My Typical F1 Weekend
I'm sharing a bit about my F1 life today. It's about what I do on a typical weekend when there's a Formula 1 race. This might be a bit boring for some, but I thought it'd be cool to share.
Like a lot of you, I've noticed that there are more and more races each year. We're up to 24 in 2024! To be honest, I'm not sure if I like having so many. But, whenever there's a weekend without a race, I find myself really looking forward to the next one. So, what exactly my F1 weekend consists of?
Friday
Alright, let's dive into Friday, the day things start to heat up on the track. I'll be honest – I don't always catch the Thursday press conferences. I usually just skim through social media for any big news.
I'm based in the UK, so free practice 1 (FP1) typically starts around 11:30 AM. That's perfect timing for my lunch break! I try to sync my break with FP1 so I can catch it live. It's great for getting a sneak peek at the new upgrades teams have brought in.
As for the second free practice (FP2), I often end up watching it later. My workday wraps up at 5 PM, so catching FP2 live can be a bit tricky. If I can, I'll watch it as it happens, but if not, I'm fine with checking out the recordings. I'm pretty relaxed about watching the free practices; live or not, I just enjoy following along.
Sprint Weekend - Now, if it's a sprint weekend, things are a bit different. The qualifying session is on Friday, and I definitely try not to miss that. Most of the time, I watch it live. If for some reason I can't, I steer clear of all social media to avoid any spoilers until I can catch up with the recordings.
I'm curious about what you all think, but personally, I'm not a huge fan of the current sprint format. For me, Saturday feels like a separate event that doesn’t really affect the main race on Sunday. It's like we get all the excitement on Saturday, but it doesn’t change much for the race day.
Saturday
Saturdays are always exciting. I usually make sure to watch FP3 and then the Qualifying session live. I've got a rule for F1 weekends, no other plans. My wife isn’t a big fan of this rule, but that's how it goes 🙂. If I do end up going out, I'll either watch the Qualifying on my phone or wait to see it when I get back home.
After Qualifying, I often tune into the post-show and Ted's Notebook. If I'm tied up with something else, I'll just catch up with the recordings later.
Now, on a sprint weekend, we have the Sprint Shootout and the Sprint Race. I'll be honest with you – even though I watch all the sessions, I'm not too bothered if I miss the sprint events. For some reason, the sprint format just doesn’t do it for me.
Sunday - the Big Event
Now, let’s talk about Sunday – the day we all wait for, right? I always make sure I'm tuned in at least an hour before the race starts. The build-up to the race is something I absolutely love. It sets the mood and gets me all excited for what’s to come.
One part of the pre-race I can't miss? Martin Brundle’s grid walk. It’s a must-watch for me. There’s something about his insights and the way he interacts with the teams, celebrities and drivers that just adds to the excitement.
Then, it’s race time - I’m glued to the screen for every lap, I don't want to be distracted for anything haha. After the race, I stick around for the post-show, the interviews, and of course, Ted’s Notebook to wrap it all up. And let's not forget the post-race drama – if there’s a thrilling finish or some controversy during the race, you bet I’m all in for the gossip and analysis that follows.
What Now?
So, the excitement of the race weekend is over. What now? Well, my love for F1 doesn't just stop when the chequered flag is waved. Throughout the week, I follow a bunch of creators for their take on the races.
I'm a regular viewer of Peter Windsor's content on YouTube – his insights and analysis are always spot-on. I also tune into podcasts by Matt and Tommy, and I don't miss 'The Race' podcast either. They all bring different perspectives, which I find really enriching.
And then, there’s the Sky Sports F1 podcast on Tuesday. It’s like a final wrap-up for me, catching anything I might have missed over the weekend. It's a great way to keep the F1 buzz going until the next race rolls around!
