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F1 2011/ Motor Racing Thread

patiirc

By patiirc
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Monkee Mentor

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Sorry about the long post but I just had to share...

 

Got back earlier from an absolutely amazing weekend at Silverstone with the Virgin Racing team. Arrived on Thursday night at a campsite in the grounds of Stowe school - a very expensive private school that Richard Branson went to. I went with a friend (my regular F1 buddy couldn't make it) and a guy I know who's going to every single race this season (@alexjsnell on Twitter). When we arrived we found that the entire VR team was also staying there too.

 

On Friday I got the VR private transfer to the circuit. This consisted of a trailer on the back of a tractor. It was quite novel and very bumpy but a lot of fun. It was really hot so I just walked around checking out merchandise and watching practice from a couple of different grandstands trying to keep out of the sun. It was roasting. I did a lot of walking and met up with a few people I know. When I got back to the campsite it was a quick shower and change before the evening's entertainment started.

 

Most of the team were back at the site by the time the entertainment started. A couple of live bands first and then Timo and Lucas arrived. I went backstage to meet them, had some photos and Timo signed my German flag (already signed by Vettel in Turkey). He also spoke to my friend on the phone to make up for her not being able to come. Then they went on stage and did a Q&A session for about an hour. After that there was more live music, a BBQ and a chance to mingle with everyone involved in the VR team - mechanics, designers, engineers, sponsors, and even Nick Wirth - Technical Director of Virgin Racing.

 

But the best thing was that everyone already knew me! I couldn't believe this. Basically, to enter the competition you had to tell them why you thought you should win. There was no word limit or anything like that so I wanted to make my entry stand out. I was laying in bed one night trying to figure out what to do and then it hit me. I ended up re-writing the lyrics of "Like a Virgin" and replaced them with "I'm Supporting Virgin". I was told on Saturday night that when they received my e-mail everyone in the office was singing it! They loaded up a karaoke version on YouTube and sang along! So I had people coming up to me all night saying how they loved my song and that they'd actually been excited to meet me. Bloody hell! Alex is already known as the Superfan by the team. He's now always in the paddock at all the races because the team know him but they're now calling me a Superfan too and want me to start contributing to their website!

 

Anyway, Friday night ended up with me drinking way too much (I don't usually drink so I was quite wasted) having a sing-song around the open-air bar with some of the Virgin team. One of them had a guitar and everyone was singing along. It was very surreal to say the least. They even tried to get me to sing my song but I politely declined. I went to bed around 3am when the rest of the team did.

 

Saturday morning wasn't so good. I woke up around 6.30am and was a bit ill. At first I just thought it was a hangover but it got worse so I ended up going to the First Aid tent on the campsite for some rehydration sachets. I felt a bit better so went back to bed. Later I headed off to the circuit for qualifying but the tractor ride really did me in. When I got to the circuit I was feeling very ill indeed and because I couldn't keep down any water and was really thirsy I went to the St John's tent to see if they could help me. Long story short - I was diagnosed with severe dehydration and heat exhaustion (as well as a hangover), was put on an IV drip and hooked up to an ECG! I totally missed qualifying but apparently my blood pressure dropped so low they didn't want to take any chances. So I spent 4 hours in the medical tent but was given the all clear and felt fine to go back to the campsite.

 

Saturday night we were treated to more live bands, food and an appearance by Andy Soucek, the VR test driver. He just came around and had an informal chat with everyone. Alex told him I'd won a competition to be there and he wanted to know how I'd won. He was really impressed and was just totally adorable. If he ever partners Timo on the team then it will officially be the most beautiful team on the grid. After the day's events I had an early-ish night and went to bed around 1am. On Sunday morning I felt so much better than the day before and so off to the circuit for race day I went.

