How do you get to be on the grid during Brundle's grid walk

[fullbeem]

How easy is it (legally) to get on the grid for Brundle's grid walk before the beginning of the race. Bernie's tickets for the weekend cost about £3k for weekend but that does not include access to the grid before the race. How easy is it to buy your way on to the grid?

[lord summerisle]

if you have to ask...

[ewenm]

You need very well connected friends or a very good agent, and I don't mean a travel agent.

[fullbeem]

ewenm said:

You need very well connected friends or a very good agent, and I don't mean a travel agent.

So it's impossible for "normal folks" then with cash money. You have to be punting Naomi Campbell or summat to get on the grid. Correct?

[ewenm]

fullbeem said:

ewenm said:

You need very well connected friends or a very good agent, and I don't mean a travel agent.

So it's impossible for "normal folks" then with cash money. You have to be punting Naomi Campbell or summat to get on the grid. Correct?

That's my guess. I presume the teams have a number of grid passes that they either give to friends or sell to celebrity agents.

[C2996]

going by the people brundle normaly talks to, you have to be famous and not really that interested in F1

[lord summerisle]

there is another way. free too.

be a marshal, get trained up as a start line or pits specialist, and apply to marshal the GP. if you get selected then you'll be on the grid.

[T89 Callan]

you need to be a piece of st clinger-on with no knowlegde of or interest in F1

[belleair302]

The teams are allocated a number of passes, some for the Paddock and some for the grid. These are then passed along to principle sponsors, VIP's, and those that have them requested in their contracts. Mechanics and race engineers, team principles and oil, tyre and computer specialists have passes because they work on the cars.

The Grid is not actually a great place to be, you cannot get close to the cars, or the drivers, and what tends to happen is people group together in no mans land trying to look intelligent or 'matey'.

The best place to be is in the garage as the cars leave for the grid and then to watch the race from the garage or the motorhome.

[woof]

close connections to F1 - sadly my connection at USF1 isn't much use, however I'm hoping at some point another close connection at Lotus might be able to sort something out for a Friday practice.

I would guess if money was no object i could make an enquiry ?

[sleep envy]

sponsor a team

[fullbeem]

How much are HRT (hormone replacement therapy???) wanting as a sponsor. Back of the grid so i guess they would be cheapest to sponsor and thus as a sponsor get on the grid

[Beccleston]

fullbeem said:

How much are HRT (hormone replacement therapy???) wanting as a sponsor. Back of the grid so i guess they would be cheapest to sponsor and thus as a sponsor get on the grid

PHF1?

[furtive]

I got close in Malaysia a few years ago. Managed to get to the Bernie Gates which is the final stage of security but was told that Bernie has the pit lane locked down tight and the only way you can get in is with a photo ID that activates the gates. And the only way to get one of them is from the FIA. So you need a team or a broadcaster to get one for you really.

I also mistook the red carpet next to Bernies gates to be the entrance to the Corporate VIP areas for sponsors. The very big scary South African security guard made it very clear that I needed to get off the Kings red carpet pronto.

Managed to get into the medical centre though and had a chat with the local circuit surgeon who was a really nice bloke. And got into the Radio 5 Live box briefly before the race started.

This is Bernies parking space. The Bernie Gates and the red carpet were just to the left:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/furtives/2635459849/i...

I did manage to blag my way into the BMW F1 party the night before though... That was easy too.

[obscene]

Be Eric Clapton

[marine boy]

I've got on the grid quite a few times just before a race without the correct pass but I did have the right gear on and I was being swept along in a crowd of people wearing the right attire.

It's a very special experience stood at the front and looking down the grid, something I won't forget for a long time.

At one race I even ended doing the Brundle shuffle trying to get out of his way, he's very determined when he spots a victim he's trying to make a bee line for them.

Edited by marine boy on Friday 12th March 20:52

[Piglet]

lord summerisle said:

there is another way. free too.

be a marshal, get trained up as a start line or pits specialist, and apply to marshal the GP. if you get selected then you'll be on the grid.

Only startline get onto to grid, pits don't have grid access. We do have a pretty cool job the rest of the time though!