How did you get on at Silverstone Ali?

[Neil.P]

Hope you had a good time!!

Neil.P

[Wizzo]

Any photos??

[Alianora La Canta]

I got on mostly very well. The start and the end were pretty bad, but if I had the option to go again I would certainly do so.

I sat in the Copse E terrace, except for the GP2 qualifying where I went into Copse C grandstand as a token use of the Friday roving ticket. To be honest, the view from the part of Copse E terrace I was in was perfect for me. Direct view of the pit lane, Copse (up to and including the start lights) and the entrance to Becketts, as well as a giant screen I could see with my little binoculars.

The atmosphere may have been somewhat apparent on TV (I don't know because I still haven't got round to iPlayering the BBC coverage) but you had to be there to really appreciate it. And wear ear defenders. The terrace was packed for all three days and by 9am on Saturday and 7:30am on Sunday, people were being sent to the other end of the terrace. These people, although all supporters of Lewis and Jenson, also supported a whole variety of drivers. Cheering, applause, klaxons (good thing I had ear defenders on...) In fact, I think the only unrepresented driver in terms of support in there was Nelson Piquet Jr, who did not help his cause by spinning in the run-off less than 100m from where I was sitting in first practise! I guess from the laughter that issued around me that he didn't impress many other people either. Only when his team won a support race did he start getting respect.

It was amazing how nervous I got waiting for the race to start. It didn't help that I'd been in the terrace since 6am, but mostly it was additional excitement that was having the effect. There is something inexpressibly marvellous about seeing a race start happen just the other side of the catch fence. It's even better when one of the drivers you support (Fisichella) makes a great start and then maintains a good position. When you notice on lap 4 that you are being joined in applauding by a lot of people, most of whom probably hadn't anticipated being in that situation, you know you're in a good crowd.

I've started writing a series about the race at my blog.

There are no photos - I tried taking a few but they all came out so badly you'd struggle to recognise anything in them.

[lkjohnson1950]

I f you've never read "Travels With Ali" I heartily recommend it. She's really quite good. Oh,  watching an F1 race start from the pit wall is pretty good too!

Lonny

[cosworth151]

Well done, Ali! 

There's nothing like actually going to a race. I just hope it wasn't Silverstone's last.