There are reasons of why you should and shouldn’t watch F1 live.
Let me start with the bad reasons::
1. The one that top my list is the stinginess of the committee.
Last year first day of the race, there was one tiny open spot for outsiders. The next day, it was covered. Last year, outsiders can ‘peep’ the cars through the black almost solid mesh, but we could see the colors (so sad), this year, everything was opaque. Friday night, we got great spot on the corner, although we had to stand on earth or soft soil. Saturday, it was fenced!
It seems like they were trying to screw up every opportunity for the spectators to get good grip of the race. Sure, They have their own professional photographers, yadda, yadda, yadda…but consider these comparison, I would say there should be not many things to brag from them. They have private accesses, they have undisturbed location with great corners and mesh-free spot, they have their proximity and they have their gigantic lenses. Many of them were even elevated and stationed on the crane. While for the spectator, I can’t help but feel that they do everything to make the experience miserable, if you go for photography. They sealed up good spots. What used to be open overhead bridge last year, first day of the weekend, were sealed completely. Good undesignated spots that you find on Friday, they sealed or fenced it on Saturday. The fences were located are far as meters away and we were barricaded by the meshes or bunch of plastic barriers that stood higher that the podium. Yah, It’s safety, but certain things are forcedly fitted into that excuses, especially the ones they reinforced the next days. Great corners are very limited, either you have to stick there the whole day long or you can forget about occupying good spots. Fair enough. But the available places and facades were way exceed the number of people waiting to get a ‘good glimpse’, I couldn’t help but feel like outsiders who tried to steal a look without buying tickets like last year, and that is crappy!
Things to keep in mind: If you walk, spots are gone. If you late, fat hope of securing even second tier of good places. If you do, be suspicious, it’s either straight track where you can hardly get a glimpse of the cars because they are too fast, let alone capture it in camera. So I would say, screw the committee on this, not to mention restriction of the lens that we can bring in. Nothing bigger than 300mm, so to compare, the lens that the ‘legal photographers have, can swallow maybe three or four of the allowed lens comfortably. On the last day, we saw some people managed to smuggle in big lenses. They were very smart to do it on the last day, if they did on Friday or Saturday, I’m sure at the next days other than ordinary check, they would probably strip search whoever looked suspicious with camera. Anyway, actually, we also don’t have those thigh-sized-price-of-kidney lenses…
That’s the biggest complain that almost ruined my second day of the race. We went day later the day and it was hellish to secure a good sport or even a shot. Luckily our kakis managed to get us spots when there was a break in the track. We still had chances to buy food for each other. On the last day though, no one bulged from the seats. Everyone endured roaring sun and the wait to secure the spot for finals. Hell no, this was the reason we were there and good spot was everything. Who cares about the concerts and shows; the committee threw in a lot of high profile concerts during breaks, but remember, you-shall-not-leave-your-space.
So, the stinginess of the committee! Unbelievable!
2. The crowd.
It’s expectable. You can’t hope for breeze and spacious spaces for big events. But for those who were unwilling to be drown in the crowd.. Don’t come. First day I was asking myself about why on earth do I involved in another situation where I pay to suffer. But it is what it is, I won’t complain. I can’t actually imagine quiet F1, it might not have the ‘feeling’.
But ungraceful crowd is another thing.. It’s understandable that everyone tried to secure good spots, so a little bit squeezing here and there were alright, especially that we understand the frustration. But some were just pushed it too far. First day, I had to tell a guy to stand behind a fence. Yah, he had been not in my favor since beginning. He squeezed next to me without looking left and right, there were quiet a lot of room, but he couldn’t measure that 10 cm brush of backpack could actually disturb people. Then when the practice started, first time I saw the F1 cars, he stepped on the fence, leaned faaaar forward and covered just everything for me and hubby who was standing beside. One lap, two lap, third lap I told him to stopped doing that as all I could see was him. Lucky he complied and was not psychotic murderous type but yeah I was pissed also! Anyway, after a while, he gave up totally since he didn’t arm himself with earplugs and couldn’t bear the sound.
Even if we secured place and didn’t leave, it didn’t guarantee that it stayed the same. People just squeezed when the race started, in front, behind, beside, whatever. Some did it okay some just didn’t care and knocked on the lenses, while we were focusing and holding helplessly with shaky hands. Some squeezed behind, appeared out of nowhere, one was so bloody close that I couldn’t put my leg on my spot where I need to get my shot. Even when I tried to squeeze back, he didn’t bulged. There were a lot of stepping places behind him anyway. So I had to kick ‘accidentally’. He didn’t bulge. Kick twice, thrice. Nothing, or shift a bit but still couldn’t fit. Somehow I settled with very uncomfortable support on my legs for a while until I really pissed off as the guy were getting closer. I had to turned around and kicked the leg repeatedly while looking at his face straight. This is not accidental kick , I want you to move after I tolerate you taking up my space but you pushed it too far! Move! Move! Move! Moveeeeeee! Until he shifted. All I need was a bit of space for my leg where it was! Huh!
The third pissed off was a kid kept knocking on my lens and me while he squeezed in front of me during the final laps. I gave it this time as he was only a kid and he looked so enthusiast, although it’s annoying dangerous as my hand holding lens was weaker and weaker clinging desperately, not to mention that we had to balance ourselves between podium and unstable fence.
I think all my kakis also had fair shares dealing with unpleasant crowd.
3. The facilities
Probably this one is up to the readiness. Bring water, food or whatever necessary to keep you well. Drinks are overpriced, understandable, but they put it in plastic cup. It’s difficult to find place for your butt, yet you have to nurse an open cup that wouldn’t sustain the thirst. It’s plastic cup, we need galooonsss…
Anyway, that is the long 3 reasons why live might not be preferable, not to mention that you can’t watch everything, always miss important incidents but that’s expected on every live shows.
Here is the reason why you should watch it live.
I can’t really put it fair into words, so I just summarize it. It’s live, you should try it at least once in your life while you can. It’s an experience, where you can gather with buddy or friends to enjoy the events, feel the ambience and the excitement.
There are some things we could only get by watching it live. The noise, the smell of the roaring engine, the spirit of the spectators beyond the scratching sun, the waving of the proudly displayed flags of the fans, the actually speed of the cars, the escapade of deadly corners, the flying colors, and to be actually there, witness it directly face to face.. ..... oh ya........... not so., blocked by bloody mesh. : )
