On the road to barcelona with robyn blake
Read below for Robyn's (@rookief1) amazing catalunya experience including a visit to the Caterham garage... here at Fan Formula HQ we are very jealous of her experience!
The destination
Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona for the last round of testing before Formula One heads Down Under for the season opener.
Having never visited a Formula One circuit before heading out to Barcelona, I didn’t have previous experience to call upon in order to prepare myself for the trip. Where others may be well versed in pitching up at a track for the weekend I am not, so this truly is a rookie perspective.
Having never visited a Formula One circuit before heading out to Barcelona, I didn’t have previous experience to call upon in order to prepare myself for the trip. Where others may be well versed in pitching up at a track for the weekend I am not, so this truly is a rookie perspective.
the experience
Being very fortunate to be in company of @xxvickiixx for the trip I was able to spend Friday stood in the Caterham garage, from never visiting a track to standing inside a garage was quite the joyful leap. And to do it with a team I greatly admire for their fan interaction and year-on-year progress, made it all the sweeter.
However before we even set foot in the track a spot of sightseeing was on the cards, taken at a Vettelian pace the main attractions were scouted and digitally immortalised. It is worth looking beyond the circuit for a touch of culture as it rounds out the trip well, plus you’ll have photos your non-F1 friends can appreciate. But you can always make sightseeing Formula One related; see if you can spot a cheesy Santander Alonso advert.
Using a T-10 ticket [info] gives you ten journeys in and around Barcelona, incorporating the metro, RENFE train and buses it saves your Euros for goodies at the circuit. Montmelo is the station you’ll want for the circuit (or your hotel if you book early enough) and once you disembark the train (half an hour from Sants, central station) head straight out and turn right [directions]. It’s an easy 30/40 minute walk that you take through the town, and through an industrial estate which does something to knock the glamour out of the occasion! Nonetheless you’re there, hopefully in the sun for some decent F1 action.
There are plenty of vantage points to choose from once you’re inside, but if you enter from gate 3 you’re presented with the main grandstand and it’s hard to resist the opportunity to peer into the vast array of open garages. This was the first stop off before squeezing in a brief spell at the final corner until our time inside the paddock was due. I had a good feeling about the day when the first person to stride across our path was Michael Schumacher.
Although I can’t reveal what was said inside the Caterham garage, the general mood was upbeat and positive which will hopefully put them in great stead for the 2012 season. The high expectations that have been laid out ahead of them by some in the motorsport world seemed to have been reflected in their progress. Now it’s
just a simple matter of setting the rubber down a little quicker than those ahead. It was thrilling to see and hear things you can only imagine, or see from afar on race days, and considering testing has yet to be broadcast (although Sky and BBC were in the vicinity, Ted Kravitz and Lee McKenzie respectively) this view was for the lucky few.
However before we even set foot in the track a spot of sightseeing was on the cards, taken at a Vettelian pace the main attractions were scouted and digitally immortalised. It is worth looking beyond the circuit for a touch of culture as it rounds out the trip well, plus you’ll have photos your non-F1 friends can appreciate. But you can always make sightseeing Formula One related; see if you can spot a cheesy Santander Alonso advert.
Using a T-10 ticket [info] gives you ten journeys in and around Barcelona, incorporating the metro, RENFE train and buses it saves your Euros for goodies at the circuit. Montmelo is the station you’ll want for the circuit (or your hotel if you book early enough) and once you disembark the train (half an hour from Sants, central station) head straight out and turn right [directions]. It’s an easy 30/40 minute walk that you take through the town, and through an industrial estate which does something to knock the glamour out of the occasion! Nonetheless you’re there, hopefully in the sun for some decent F1 action.
There are plenty of vantage points to choose from once you’re inside, but if you enter from gate 3 you’re presented with the main grandstand and it’s hard to resist the opportunity to peer into the vast array of open garages. This was the first stop off before squeezing in a brief spell at the final corner until our time inside the paddock was due. I had a good feeling about the day when the first person to stride across our path was Michael Schumacher.
