my photos

motoGP Silverstone 2011 ...

Please humour me everyone, I love motoGP!

Here's some facts from the weekend.




We had three day roving grandstand tickets, and this year we added on an extra day for Day of Champions, a charity event with mega proceeds going to Riders for Health.

Total sum raised through DOC ticket sales and auction was £194,577.00.



We also had tickets for pit and paddock access.

It was really interesting to see inside the riders' garages, although frustrating for me Hayden's mechanics kept the door to his tightly shut.

Alvaro Bautista, Loris Capirossi, Cal Crutchlow, and Hiroshi Aoyama obliged to sign my programme, along with Scott Redding from moto2.

Stoner was outside his motor-home signing autographs, but there being such a stampede, he made a hasty retreat back inside.

We got to meet vintage rider Randy Mamola, who was cruising around the paddock on his bike.

Hey Vee from The Bearister Bookcase, I know you like motoGP too.

Are you looking through my pics!



We watched free practice periods from the New International Pits Straight, sitting opposite the Repsol and Grisini Honda team garages.

I was highly suspicious of J sitting away as far as we could from Hayden's garage?

Little did he know I'd spied a hole through the fence, and could see him through the binoculars!



Lone Brit rookie Cal Crutchlow broke his collarbone in free practice, ending his race weekend.

He thinks he coming back for Assen?



The weather over the first three days stayed mainly dry, but on race-day the heavens opened, and stayed open for the duration!

We had the best vantage point from Becketts on race-day, but were very, very cold and wet.



It was an exciting wet race!

With three riders not finishing (Spies, Lorenzo and Simoncelli) Casey Stoner from factory Repsol Honda finished on top, with Andrea Dovizioso and Colin Edwards second and third respectively.

My man Hayden just missed the podium by coming in fourth.



There was a fence between me and #69 on the only occasion I spotted him in the paddock.

I'm finding this fact a bit hard to swallow!


o

MotoGP mention ...

Nicky Hayden - Third on podium for Ducati today at Jerez.

Let it rain!
O

my photos

where the racetrack meets the sea ...

This weekend the MotoGP is being held at the Phillip Island Circuit in Australia.

We got to visit there in January 2010, and even got to stand on the podium.



Robbo is the resident Phillip Island Circuit cockatoo, who for some reason is behind bars?


not my photo

I think he's got dillusions of being Nicky Hayden!

o

photo - motoGP official website

Aragon ...

Casey Stoner top, and Nicky Hayden third on podium.

Result!

I'm still recovering from the 'lil backyard move Nicky Hayden made on Jorge Lorenzo on the last lap!

A great day for Ducati!

o

photos - motoGP official website

Silverstone weekend ...

We had an amazing time at the weekend at round five of the 2010 Moto GP World Championship, with the Air Asia British Grand Prix returning to Silverstone.

The weekend was a big-5o birthday treat for JC, and for me!

I restricted taking photos, as I wanted to enjoy and lap up every minute.

Anyway, with my camera there really is no point in trying, when the bikes are doing speeds of over 200 mph!



Our team is Ducati Marlboro, and on race day Nicky Hayden and Casey Stoner finished fourth and fifth respectively.

No podium!


my photos

We had designated seats in Woodcote A, on the end of a row.

From here, there's a fantastic view of windy sections of track, the back end of Pits Straight, and the finish.

The rest of the time we were able to rove, so we watched practice and qualifying from other areas of the track.

The weather was mixed, Friday and Saturday was brass monkeys!

For the middle of June it was freezing, with a north-easterly ripping through the grandstand seats. I can't believe how sensible we were in taking spare warm clothes and a fleece!

Fortunately on Sunday it was warm with sunshine, and we could peel off for race day!



There were a few thrills and spills in practice and qualifying.

On race day, Melandri came off into the kitty litter pretty much in front of us. We blinked and missed it, but did get him walking back to the pits.

Marco!



Valentino Rossi crashed out in the last round at a home race in Mugello, and is out with a shattered leg for who knows how long?

It was great to see so many get well wishes for him on this display board from his adoring fans.

Not me!



The Blades were doing a display on Saturday albeit in a different colour. They are now blue, sponsored by Barclays Bank.

I took the photo above last year at our local Shoreham airshow close to our home, when they were sporting a more striking Ducati Red colour!

It was a shame to miss the parachute display by the Red Devils on Friday, but we did get to see the eardrum-bursting display by the Typhoon Eurofighter on Sunday, which I have to say was as jaw-dropping as ever.

Love it!



Late afternoon we watched live music by groups in the Arena eZone, who were very good.

On Friday evening World Cup was being shown on the big screen. We stood bedraggled in the cold and rain to watch the whole 90 minutes of that very bad match England vs Algeria!

It really isn't worth doing a rewind on the football, but if you want to catch up with highlights from a day at Moto GP click here.

Rule Britannia, and Ducati!

o