It starts again
My passion for the Formula 1 started at a really young age. I remember when i was having the age of 6 or 7 years old i was watching it on a black & white television. In the Netherlands they just transmitted the Dutch Zandvoort event live i believe, the rest of the race season was just broadcasted some minutes on the main sports program Studio Sport on the sunday… after the soccer off course. Mostly they shown the start, crashes and the finish. The pictures of the crash that i remember most of that time is the one from Niki Lauda. What attracts me is the competition, the danger of speed and the technique in which you can find in those car's but also around. This combination of technique and excitement does it for me. I do not like it when people are hurt or even die by this sport. Todays safety rules in motorsports safes a lot of lives, but still it is not safe enough.
With my father
In 1978 my father took me to the Formula 1 race held on the Dutch Zandvoort circuit. It became a day i never will forget. Together with my father watching in the dunes located circuit near the north-sea watching the formula 1 cars passing by, what a sound… and what a speed! The Marlboro name and colors red, black & white all over the place, i still have a sticker from it i think. I even seen some crashes in the corner where we were watching at the back of the circuit. I do not remember the corner-name because the circuit changed over the years and that part do not exists anymore.
Link from YouTube, watch at 1:10, there i was standing with my father at the racetrack :
What a day! After that race i would never miss a race almost anymore. I bought posters for my room from my heroes and little models of the formula 1 cars. My all-time favorite is the black John Player Special car from Ayrton Senna.
Ayrton Senna, John Player Special Lotus
Lucky
In the late nineties i was lucky to even work at the Formula 1 because of my profession as TV sound engineer. One season i visited a lot of circuits, but never could really follow a race anymore :) Too busy recording interviews with the drivers and some people around them. Of course we went into the team garages… and it was my first time i touched a Formula 1 car. And it was nice to see my hero's right in front of my nose.. in real.
Last 6 years i just visited some races, mostly for my job. In 2005 the Grandprix of Barcelona and Nürnberg in Germany, in 2008 Interlagos, Brazil, in 2009 Silverstone, Monaco & Interlagos Brazil. Last year just Interlagos. There i met Niki Lauda, same guy i have seen crashing so badly when i was a little boy, weird to see him like you know him for such a long period of your live. I shaked hands with Filippe Massa, Rubens Barichello and even the new dutch driver Giedo van de Garde of the Caterham team (watch him in GP2). They were all there where i was, and that means still something special for me.
Niki Lauda, Interlagos Brazil 2011
It is very nice to be on the circuit, feeling the sphere, smelling the cars and being amazed by the sound and speed thru the corners, the whole circus. It will never be boring to me. But what i like most is watch the race on TV, being able following the race, commentated by a passioned Formula 1 journalist like Olav Mol. Than you are dragged into the event like if you are almost in that race-car yourself. And watch live all the statistics by the Formula 1 app on my iPhone or iPad, yes i am a nerd in this… but my little niece Danisha said that it is cool… so! i am :)
Live Timing Apps
Favourite
This next season it will be very competitive in the front. For sure in the first 3 races where they cannot update their cars easily with new parts. Red Bull, Lotus, Ferrari, Mercedes, Force India and McLaren will be in front fighting for the title of 2012. My hopes are for the frontrunner McLaren team (Button & Hamilton) and also Caterham get's my support.
Caterham CT01 Formula 1 car
More
There is more i do :) You can also find me on the online competition of the Castrol Edge, here i guess the top 10 in front of every qualifying. And i play racing games on my computer and iPad so now and than. Racing myself? I like to kart so now and than... maybe one day for real. Besides the formula 1 i watch more races… a lot more, as much as possible :) WTCC with Tom Coronel, GT1, Le Mans, DTM , BTCC , GP2, V8 and Stockcars from Brazil. Busy times ahead ;)
Links:
Formula 1
Live Timing
Caterham F1
McLaren
Castrol Edge