Abu Dhabi F1 GP Videos (on the grid)

Hi guys

I know its already been a few days but I just got round to uploading these on Youtube.
I was a guest of one of the teams at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this year and they were gracious enough to invite me to watch the race from their corporate suite but with also full access to the pits and track.

The highlight was being invited onto the track, on the starting grid while the cars were getting ready for the race to start. It was an amazing experience. Here are some of the videos from that day:

1) Getting onto the track via the pits:

2014 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix - Grid 1 - YouTube

2) On the starting grid while they setup:

2014 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix - Grid 2 - YouTube

3) Clearing the track for the race to start:

2014 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix - Grid 3 - YouTube

 

Wow. Just awesome. Amazing how close you got to the cars, especially while they're making their way down pit lane at what looked like regular pit lane speeds. Yikes!

Thanks for posting!

Ruben

 

Very cool. I'm guessing your where guest of Force India? Considering in the 2nd video the guy said something to you .

 

"Pretty close, huh?" Any closer, and you would be sitting on a driver's lap! Great post!

 

Thanks for sharing the videos, that had to be a blast!

 

Here is a hint: Pan S L O W L Y and when something catches your eye, focus on it for more than 5 seconds before looking away. Filming is not like looking around with your eyes.

 

That is correct. They were great hosts and gave me full and unrestricted access to their team. I will post another video from inside the garage later on.

 

Haha. Yeah it was really really close. Some of those cars go past you at neck breaking speed and if you are not careful you may very well end up in (on) the car

Before we started walking out of the team garage onto the pit lane and eventually onto the track, we were told "Keep looking behind you when you are walking, these cars are very big and very fast" ... a lot of people get distracted because there is so much going on that I can understand why they needed to remind me that.

 

Sorry buddy, wasn't really thinking about video quality. I took the video on my BlackBerry and wasn't really looking at the screen most of the time. I was more busy taking in all that was happening around me. I will keep that in mind for next time.

Actually next time will be at the Finali Mondiali which will take place at the same track next week.

Finali Mondiali Abu Dhabi 2014

 

+1 very cool. Thanks for posting. I'd have gone to Austin if I could have blagged similar access!

'Sahara' is a beer, right? I guess the Abu Dhabi folks didn't realise that..... In addition to removing 'Martini' Williams also removed the red in the stripes I noticed - Pretty harsh when Sahara is allowed......

Cheers,
Iam

 

I think Sahara is an investment company. Kingfisher is a beer though...

 

Like Bas said Sahara is an investment company ... Kingfisher is a brand that does own a beer with the same name but I think the branding on the car is for the holding company.

Austin is on my to-do list at some point in the next couple of years.