Tips for first-timers: if you’re in general admission bring a folding chair and pick a spot early. Bring clothing for all weathers!

We did our Spa visit this year entirely by public transport and it worked really well. Eurostar to Brussels, and you can use your Eurostar ticket on any internal train service. So we got a train to Verviers, and from outside the station was a €5 bus service to the track.

Tips for visiting? We stayed in Istanbul itself, and the track is quite far away, so allow plenty of travel time. Most of the hotels were offering shuttle bus services to the track for about €20 per person. We chose this option (if you do hire a car, there’s plenty of parking, but based on personal experience be prepared for an interesting driving experience in Istanbul!)

Traffic back into Istanbul on Sunday evening was very congested – allow at least an extra hour (and bring something to read if you’re on a bus!)

If you live in a country where you can get cheap-ish flights to Istanbul, I’d definitely recommend this as an experience.

Not sure about pit crews drinking beer!

I send a guest article to Keith (he asked me) but I’m afraid my poor English combined with some terrible pics I took with my Iphone (first version) was not reaching the minimum required quality for being published (I’m not complaining, in fact, my comment was not good enough)

For those interested, you can visit this link and have a look at my “terrible pics”:

http://gallery.me.com/ignaciodalre#100110

This was my first visit to a F1 GP as a “VIP” and I was thinking we would be allowed to go everywhere, every time we want. Quite far from the reality. You are watching the GP very well placed, in a great location with everything you want (food and drink) but from a racing perspective, you are quite a lot controlled.

The best experience was Pit Stops. You are few meters above boxes and is great to watch. We were located above Williams, Force India and Red Bull boxes and the vision of Teams and drivers working during qualy and race was great.

There is a “crappy” pic of Vettel just before qualy. He was concentrated at the box entrance and I was really impressed about his look. He looks like a baby… well “A golden baby”, I would say.

I’ve tried also to take a pic of Raikkonnen when he was attending a PR in the Ferrari lounge, but I must say Kimi is not only fast with his car but with his feets also!!!

So, you can find a pic with a blondie babe… and the back of Kimi making a “Fastest lap” through the paddock lounge!!!

Also was one of the first to see Jenson begin his run from the pitlane down the start finish straight after his stunning victory. That was very very special, cheering like crazy. I’ve probably never felt so patriotic! Also got access to a corridor next to the paddock, so plenty of star spotting, including seeing Nelsinho arrive on his scooter and seeing the press pit interviews after the race with the podium finishers (JB, Rubens and Kimi). And to top it off, whilst waiting in the departure lounge for the flight home, only flippin’ Giancarlo Fisichella comes to sit next to me and my mate!

As a true F1 fan, I couldn’t think of a better weekend, everyone should try to make it at least once.

I was at Albert Park too, since it’s just down the road. Always brilliant until they run out of beer!

The whole festive atmosphere was great, very alive.

Was great to see Alonso get on the podium too!