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Author Topic: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour  (Read 12035 times)

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Offline msmobyone

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Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« on: April 26, 2016, 05:05:39 AM »
I'm lucky enough to have a Pass for the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi - in addition to tickets for Grandstand tickets for the whole event.

Tuesday sees the teams setting up their garages and hospitality centres - for Sunday's race - but the practice sessions start on Friday.

I live about 25 km - 15 miles from the circuit and a train drops us off 200m from the entrance to the circuit

Security is VERY tight and I saw THREE warships stationed off the coast on the beautiful train ride home. Putin will be here......

I'll be taking photos of the event and posting them here - if you aren't interested in F1 - then I'm sorry ... I expect I'll have some photos of the staff - sooner or later - they are smart - mostly speaking perfect English and single young men  would be in heaven..

Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline GatoMoon

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2016, 06:35:00 AM »
22 years ago that weekend it was a famous BLACK WEEKEND where Ayrton Senna and Ronald Ratzenburger were killed at San Marino

Offline GuppyCaptain

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2016, 07:00:05 AM »
Looking forward to it Moby and thanks ahead of time. I would love to be there myself, but have a recording set for qualifying and the race as I might miss it due to work commitments. Keep us posted with lots of pix! (Of the drivers and cars of course)  :D

Offline Shadow

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2016, 01:56:50 PM »
22 years ago that weekend it was a famous BLACK WEEKEND where Ayrton Senna and Ronald Ratzenburger were killed at San Marino
And JJ Lehto suffered a career ending injury.
No it is not a dog. Its really how I look.  ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2016, 01:20:21 AM »
One more day until the fun starts - and it is hissing down...



This is the view from the train - at the Olympic Village station - not to be confused with the Olympic Park station - where one alights to get to the F1 track.

The poor guys from the racing teams setting up shop will be soaked - the rain is tropical and incessant.

This is the view of the walk from the railway station - overlooking the complex.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=197A-PoLPdI&feature=youtu.be

The Doctors' / Medics cars and the 'Safety cars' on the last bend before the Start / Finish line



In the Pit lane - as the Mercedes F1 Team prepare their garage



Red Bull's wheels



Testing the start lights



The Williams Team guys cleaning their wheels - a rim failed at China - hope it wasn't the solvent ...



The Podium takes shape..




The view from the finish line towards the start line..




Yours truly from a VIP box - overlooking the start - finish straight.. the main Grandstand and commentary boxes are to the left.



More... to come - when the sun comes back out



 

 
« Last Edit: April 27, 2016, 02:18:06 AM by msmobyone »
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline GuppyCaptain

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2016, 02:06:01 AM »
Fantastic. Thanks. Obviously there's no need to put in a special request for lots of pictures of the Pit Devushkas, da? Being that you're going to be on the main straight and hopefully sporting a zoom lens.  ;D

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2016, 02:23:04 AM »
Fantastic. Thanks. Obviously there's no need to put in a special request for lots of pictures of the Pit Devushkas, da? Being that you're going to be on the main straight and hopefully sporting a zoom lens.  ;D

Goes without saying...     :D
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline Anotherkiwi

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2016, 03:02:31 AM »
Goes without saying...     :D

Except that it appears to be SC taking the photos!  :(

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2016, 03:12:53 AM »
No... it's Max - from the Media Centre ...SC doesn't have a pass :D

She isn't that interested in the GP scene - but will be their for the race  :couple:
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline GuppyCaptain

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2016, 03:47:26 AM »
No... it's Max - from the Media Centre ...SC doesn't have a pass :D

She isn't that interested in the GP scene - but will be their for the race  :couple:

Ironically enough, we just submitted Irina's visitor's visa application for her to come for 13 days in July (insert ML comment here). Being that there's probably no chance in hell that she'll be granted the visa, we'll be vacationing in Europe instead.

It looks like a week in Hungary (where she'll attend the GP at the Hungaroring with me), and a week on a romantic Greek isle. This will be the first time I've brought a "date" to a GP.

