Thursday 26th March 2009 -V8's, supercars, classic car races etc..
It was decided yesterday that dad wouldn't come to the track with me today as there wasn't any F1 racing.. so he decided to tour round Melbourne insted!
Dad walked me down to Southern Cross station and saw me onto the tram..
Arrived at the circuit, joined the queue at Gate one, and got bag open and ready for searching, and threw away my water bottle as they had to be sealed!
Once in I went to a coffee stall and grabbed a coffee, and brought a bottle of water... then went up to the grand stand to where our seats were.. headed upto Section M, saw the security guy who said to me up the stairs and turn LEFT, up the steps, and turned left, walked up the steps to row V, seat 29/30... OH MY GOODNESS, as I turn to see whats in front of me.. Barbara has got us the BEST seats in the house...
for whats in front of me is.. THE PODIUM, The Start/Finish line, and I can see 1st/2nd place boxes on the grid, as well as the ferrari garages..
I bring down what would be dads seat, and place my camera bag on it, and sit myself down in my seat sipping on my coffee.. after a while the cars come out to race... first up was the Hystoric demonstration.. and then the mini challange.. after finishing my coffee I walked up and down the grand stand taking photos all the way along, and then headed down the stand to the toilets but had to head back as the BMW ultimate speed comparison, between Christan Klien in the BMW 2008 F1 car, Greg Murphy in a V8 Sprintgas supercar, and Paul Gover in a BMW 135 Coupe.. the Sprint gas V8 won, the BMW roadcar 2nd, Christian Klien 3rd in the F1 car, although he set the fastes lap time.
After that I was able to go and make my pitstop to the toilet and grabbed a burger for lunch... I sat at a bench watching the big screen behind the fangio stand, and watch some racing, the formula ford championship practice..
I decided to have a wander round, and headed right past the fangio stand and watched some racing on some steps, before heading back to my seat in the fangio stand... I was getting bored, but I saw the advert come up on the screen for the autograph sessions of verious drivers -the F1 guys were all done, and it was the other drivers.. humm shorly these tickets get me over the other side of the bridge... so bored I left my seat in search of answers.. found the information place, and spoke to a very helpful women who explained to me the GP advantage tickets -yep i can get to the other side, not paddock area, but i've missed the F1 driver signings.. Do'h!
So I decided to head over the bridge, and had a look at the cars that were on view on the lawn.. I noticed a barrier, with lots of people by it.. so went to investigate.. turned out to be fans waiting for drivers to come by to sign autographs, before they come/go into the paddock entrance... humm problem being the barrier came up to my neck and didn't fancy being pushed into it when a driver came by... so went to the side of the barrier where a security guy was telling people they need to walk behind the barrier to get by, or stand behind it for signings.. so told the guy that health and safety would be an issue and that if a driver came along and I was standing at the front, all the poeple would surge forward for an autograph and I'd be squashed..
with that he allowed me to stand in front of the barrier!
Eventually some drivers, they were Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella, and Adrain Sutil, looked to me like they even remembered me from yesterdays driver interviews, So I've got my Australian Programme opened at the force India driver page, pen in my hand and trying to take photos.. Adrian Sutil did come and sign my programe photo for me :)
Bit later on Eddie Jordan came over, I went right up to him and kinda got a little in his way just to get a shot and he did sign my programme to (at the front -circuit map), Timo Glock for Toyota came over and signed for fans too..
Then Nelson Piquet came by, he was on his phone but was soon off it and came right the way along from one end of the barrier to the other.. Fernando Alonso didn't even stop for the fans just walked straight along the paddock entrance, and just mearly waved whilst his other hand he pulled along his case...
The security guy then told ME, that a car would pull and park just by the paddock entrance, that would be for Flavio Britore... sure enough a car pulls up.. but Flavio didn't appear for ages.. then he just waved and got into the car...
Nicko Rosberg and Nakajimi appear to do some signings... Nico didn't appar to come all the way to my end of the barrier, but Nakajimi did... and go his autograph in my programme.
Then a bit later on Robert Kubica came by...
Then Iceman Kimi Raikkonen came by, and signed for the fans, but as usual his face doesn't show any emotion!..and then Massa stopped by too... I didn't get eigher of there autographs, just photos...
Then BMW's Christian Klein came by.. you know what.. I think he recognised me from a few years ago, at the Honda Open day, no Idea who I got that feeling but he just did a confused double take of I recognise you from somewhere!, I got him to sign my programme, but I couldn't find his photo in the programme so I think he signed it at the front!
Next to stop by was McLarens Heikki Kovalainen, signed from one area of the barrer to the other.. He signed my Programme for me too :).
Then Sabestian Vettel, again he signed from one end of the barrier to the other, and signed my programme for me.. whilst he was signing a brawl when on to the right of us, a bloke came out the bar, legless, and had a go a a security bloke... so all the security bloke whistled and said BRAWL and all the security blokes came to the rescue.. i'm not sure what happened to the outcome as before I knew it, Jenson Button was THERE signing autographs

He finally showed at 7:15pm... I'd only been waiting since 4pm!!! as he came down the line, I decided to grab his attention by having a quick convosation: "hiya Jenson, How are you?" 'hiya -fine thanks' gave me a little friendly smile oh your here in Australia! (I told his PA, Jules I was holidaying in Australia and was going to the GP).. I got some photos, but didn't get his autograph, as i'm lucky enough to own a few of them from over the years (though I now regret not getting him is sign my Australian GP advantage cap!) Jenson went back up the line a signed a few more autographs before heading in a car that had turned up for him..

Now Jenson had been to I stay for another 45 mins, or do I go cos i'm freezing cold he by now... I decided to stick it out for a bit longer.. and saw both the Toro Roso drivers, Sabastian Bordais, and Sabastian Beumi arrive and sign for the fans.. I got both there autographs... there I got all three Sebastian's autographs today!
Then David Coulthard arrived, He was reall funny, He signed some autographs near the top of the barrier and came to the middle, and some fans down by me were screaming for him to come down, but he was in a cheeky but funny mood of no, theres space up here... nodding his head sideways to say come up here, to this end... signed a few more autographs and left n a car... I was now really shivering... and there was only 15 mins left before the gates closed to the public... I said to the person next to me, i'm gonna go, and they were trying to perswade me to stay the last 15 mins.. no I must go.. even if I miss michel schumacher or Lewis Hamilton or someone, I need to go I'm getting VERY cold and need food... so headed for the tram.. it was empty apart from one couple...who were all over each other...great!, I got off the tram at Southern Cross, and phoned dad to say I was on my way.. and meet up with him enroute back to the hotel!.. which I did, at some traffic lights! we both headed to the little shop for some mineral waters after telling him the securite DO make you throw your opened bottles away.. grabbed a warm sausage roll.. took them back to the hotel room where I go onto lappy ended up editing photos from today and putting them up on flickr... and putting the best Jenson photo up on his forum.. then I had to pack my case.. as tomorrow morning we were leaving the hotel, and heading to Barbara's house for the next week... finally went to bed knackered, but happy after meeting LOTS of drivers, and looking forward to the first F1 Free Practices of the 2009 season..

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