Your favourite motorsports events

[Roo]

First day of the Australian GP down and I can't wait for the F1s to hit the track tomorrow! Here are a few pics from the afternoon pit lane walk.

Williams are marking the 20th anniversary of Senna's death with the logo on the side of the nose.

It was interesting to note that Toro Rosso have 2 different shaped noses to try tomorrow as shown in the picture and it seems McLaren have Mobil as a more prominent sponsor.

 

[Roo]

a few more...

There was a discussion in another thread about doing a pit walk in Canada I think - this is the reason to do it. As a paying spectator you won't get this close to the cars any other time

 

[Roo]

My only issue is that this year they have put up some communication link on top of the catch fencing right in my favoured shooting line! grrrrrrr.

 

[tntwit]

]
a few more...

There was a discussion in another thread about doing a pit walk in Canada I think - this is the reason to do it. As a paying spectator you won't get this close to the cars any other time

Any issues with taking any of these pictures as far as the teams getting upset? There is a lot of technology in these cars that they might not want to share. I understand they are on display, but taking a picture is a permanent record.

Our company might show technical drawings to a customer, but they don't take the drawings with them for a record.

Just curious. I'm guessing no issue, but I would probably be hesitant as that is just my nature with such things.

 

[Roo]

]
a few more...

There was a discussion in another thread about doing a pit walk in Canada I think - this is the reason to do it. As a paying spectator you won't get this close to the cars any other time

Any issues with taking any of these pictures as far as the teams getting upset? There is a lot of technology in these cars that they might not want to share. I understand they are on display, but taking a picture is a permanent record.

Our company might show technical drawings to a customer, but they don't take the drawings with them for a record.

Just curious. I'm guessing no issue, but I would probably be hesitant as that is just my nature with such things.

No issue at all with taking the photos. Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren didn't have their front wings out so they may have something interesting come practice. The f1.com site (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2014/0/1153.html) site produces some great drawings of the minute changes some teams implement from race to race.

 

[CarlTN]

]
a few more...

There was a discussion in another thread about doing a pit walk in Canada I think - this is the reason to do it. As a paying spectator you won't get this close to the cars any other time

Any issues with taking any of these pictures as far as the teams getting upset? There is a lot of technology in these cars that they might not want to share. I understand they are on display, but taking a picture is a permanent record.

Our company might show technical drawings to a customer, but they don't take the drawings with them for a record.

Just curious. I'm guessing no issue, but I would probably be hesitant as that is just my nature with such things.

No issue at all with taking the photos. Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren didn't have their front wings out so they may have something interesting come practice. The f1.com site (http://www.formula1.com/news/technical/2014/0/1153.html) site produces some great drawings of the minute changes some teams implement from race to race.

Are you just trying to make us jealous now? Impressive shots of very impressive subject matter you have there, well done!

 

[traingineer]

Some of you guys are really lucky to visit the pit stops. :'(

 

[CarlTN]

I just watched Will Buxton's documentary, "The Road to Ferrari". I really enjoyed it! Buxton is a great journalist and broadcaster! I could almost feel what he was feeling...and the trip from the eastern European city I most want to visit, Budapest (also Will's favorite city)...to Italy...and even walking the old track with the big banked turn at Monza...wow, I loved watching this! And he gets to drive a Ferrari for the first time, the FF...the whole trip!! Not only that, he lets some shop specialists drive it too (they'd never driven a Ferrari before either), while he and his producer ride in the back seat. Emotionally meaningful stuff!

Btw, I don't care for how the new F1 cars sound, at least on tv. I knew I wouldn't! The sound was via one of my DIY highend speaker projects that is not finished, admittedly, but the sound is not too far off what the end result will be. Uses Scanspeak Illuminator tweeters...

 

[Roo]

Are you just trying to make us jealous now? Impressive shots of very impressive subject matter you have there, well done!

Thanks Carl. More photos coming in the next couple of days After the first f1 practice session I realised that I no longer need ear plugs but now I need a hearing aid! The new cars are really quiet - the V8 supercars and Porsche Carrera Cup cars are louder! After the second practice session we were appreciating them a bit more with the turbo whistle and different sound but its still not the screaming v8! I'll have to check out that doco.

Traingineer - I'm lucky that we buy the same grand stand seats every year and because we book early we get pit access. It is really a jostling match to get photos within a 30 minute time frame and of course everyone wants to hog the Ferrari and Red Bull pits.

 

[IMG_0001]

Nice pictures Roo, you are lucky to attend the first race of the season.

a few more...

