on air diary...
OUT ON TRACK
posted by Lee McKenzie on 24/07/2009
What a great afternoon I had today, not just because I am in Hungary at the F1 but this afternoon I was out on track with David Coulthard during practice 2.
Watching the cars in action is always interesting but listening to the knowledge and expertise of someone who has had 5 podiums here was a real learning curve and good fun too!
I normally watch practice in our production office, with one of the teams or in the pit lane so when I was given the chance to get out on track, I jumped at the chance. We set off wearing fluorescent tabards saying ‘Photographers’ and took to the infield (well we did have a camera so it wasn’t a complete lie!)
Firstly we walked to turn 2, where the track drops off downhill before a tight hairpin. It is a corner I know well as it is beside the GP2 paddock, where I loitered for the past 5 years! This time though we were the other side of the fence, right up against the armco which is quite scary when cars start heading towards you in the run-off.
We then walked to the hairpin at turn 13 which again was great fun and slightly terrifying leaning against the barrier at the outside of the apex. We just had to hope and pray that, as the drivers came towards us at 165 miles per hour, they would brake in time! Maybe knowing the drivers better, DC seemed less confident than I was and stood round the corner, out of the firing line.
The straight between 11 and 12 is one of highest speed sections at the Hungaroring and here DC suggested we stood where the drivers ‘should’ be braking, down from 170 miles per hour and 6th gear and braking just before the 50m board! It is a site that you have to see to believe.
After standing for over an hour in 33 degree temperatures, I think the sun had gotten to us. We all stood in front of a big screen to see what was going on. When an on-board shot of Felipe Massa came up, DC started to drive the track, hands out in front and pretending to hold a steering wheel. A couple of minutes later and we were all doing it. Thankfully Massa came into the pits and once we had all hit our imaginary pit lane limiter we started to head back to the paddock!
Watching with David was fantastic, he talked through driving style, lines, he showed us where he crashed in his first ever F1 race in Hungary because he was so exhausted and we discussed new Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari who was, naturally, looking pretty tired himself after driving over 80 laps in his debut in an F1 car. His head was bobbling about a bit – he’ll be pretty sore come Monday.
We made it back unscathed, as did all the cars. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to venture out on Friday’s at the next few races too.
Thanks very much for dropping by.
Lee x
