AustinF1 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Sorry I've been away. Crazy, CRAZY busy week with all the Shell crew shuttling us all over the place. Then recovery, work, etc... Here are some Friday photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.7...4878&type=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinF1 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 I finally managed to get through all my Saturday USGP pics too. About 130 at the link. Sunday pics to follow asap! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=747...e=1&theater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinF1 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 So...wow. Like I said, crazy weekend. It all started for me on Wednesday afternoon as I got wind of a Lewis Hamilton appearance at a mall shoe store near my home. So I met my wife there with the boys, who got to meet Lewis. He was great with the kids and they couldn't have been more excited. From there I drove downtown to the FOTA Fan Forum. I got there just in time to see about the last 20 minutes or so. It was cool, & the drivers seemed to enjoy the interaction in the less formal setting of Cedar Street. More pics of each event here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.7...4878&type=1 On Thursday I met the Shell folks out at Lost Pines and started my F1/Shell V Power weekend in earnest. From there we went out to COTA for a meeting upstairs in the Pit Building with Shell's Guy Lovett, who leads a team of engineers formulating fuels for Ferrari and works with them throughout the weekend to ensure the proper components are present given changing conditions at the track. From there it was off to the track walk, and a tour of the Ferrari garage & the Shell Trackside Lab, then on the bus back to Lost Pines before a fantastic dinner with the Shell gang at No Va on Rainey Street. On Friday morning we were up early to catch our bus to COTA & the Shell suite atop Turn 1. Upon arrival all we found was fog and more fog, so we sat for a bite to eat while we waited for it to lift. Finally the fog abated, and FP1 began. A few minutes later someone noticed that the EMS medevac chopper was not on site. How this escaped the watchful eye of the FIA, I'll never know. Practice was stopped until the helicopter arrived. It took around 45 minutes for it to arrive even though a steady stream of passenger choppers could be seen coming and going. I'm not sure who actually noticed the helicopter was missing, but here in Vance's photo you can see the Statesman's David Doolittle pointing out its absence to COTA's Steve Sexton. In my post above you can see pics of action from all the practice sessions of the day. I'm still working on Saturday & Sunday's photos. After Friday's COTA action we piled onto the bus again to head downtown for a Shell Fan Fest media event with Felipe Massa...a "Mixology" lesson with Guy Lovett and the Punk Scientist. After the lesson, I and Formula1Blog's Todd and Paul were able to ask a few questions of Felipe. That event was packed and crazy and ended with a huge toast to Felipe and well-wishes for his future success at Williams. Felipe was a delight and gracious in every way, a true class act. Fan Fest was pretty cool & it was good to hear Los Lonely Boys again, but after that I was just too tired to properly enjoy the rest. Between Shell activities and general F1 stuff, it was a VERY busy 5 days. Saturday morning we sat in on a Shell/Ferrari Master Class with Shell UK Country Chair and EVP DS Technology Ed Daniels and VP Retail Fuels Technology Andrew Foulds speaking with some of the University of Texas' brightest engineering students. It was very interesting to hear the questions of the students and to see how Ed and Andrew sought to inspire this group on to solving the world's future energy concerns. There was a problem with our bus Saturday morning, so Paul, Todd, Mike Larsen & I all jumped into my STi to ensure we made it to Qualifying on time. It was interesting that Paul (a driving instructor & former race driver) just wanted to go faster as we drove away from Lost Pines. That road out to the highway is just AWESOME. Those of you who've been there know what I mean. Meanwhile, I'm not sure that going faster was really on Todd's mind. Saturday night Vance & I from Facebook.com/FoF1ATX passed on a late invitation to the Ferrari Especiale unveiling to team with Twitter's Fake Charlie Whiting and Todd & Paul from Formula1Blog for a tweetup at the Hyatt Lost Pines. It was a great night in the lounge as about 40+ folks enjoyed a drink and great conversation with new F1 friends. It was great to put faces and real names together with some internet usernames. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 What an awesome "insider" report, AustinF1! Almost like being there. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 LOOKS LIKE FUN ..TO BAD THEY WONT EVER GET MY MONEY UNDER THE CURRENT OWNERSHIP ..A LOST FOR BOTH I SUPPOSE BUT ONE I CAN HANDLE . THANKS FOR THE PIC.S THEY LOOK GREAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 great pics! Thanks! Did a last minute trip with the wife to the USGP.. caught my attention so much I watched the finale this past weekend on NBC. Look forward to 2014! See if anyone can tame the bulls.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinF1 Posted November 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2013 Thanks Rodney. Hey guys. Finally finished my Sunday USGP pics. Almost 300 of 'em here. Enjoy! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.7...4878&type=1 Here's a preview: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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