Although I can’t reveal what was said inside the Caterham garage, the general mood was upbeat and positive which will hopefully put them in great stead for the 2012 season. The high expectations that have been laid out ahead of them by some in the motorsport world seemed to have been reflected in their progress. Now it’s
just a simple matter of setting the rubber down a little quicker than those ahead. It was thrilling to see and hear things you can only imagine, or see from afar on race days, and considering testing has yet to be broadcast (although Sky and BBC were in the vicinity, Ted Kravitz and Lee McKenzie respectively) this view was for the lucky few.
Meet and greet
By sheer luck and excellent timing I managed to meet several prominent members of the grid, as well as get rather close to several more. Notably; Heikki Kovalainen, Vitaly Petrov, Mike Gascoyne (who sailed in!), Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel (and his new trainer), Jerome d’Ambrosio, Bruno Senna, Jules Bianchi, Nico Hulkenberg, Pastor Maldonado, aforementioned broadcasters, Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne, Romain Grosjean and (the utter highlight) Mark Webber. Twice.
Getting a thumbs up from Felipe Massa was a giggle, and seeing the legend Keke Rosberg left my head spinning. In fact the whole experience left me at a loss for words, albeit momentarily, getting bashed on the head with by a camera lens tends to help you find your tongue, Vettel’s mere presence tends to create a fuss.
Getting a thumbs up from Felipe Massa was a giggle, and seeing the legend Keke Rosberg left my head spinning. In fact the whole experience left me at a loss for words, albeit momentarily, getting bashed on the head with by a camera lens tends to help you find your tongue, Vettel’s mere presence tends to create a fuss.
The Bill
Flights were around £50 each with EasyJet, booked about two months before we flew out.
We stayed at the Hotel Evenia Rocafort in central Barcelona, for two nights it worked out about around £60 each.
A T-10 travel card cost €18.40 (zone1 & 2) which was more than enough for the length of time we were there.
Entry into the circuit was €15 on weekdays and €20 on the weekend.
A taxi from Montmelo station to the circuit cost around €8.
Food costs will vary depending on where you go and how ‘self-catering’ you’re prepared to go.
We stayed at the Hotel Evenia Rocafort in central Barcelona, for two nights it worked out about around £60 each.
A T-10 travel card cost €18.40 (zone1 & 2) which was more than enough for the length of time we were there.
Entry into the circuit was €15 on weekdays and €20 on the weekend.
A taxi from Montmelo station to the circuit cost around €8.
Food costs will vary depending on where you go and how ‘self-catering’ you’re prepared to go.
top tips
If you’re staying outside of Montmelo check for your closest metro/train station as you don’t want a trek first thing in the morning.
Comfy shoes are a good idea, as are warm clothes and sunscreen. The difference between the shade and being in the sun is quite noticeable!
Plenty of batteries for your camera.
Keep your wits about you and you can meet drivers even without a paddock pass.
Most importantly, be organised!
Comfy shoes are a good idea, as are warm clothes and sunscreen. The difference between the shade and being in the sun is quite noticeable!
Plenty of batteries for your camera.
Keep your wits about you and you can meet drivers even without a paddock pass.
Most importantly, be organised!
the verdict
If you can go, go. Simple as that. You may not get the rush of seeing cars battling for position, or see your favourite driver claim pole position, but you can let your ears bathe in the scream of a Formula One engine for considerably less than it costs to get to a race. You’ve also got the opportunity to see the circuit from many angles as the grandstands are barely filled. But whether you’re happy to sit and watch a couple of cars lap at a time is down to you, and it may be worth paying the €70 for a circuit tour (taking in the podium as well) to break the time up. However, you’ll be among the first to see the new cars in the flesh, and who knows who will bring a new car for the last two days next year?
If you have any questions feel free to tweet me @rookief1. You can also visit rookief1.com to read other events I’ve attended as well as various race reports and features.