There was a discussion in another thread about doing a pit walk in Canada I think - this is the reason to do it. As a paying spectator you won't get this close to the cars any other time

Yep, that is me, I'm looking forward for Montréal's GPF1, I have tickets for the stands at the Senna curves and these also provide access to some restricted areas where photos opportunities are not to bad. I've attended a few times but was never able to make it to the pit walk on Thursday. I intend to have this change this year. Your pictures only make it more appealing.

I also am trying to locate somewhere to rent a Tamron 150-600 in Canada for the GP weekend. I had Canon's 100-400 last year and will rent it again if I can't find the Tamron, but I'd be really curious of trying the 150-600.

Have a great race weekend and keep posting!

 

[dhr90]

RE The more prominent Mobil sponsor on Mclaren, that's a one off for Australia, it's to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their partnership. Mclaren still don't have a title sponsor so potentially the side pods will be blank at the second race.

Liking some of the photos here. Glad I heard a V8 before they were retired. Wish I had the opportunity to go to an F1 race this year, but the prices for the British GP are just outrageous. Cheaper to go to Belgium, or the 24 hours of Le Mans, Le Mans wins every time in that dilemma I think!

 

[Roo]

RE The more prominent Mobil sponsor on Mclaren, that's a one off for Australia, it's to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their partnership. Mclaren still don't have a title sponsor so potentially the side pods will be blank at the second race.

Liking some of the photos here. Glad I heard a V8 before they were retired. Wish I had the opportunity to go to an F1 race this year, but the prices for the British GP are just outrageous. Cheaper to go to Belgium, or the 24 hours of Le Mans, Le Mans wins every time in that dilemma I think!

Thanks for the update on Mobil. I wasn't aware of that until they rolled out for the first practice session on Friday morning here but that livery does look really good.

After all the carry on about the (lack of) sound (and I was one of those missing the screaming v8), it was all forgotten in one epic qualifying session.

I would love to go to Spa for a GP and especially to tour the original track Le Mans also has its charm and with Porsche back it becomes more compelling. I still love Steve McQueen's movie - When you’re racing, it... it’s life. Anything that happens before or after... is just waiting.

 

[V8Beast]

RE The more prominent Mobil sponsor on Mclaren, that's a one off for Australia, it's to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their partnership. Mclaren still don't have a title sponsor so potentially the side pods will be blank at the second race.

Liking some of the photos here. Glad I heard a V8 before they were retired. Wish I had the opportunity to go to an F1 race this year, but the prices for the British GP are just outrageous. Cheaper to go to Belgium, or the 24 hours of Le Mans, Le Mans wins every time in that dilemma I think!

Thanks for the update on Mobil. I wasn't aware of that until they rolled out for the first practice session on Friday morning here but that livery does look really good.

After all the carry on about the (lack of) sound (and I was one of those missing the screaming v8), it was all forgotten in one epic qualifying session.

I would love to go to Spa for a GP and especially to tour the original track Le Mans also has its charm and with Porsche back it becomes more compelling. I still love Steve McQueen's movie - When you’re racing, it... it’s life. Anything that happens before or after... is just waiting.

Great shots, Roo! It was great to see the home crowd supporting Ricciardo during qualifying. What an effort by Red Bull after a disastrous winter. The Williams/Martini livery looks fantastic, too.

I lament the loss of the naturally aspirated era. It's not that I don't like the sound of the new turbo motors. It's just that they're so quiet. I feel as if the much of the emotion has been stripped from F1. I won't pass final judgement until I've had a chance to hear the new cars in person in Austin, but nevertheless the action is qualifying was epic to say the least.

 

[TheJock]

Brilliant shots Roo, I enjoyed seeing them. The new cars are really quiet aren't they! still can't wait for Abu Dhabi (AD), I've decided not to work at it this year, so I'll be a spectator with my wife, going to do the whole 4 days, pit walk on the Thursday with a drivers signing session, this season promises to be too exciting with the double points in AD to miss it. Have a look for a guy that looks like Elvis, he turns up at all crashes in Melbourne, that's Alastair, top bloke who gave us some training in AD for the V8 supercars.
If you fancy marshalling then contact CAMS in OZ, plus you WILL get some incredible opportunities for photos.

 

[V8Beast]

What a race! A Mercedes, a rookie, and a Red Bull (driven by the team's #2 driver no less) on podium, great stuff. I might have a new favorite driver in Ricciardo. I love this guy's enthusiasm. I can't wait to see how the action intensifies once the schedule moves on to tracks with more over-taking opportunities.

