race Start ( Video Link ) :

 

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

 

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

A Moment with the Man :

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

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

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

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

 

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

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Mick Schumacher driving his father's Benetton!

Some Stills with the GoPro Hero5 Black :

Gino Rosato from Ferrari :

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

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

Team Personnel, celebrities make their way to the grid :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team readying their grid slots :

5 minutes to the Race Start :

Kimi Raikkonen doing a final run through with his strategists :

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

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

Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

 

Race Start ( Video Link ) :

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

 

Shots from the Belgian Grand Prix :

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

Chequered Flag ( Video Link ) :




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


Cars returning to Parc Ferme :

The Podium Celebrations!!

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

Mechanics rolling the cars back to the garages post race :

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

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

With Sebastian's P2 Trophy :

Some more pics with Friends over the weekend.

A Selfie with the Hosts in the Ferrari F1 Club :

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

Enjoying the Track Walk after the Race!

Massimo Rivola, Scuderia Ferrari Academy Supremo :

Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

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

Daniil Kvyat, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Moko!

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

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

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

Returning to Hasselt from Spa :

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

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

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

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

Enroute to the Circuit :

Walking to Spa Francorchamps Circuit via La Source Hairpin :

Photos of the Paddock Club Track Truck Tour :

Some Photos with the GoPro Hero 5 Black :

The First Pit Lane Walk of the Day :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Garage during the Pit Lane Walk :

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




Saturday morning also see the teams practicing their Pit Stops.


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

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

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


The Final Practice session of the Weekend FP3 :


Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP3 :


Chequered Flag :


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


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


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

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

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




It was then time for the Qualifying Session to commence.

Shots from Q1 :

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




Shots from Q2 :

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

Q3 was the top 10 shootout.

Shots from Q3 :

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


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

Top 3 Driver Interviews ( Video Link ) :




Vettel and Hamilton inspecting each others' machinery :


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

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

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




Sebastian Vettel visits the Ferrari F1 Club post Qualifying.

Sebastian Vettel Interview ( Video Link ) :




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

Shots from the Feature Race :

Arjun Maini on the grid for Race 1 in GP3 :

GP3 Race 1 Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :




Formation Lap done for GP3 :


GP3 Race 1 Start ( Video Link  ) :





Shots from Race 1 :

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

F1 Simulators in the Paddock Club :

Got a sneak peek of the Podium!

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


Returning to Hasselt from Spa :


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

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

Sunday Experience to follow soon..

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

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

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

Enroute to the Circuit :

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

Walking to the circuit :

The Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club :

The View from the Ferrari F1 Club :

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

Shots from FP1 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team during FP1 :

Chequered Flag :



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

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

Video Link of the Interview :

A Moment with Marc Gene :

Friends, Scuderia Ferrari Family!

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

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

Video Link of the Track Truck Tour :

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

The Scuderia Ferrari Garage :

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

Lunch!

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

Shots from FP2 :

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

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

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

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

Qualifying Session of F2 :

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

Returning to Hasselt :

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


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

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