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2016, 04:07:02 AM »
Me, too

It worries me, slightly ;)
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2016, 04:42:14 AM »
The Media Centre

The staff here can speak English, French , German, Spanish and Chinese.
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline Shadow

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2016, 05:32:51 AM »

It looks like a week in Hungary (where she'll attend the GP at the Hungaroring with me), and a week on a romantic Greek isle.
Make sure to choose one that is far away frm Turkey....
No it is not a dog. Its really how I look.  ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2016, 07:21:28 AM »
So,  the rain stopped and I got my last chance to walk on the track / in the pit lane until AFTER the race.


My pass is VERY specific about that .... :D

Security will be even tighter, tomorrow - a new system for paddock access will come into operation - face recognition checks



The top teams have screens across their garages - to stop prying eyes - McLaren - who had a terrible season in their first in year with Honda - haven't lost the habit and half heatedly covered their garage.

The new American team - Haas - had also covered their garage - so I don't know if the noses I took photos of were 'current'.



I'm still allowed to walk in the Paddock - between the Garages and the teams' hospitality suite... You can see Ferrari are particularly fond of guests  :D..


If you had a puncture these McLaren guys might be too busy to help



The Red Bull guys sort out which is Daniels # 3 and Daniil #26, tyres ... 


The podium is ready for Putin and the top three...



If there's an incident requiring the cars to slow down - here's the safety car - which will - ironically - be going so fast you could never keep up in most road cars ..






Not long to go ..



Only one more 'dolly bird' - A nice young British lady - working for McLaren



I saw one 'celeb' - ex-F1 driver and father of current Torro Rosso driver -  Max Verstappen .. he's in the centre



blurred ...  :(
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline Shadow

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #14 on: April 27, 2016, 07:49:15 AM »
Good thing you blurred Jos. He is one of the few who in his active time asked so much of the model car factory they decided to bring out his car with a blank helmet named ´dutch driver´. Beleive that one is still in my garage somehwere with the 300 others...
Over the years he dropped his then manager and got a bit smarter, but his son seems usually more relaxed as he ever was.
No it is not a dog. Its really how I look.  ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #15 on: April 28, 2016, 12:27:49 AM »
Much better weather, today - blue skies - no umbrellas..




Forecast for Qualifying and GP - 19C and no rain. This is the Paddock - between the garages to the pit lane and the Teams 'Homes' ..Increased security - FIA - the Motorsport admin body - issued me a new additional - pass, yesterday and I was 'too slow' to pass the turn-style and registered ' already in' on the system - when I triedto get in 'again' and caused a minor security alert ..all smiles - a quick phone call and I was 'in' ..

This is the barrier that 'kept me out'  :D







Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #16 on: April 28, 2016, 05:17:46 AM »
Took a stroll along the 2nd floor of the media centre - overlooking the Paddock and the sun brought out the drivers

Jos Verstappen 'posed' again




Haas' Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez with the team boss - Mr Haas




Renault's British driver Jolyon Palmer



Sauber's Marcus Ericsson


and  - as promised

2 of the Media Centre gals



Evgenia ... says she's looking for a husband  :D

So does this lass - but I forgot her name ..later..








Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #17 on: April 28, 2016, 05:57:28 AM »
Just gate-crashed the drivers' press conference.

I've always wondered if the drivers are bored by such events ...if there were - I certainly wasn't ..

I noted that as Daniil Kvyat spoke and gesticulated - that there was a delay - may be 3-5 seconds on the tv monitors either side of the screen.

I'm guessing - in case they say a bad word - by mistake   



Present were front row Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg and Daniil Kvyat
back row - Filipe Nasr, Checo Perez and Estoban Gutierrez

Bizarrely - there were only 15 reports, 9 photographers and 3 tv cameramen - plus 5 Media centre staff and yours truly - there were many empty seats.

It is filmed by F1 TV crew - not the national TV companies.

SURREAL




Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #18 on: April 28, 2016, 09:38:44 AM »
Meanwhile one of the Media Centre gals - Regina - got a selfie with Lewis

She kindly permitted me to use it



Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #19 on: April 29, 2016, 02:51:36 AM »
I was allowed to watch Free Practice 1 from a VIP box.



I was right over Carlos Sainz Jnr's pit box..

The trains to here are free - with a ticket and the track was packed..



Russia has two guys out on the track, today...



