17. Saturday started out very similar, waking at the crack of dawn, opening the door to the RV, taking a deep breath of Canadian air and strolling to the circuit for Quali day. We really made the most of Saturday, taking a stroll around the support pits, although when I was told we were going to the pits, I thought it was the actual pit lane.
16. I went back to the RV that night, happy, wet and slightly deaf. I could not have been happier.
15. The track though having dried up a lot since the morning made FP2 a lot more interesting, in terms of track and lap time. That is something I would have noticed had I been watching the session on the TV, However I was not, meaning, another bout of nerves, build up and euphoria at the sights and sounds. It took at least half the session to get myself to a point where I actually started taking photo's again. A group of us made a decision to take a step back, get off the stand and head to the side of the track just on the outside of the exit of Turn 2 to feel the power of an #F1 car coming past at 130 – 150 MPH within 15 feet of us. To explain the feeling of this take what I said earlier about feeling the car coming past and magnify that 150%, wow, just wow.
14. I saw most of the days action from the lofty heights of my perch at turn 2, including the support series' such as #CCTC and the Ferrari Challenge, a field of 458 Italia's, incidentally a car I have had the pleasure of driving.
13. That first session, whilst wet, was incredible. You can watch it on TV, you can talk about it all you want, you can listen to another person share their first experience of seeing and hearing their first Formula 1 car live, nothing prepares you for it. Not only do you see and hear the cars going past, you actually feel it within every fibre of your being, your hair stands up on end and your bones literally shake.
12. So, It had come down to this, I was nervous, I was biting my nails and I had a ball in my stomach so tight, I actually felt a little sick. The wait for the lights on the end of the pit lane to turn green was unbearable. Then as I could take the wait no longer the lights finally turned green for Free Practice 1 and if you asked me who came out first I still would not be able to tell you, With the crowd cheering and clapping the sight of the first #F1 car of the weekend I started shallow breathing and my heart was pounding, I was overcome with emotion, I had actually started welling up, much to the enjoyment of my companions.
11. So, we found our seats and literally soaked in the weather and the view
10. That first walk to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is hard to put into words. Summoning the words to describe what it felt like to step on to the grounds of the circuit is impossible. Although there had been no running so far that day, its was almost as if I could already smell tyres and petrol. I could not have, but I swear it was my brain welcoming me to what would become one of the greatest weekends of my life.
9. Friday was a very special day for me. As I have eluded to, this was a weekend of firsts for me and in my companions eyes I probably could not have been more greener. Unfortunately much of the day, is a bit of a blur and I don't mean that because of the beer. I mean it because of the build up to Free Practice 1.
8. Yeah, it was. Thanks to some of these guys though, I was prepared for whatever the weather could throw at me, I am the guy who flew to Canada without so much as a coat, let alone a poncho.
6. So, more travel ensued, we drove the 2 hours to Montreal and a parking lot right next to the track. We were staying in an RV that had a lean-too outside, Which meant BBQ every night. What a result! I had visions of a cramped caravan, but this was like a portable hotel. I found a place to hit the sack and got my head down, Friday was coming up and that meant, weather permitting, soaking in my first ever experience of an #F1 car on track before my very eyes. To say I was excited, would have been an understatement.
5. The actual GP weekend started with a massive game of Tetris, Thursday night meant packing the car, which totally felt like a massive game of Tetris. Literally blocks of beer! Not all mine I assure you, I realised whilst packing that I was going to the GP with seasoned veterans of the Canadian #F1 experience, These guys had everything from, cushions for the stainless steel bleachers to the Canadian delicacy of 'Garlic', this was clearly not their first GP.
4. So Tuesday meant flying the eight and a half hours to Ottawa airport and meeting up with one of my companions for the race weekend. Side note, We first met online, almost 2 years ago, but hey, isn't that how everyone meets each other these days? Immigration had trouble believing so.
3. Your probably wondering, why on earth would you go to the Canadian GP when Silverstone would have been closer. Well your right for wondering, for me, Silverstone is logistically a lot closer, but just after the 2012 Canadian GP I received an invitation to join a friend and his friends at the 2013 race weekend. Granted, I had to pay for my airfare and the tickets to the track but the invitation stood. This being potentially the first ever live experience of a F1 weekend, l had to say yes.
2. The Grand Prix started for me on the Tuesday before the race, The Tuesday? Yes the Tuesday. There is a reason, I am from the UK which meant travelling.
1. Before I get started I would just like to send my condolences to the family and friends of Track Marshall Mark Robinson, who, tragically passed away on Sunday 09/06/13 after an incident that happened whilst he was helping move a car back to pit lane. Without Marshals we really could not have the sport we have today. Thank you all for your service.
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