We'll have to see if Red Bull's disqualification stands:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/formula1/26601418


Sounds like BS to me, and if the FIA has any decency they'll sustain Red Bull's appeal.

On a side note, the Mercedes power units are looking stout. I wonder if Ron Dennis is reconsidering the team's projected switch to Honda power next season. Honda's last foray as an engine supplier in F1 wasn't exactly a raging success.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi folks.
If you guys want pit access to an event where the cars not only sound like cars they look like cars, I got one thing to say, Goodwood Revival. Pit access is ticket dependant, as in better tickets get more if I remember right..

Cheers Graham

I just watched Will Buxton's documentary, "The Road to Ferrari". I really enjoyed it! Buxton is a great journalist and broadcaster! I could almost feel what he was feeling...and the trip from the eastern European city I most want to visit, Budapest (also Will's favorite city)...to Italy...and even walking the old track with the big banked turn at Monza...wow, I loved watching this! And he gets to drive a Ferrari for the first time, the FF...the whole trip!! Not only that, he lets some shop specialists drive it too (they'd never driven a Ferrari before either), while he and his producer ride in the back seat. Emotionally meaningful stuff!

Btw, I don't care for how the new F1 cars sound, at least on tv. I knew I wouldn't! The sound was via one of my DIY highend speaker projects that is not finished, admittedly, but the sound is not too far off what the end result will be. Uses Scanspeak Illuminator tweeters...

 

[TheJock]

On a side note, the Mercedes power units are looking stout. I wonder if Ron Dennis is reconsidering the team's projected switch to Honda power next season. Honda's last foray as an engine supplier in F1 wasn't exactly a raging success.

19 seasons with only 1 championship win with Merc engines isn’t a good statistic for a team like McLaren Graham, they do look strong at the moment but it's only race 1 of the season...........ohh yeah, and McLaren are winning the constructors championship at the moment ;D

 

[V8Beast]

19 seasons with only 1 championship win with Merc engines isn’t a good statistic for a team like McLaren Graham, they do look strong at the moment but it's only race 1 of the season...........ohh yeah, and McLaren are winning the constructors championship at the moment ;D

I understand the whole nostalgia element, but I think having drivers like Senna and Prost during the Honda-powered McLaren era may have had something to do with why Honda engines seemed so dominant As it stands, Honda will be a year behind the curve when they re-enter F1 in 2015. With such dramatic rule changes since the last time Honda was in F1, I wouldn't want to be their guinea pigs! Nevertheless, I'd very much like to see McLaren and Ferrari start winning races again. I don't know about Ferrari, but McLaren doesn't seem that far off.

 

[CarlTN]

RE The more prominent Mobil sponsor on Mclaren, that's a one off for Australia, it's to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their partnership. Mclaren still don't have a title sponsor so potentially the side pods will be blank at the second race.

Liking some of the photos here. Glad I heard a V8 before they were retired. Wish I had the opportunity to go to an F1 race this year, but the prices for the British GP are just outrageous. Cheaper to go to Belgium, or the 24 hours of Le Mans, Le Mans wins every time in that dilemma I think!

Thanks for the update on Mobil. I wasn't aware of that until they rolled out for the first practice session on Friday morning here but that livery does look really good.

After all the carry on about the (lack of) sound (and I was one of those missing the screaming v8), it was all forgotten in one epic qualifying session.

I would love to go to Spa for a GP and especially to tour the original track Le Mans also has its charm and with Porsche back it becomes more compelling. I still love Steve McQueen's movie - When you’re racing, it... it’s life. Anything that happens before or after... is just waiting.

+1, and you gotta love that Martini livery !

 

[Roo]

Thanks all for the kind comments. The weekend was great as always with lots of on and off track entertainment. I only took the 70-200 for the Saturday and Sunday but I was still happy with some of the shots I got. It was the first time I really got out to shoot with it and I can now see why it is such a well regarded lens From my seat using the 150-600 would annoy too many people in the crowded stand lol

Regardless of the sound the new regs produce a car that moves around a lot more and provide a lot more sideways action. The extra torque combined with the reduction of aero means the drivers walk a very fine line keeping it on the black stuff.

Thanks for the marshalling suggestion TheJock. I did pick up a brochure from CAMS a couple of years ago and looked at the opportunities it provided such as being eligible to work at the Singapore GP etc. However, I thought that if my primary reason for becoming a marshal was the photo opportunities then I'm not doing it for the right reasons.