 

I have to be honest, the race was a bit boring for me. Usually I have some binoculars with me so that I can see the text on the big screen but because I didn't have them with me I couldn't tell who was where and it was just really confusing. I still loved it though. After the race I had a wander around and also watched a bit og GP2 and the Porsches. Then I went back to the campsite for the World Cup final. The team were all watching it in a private cinema belonging to the school. When we got there we found we were sharing it with a group of Spanish exchange students so a lot of the team found it hilarious to wind up the kids by cheering for Holland. It was great to see them celebrate when Spain won though, it was brilliant.

 

After the football we went back to the camp site for the final few drinks before heading home today. I ended up staying with the team until 4am this morning. They were all very drunk (I wasn't drinking after Saturday's events) and it was so funny. They were jumping over hay bales and paying drinking games and everything. I was even treated to a history of the team from their chief designer - how their branding was formed and designed, the concept, the launch, everything. He was so proud of what they'd achieved that he was just talking and I could've listened to him for hours. At the very end it was just me and him left talking about the team and everything. It really was fascinating from a geek perspective.

 

I can't wait to meet the whole team again in Spa, I'm really looking forward to it. The last thing I had to do this morning before leaving was sing the bloody song I wrote! Paul, the design guy from the night beforem was standing in the middle of the road as we were driving off because he needed to record me singing it! I have no idea what it's going to be used for, I really dread it, but for having such an incredible weekend I suppose I shouldn't really care.

 

EDIT: Forgot - on Saturday night I also met Gareth Jones (Gaz Top / @GarethJonesTV) and the guy behind @SniffPetrol - both very funny and lovely guys.

 

So yeah, that was my weekend. I'm not totally knackered and going to bed in a bit. Here are some photos:

 

Stowe School where the camp site was:

 

SAM_0693.jpg

 

The transport to the circuit:

 

SAM_0566.jpg

 

Timo Glock backstage at the camp site:

 

SAM_0626.jpg

 

Lucas di Grassi on stage:

 

SAM_0596.jpg

 

Virgin Racing at Stowe Corner, Silverstone:

 

SAM_0683.jpg

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Nexus Mentor

Nexus

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If Alonso was the better driver, he would've been able to overtake Massa. He'd tried and failed once. Alonso bitched on the team radio "waah I can't get past..." and they had to let him past.

 

The fact that team orders are explicitly banned in the sport, and Ferrari have blatantly disregarded that, it means they have to be punished.

 

Alonso is a horrible team mate, it's just like MSC was when he was at Ferrari.

 

Massa had been leading from the start, he was still leading, and he deserved the victory.

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Gatso Enthusiast

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Alonso was quicker throughout the race and Massa was backing him onto Vettel (had that continued neither would have won) so from a team point of view it made perfect sense, Alonso has been quicker all weekend.

 

Alonso probably would have passed him but at what cost?

 

You can talk about the rules all day long but to be fair to Alonso/Ferrari they have been on the end of some unfair decisions this season.

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martyngnr Experienced

martyngnr

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Somebody needs to tell Eddie Jordan to get off his high horse about team orders and remind him how he fixed a race for Jordan at Spa by ordering Ralf Schumacher not to overtake Damon Hill.

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Nexus Mentor

Nexus

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Alonso was quicker throughout the race and Massa was backing him onto Vettel (had that continued neither would have won) so from a team point of view it made perfect sense, Alonso has been quicker all weekend.

 

Alonso probably would have passed him but at what cost?

 

You can talk about the rules all day long but to be fair to Alonso/Ferrari they have been on the end of some unfair decisions this season.

 

That is no defence at all.

 

Massa is exercising so much self-restraint, it's insane.

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Gatso Enthusiast

Gatso

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I thought that was about the only exciting bit in a shite gp I hate the redesigned German GP though

 

I agree with this, used to love the German grand prix (used to be my favourite) when the track was longer & went through the forest) but the new design is shit.

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ajmcstyles Community Regular

ajmcstyles

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Eddie Jordan is getting on my tits as well.

He shined today, he was CLEARLY pissed off with Ferrari. Even Massa was during the celebration.

 

As for the situation its Ferrari they get away with everything no questions asked.

 

Fia prove me wrong

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