Sergey Sirotkin is the Renault test driver ... but he was quicker than Britain's Joylon Palmer - who is having a torrid time and needs to watch out - lest he finds the young Russian impressed, too much

Britain's Lewis Hamilton finished second in Free Practice 1 - this photo does no justice to the speed these guys are doing ...

Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #20 on: April 29, 2016, 05:48:43 AM »
Free Practice 2 ..

I am forbidden to take photos - as TV companies and other media companies have the rights to take photos in the pit lane ... but not me  :(

So, I roamed the Paddock looking for 'celebs' ...sorry - if you aren't an F1 fan - this might be meaningless..

Ex F1 driver, turned TV pundit DC..David Coulthard... he looks a little 'angry' that some 'pleb' is taking his photo ..


McLaren Honda Racing Director - Éric Boullier

Carlos Sainz Jnr- talking to David Coulthard


Media Centre staff

« Last Edit: April 29, 2016, 07:34:57 AM by msmobyone »
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #21 on: April 29, 2016, 07:32:52 AM »
After free practice 2 - where Lewis Hamilton came out on top - and Seb Vettels' Ferrari died on the main straight - just after setting the - then - fastest time, I went down to the Paddock to listen to the interviews ...Unlike most circuits - you can get RIGHT up close ... Nico Rosberg - bumped into me when dashing to the TV interview session - were Lewis was already chatting to the TV companies  :o



Lewis Hamilton



'Checo' Perez



Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #22 on: April 30, 2016, 09:12:42 AM »
So, today was Free Practice 3 and Qualifying for tomorrow's race.

I went to my 'secret' VIP place - but the 'secret' had got out ... lots of Russians started taking photos - this is counted at pit-side and we haven't paid for such rights.... so the inevitable happened when they ignored security men asking them to stop - we all got kicked out ....  :(

I went to the Press cafe and watched the qualifying, there - but as I wanted Jenson Button to get in the top 10...He got 11th - and Hamilton will start 10th - as he had another engine problem - second in a row - he will start 10th  :(

I rushed to the press tv room and was one of the only guys allowed in before the doors were locked to the press... there were only 4 reporters in the room.  :o

Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel was larking about as Valtteri Bottas was interviewed by SKY's Ted Kravitz and he missed them shaking hands - as if confirming a bet ... I wish some of the reporters had noticed it ...I'd love to know what they said / agreed.



I met an interesting Thai lady - I hoped she would buy the Thai Bhat I can't change in Russia - but she was more interested in promoting her product - Coconut Milk - and gave me a can ... She is modelling her own product. :o






I am ready for tomorrow, I practised with the Podium girls ...



Lastly - and this will have certain posters falling about with ironic laughter... I was asked to do announcements - in English for the spectators tomorrow on the P.A.

So, listen out for,  '' Dear guests! Soon, the twenty - sixteen  FORMULA ONE Russian Grand Prix will commence . Please, return to your seats - to be ready, to be upstanding for the Russian National Anthem at 2.45.''   :shock:

« Last Edit: April 30, 2016, 09:14:43 AM by msmobyone »
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

Offline GuppyCaptain

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #23 on: April 30, 2016, 10:29:57 AM »
I'll be watching but I doubt I'll get to hear your announcement. Where will you be during the GP?

Offline msmobyone

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Re: Sochi's Formula 1 Grand Prix tour
« Reply #24 on: April 30, 2016, 12:37:39 PM »
I'll be watching but I doubt I'll get to hear your announcement. Where will you be during the GP?

I don't know.. I doubt my VIP room will be available ... but I am told that someone might give me the key ....if I promise to NOT take piccies

SC will be sat in the top left hand corner of the main grandstand - top tier - facing the cars as they go under the last Pirelli Bridge and come on to the main straight... the cars go over red and white kerbing rumble strips, there - some  cars twitch as they apply power there - they are nearly opposite the Podium and when cars go down the straight / come into the pits - there is the great camera on wires that zips along - so you might see her ..

I will be near the Media Centre above the Merc /Ferrari garages - above the DHL banner that runs down the pit- lane building opposite the main stand. I HOPE to get in the winner's press conference - which is only a couple of rooms from VVP.. I will try to have a word with him .. of course ... we may have much to discuss  :D
Please excuse the Curmudgeon in my posts ..he will be cured by being reunited with his loved one ;)

 

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