codesurge

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 35 total)
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  • #239842
    codesurge
    Participant

    After sitting at Turn 5 last year, I’ll be trying out Turn 9 this year. Some basic research shows that there will be some view of the back straight from there, so I might pack a pair of binoculars!

    #224892
    codesurge
    Participant

    Just to get everyone in the mood for Le Mans, here’s a great interview with Allan McNish:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsM7ijIcwWQ

    It’s a bit on the long side, but McNish is one of the few drivers that I’d be willing to listen to for that length of time. Very eloquent and insightful commentary about Le Mans, F1 and racing in general.

    #232060
    codesurge
    Participant

    Taki Inoue. He would bring a new level of humor to the podium interviews.

    #228491
    codesurge
    Participant

    @jagolevert @ajokay Maybe it depends on how long the F1 refugee has been away from F1. McNish is one of the friendliest and chattiest (if not THE friendliest) drivers and Heidfeld was OK when I spoke to him at Sebring. However, Lucas de Grassi put on his sunglasses and spent his time doodling on a picture of Tom Kristensen and ignored the fans who were in line – only signed stuff when explicitly asked to.

    I mentioned this to a lady who oversees the SRT ALMS program and she concurred based on her experience with the drivers. Her reasoning for this is that in F1, fan interaction is treated as an annoying contractual obligation by FOM and the teams, hence the drivers in turn develop a negative attitude towards the fans. On the other hand, sportscar/endurance racing is a sport in which both the teams and the governing bodies encourage fan access/interaction, so F1 drivers who move to sportscar racing need time to adjust to the different dynamics.

    #216592
    codesurge
    Participant

    Okay, I’ve finally caved in and bought tickets for this year’s US GP. Will be at Turn 9 with a set of binoculars to see down the back straight. Was initially tempted by Turn 15 but decided that the premium was a little high. Maybe next year.

    #231164
    codesurge
    Participant

    Here’s their Kickstarter campaign: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1069810859/team-franco-kids-cgi-tv-series-pre-sold-to-28-coun

    They might be biting off more than they can chew with a funding target of 1.16M GBP, especially with only 11 backers onboard so far.

    #228482
    codesurge
    Participant

    @ajokay I’m not sure if Silverstone will be anything like Sebring, but I’m guessing that most WEC/ALMS races have some form of autograph sessions set up for you to meet the drivers. One thing I’ve found is that the ex-F1 refugees tend to be a bit less approachable vs the lifetime sports car guys. Being fan-friendly isn’t something that’s emphasized in F1 so you can see how their mindsets towards the fans are mostly set in the F1 way.

    #228359
    codesurge
    Participant

    I’d say no. Like some of the others have already mentioned, there’s lots to see and do in the daytime if you’ve not previously been to Singapore. Sure, there are places that are open late but I feel that you’ll miss out on a lot if you don’t get a chance to visit places like Chinatown and the Zoo if you’ve flown all the way down for the race.

    Personally, I’d recommend a combination approach – switch to local time but stay out late-ish (2-3am should be good) and then get back in time for a solid sleep till noon the next day or so. That way you’ll have half a day to explore the city and still be able to keep tabs on F1 activities and other non-related nightlife. It’s the best of both worlds.

    #229447
    codesurge
    Participant

    At least Webber didn’t cut in front and brake check him.

    #216590
    codesurge
    Participant

    @hockeynut Well, I saw the opposite trend for the Singapore night race. The first year was madness with everybody jumping in on the hype wagon, but the attendance in the second year tailed off.

    About moving around freely on Friday, I got my ticket checked (repeatedly) at the Turn 5 grandstand so perhaps it depends on how strictly the staff at each grandstand want to police the entrance.

    #216587
    codesurge
    Participant

    @bluelions Thanks for the info. Have been tempted by Turn 9 as it seems that with a good pair of binoculars and a high enough seat, you can see the Turn 12 braking zone. Would probably go for Turn 12 itself if they had offered a cheaper tier for the lower seats like they did last year.

    Either way, I’m expecting more grandstand seats to trickle out later based on last year’s experience so I’ll likely hold off on my purchase for now. Given that this is the second year of the race, it’s lost the inaugural luster and I’m expecting ticket demand to be lower this time around.

    #216584
    codesurge
    Participant

    @bluelions Were you able to see down the back straight from your seat at T11 East? I sat at Turn 5 last year thinking that I’d be able to look across the track to Turn 12 but the view was obstructed.

    #224185
    codesurge
    Participant

    Just got back from Sebring last night. It was my first ALMS race and my word, can F1 learn a lot from the ALMS about making the races more fan-friendly and accessible.

    Mind you, I didn’t have any special credentials – just a regular Fri/Sat ticket like the majority of the race fans out there. Nonetheless, it was just an open atmosphere there, from the paddock that was open to everyone (giving you the unique opportunity to get run over by an Audi R18 getting towed) to the drivers and team members who were more than happy to answer questions, sign autographs and take pictures. None of that usual F1 arrogance and “leave me alone” attitude to be found; the teams were all super patient and accommodating to the fans.

    Having only been to F1 races before this, I found the level of access to be truly unprecedented and a breath of fresh air. It really makes you feel engaged with – even appreciated by – the sport. It’s a pity the exclusive nature of F1 and Bernie’s show will mean that we’ll never see similar fan access in Formula 1.

    But enough of my rambling. Here’s a neat shot I got trackside of McNish’s R18 whooshing its way to a second-place finish: https://i.imgur.com/DXb6L2V.jpg

    #225631
    codesurge
    Participant

    If you hang around in the walkway outside the PC, you’d be surprised at how many people you can bump into, especially on Friday as it’s less busy for the teams compared to Sat/Sun. In particular, the less famous drivers usually get ignored by the bulk of the champagne-sipping crowd so they’re more willing to pause to chat.

    #225626
    codesurge
    Participant

    I believe they had an autograph session at the track on Friday or Saturday when I was there back in 2011, but decided to pass on it as I’d heard from friends that it tends to develop into quite a scrum with massive lines waiting for the more popular teams/drivers.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 35 total)