paddock access

[calcium]

Sorry, I know most of you are 4 wheeled motorsport fans (which is how I started off) but does anyone receive paddock access to the MOTO GP and if so what line of work are you in? They are like gold dust!!!!!

[elephino]

Well I know I don't get access to Moto GP press passes.

Any media pass is difficult to get and as you move up the categories the harder it becomes until you hit F1 when it is essentially impossible. For instance, to get a photo pass for F1 you need to have had over 100 photos published the previous year. Now tell me how I get photos published without being able to get the access to be able to take the photos?

[calcium]

So, who were all those people I envied so much in the MOTO GP paddock area at Donington? Are they all friends of friends of friends?(Money people, not true fans!)I got the impression that most of them didn't appreciate just how privileged they were. Anyone else share my opinion?
Elephino, are you a photographer?

[elephino]

Too many people get into paddocks without being able to appreciate where they are. Some are friends of friends, some are good looking, some are grid girls, some are celebrities, some are just hangers on. Most are at least team or media but some people just should not get passes.

Yes, I am a photographer. Mainly V8 Supercars and other categories within Australia.

[f2001]

MotoGP should treat the hardcore fans with that kind of access, British Superbikes let u in the pits before the event...well they did at Oulton Park (no pit pass needed) you could meet the riders and so on...autographs...and all the usual !

[Speedworx]

If you want paddock access. Go on the Day of Champions on the Thursday before the British GP. For £10 you get to walk around the pits and paddock.

I went last year and spent nearly an hour on the pitwall.

[calcium]

Ah yes, but who did you get to meet and what was the atmosphere like? A buzzing race atmosphere or just a huge crowd of people walking around not really knowing what's happening?
There's a great atmosphere at Oulton Park on qualifiying and race days.I walk around the Paddock area (which isn't fenced in)There's riders zooming around on scooters, bikes on display,mechanics working hard, I love it.(And plenty of photo opportunities, unlike at the MOTO G.P. at Donington!)

[Speedworx]

I met loads of riders:

Kenny Roberts (Sr and Jr), Shinya Nakano, Chris Walker, Jurgen van der Goorbergh, Tohru Ukawa, Jeremy McWilliams and Jay Vincent (got photo with him)

I think thats all the autographs I got. The Atmosphere was good, lots race fans all helping a charity. I even made it onto the Eurosport coverage of the day!!

[f2001]

MotoGP is the bike equivilant to F1 so thats probably why its like that, BSB is like British GTs in a way really, not much there and u can get into pits and meet the riders easy

[Carly]

I was lucky and managed to get my pass from Julian Ryder but that's the race of the year that I struggle to get into!

Good point about the F1 photos it's much the same with superbikes they want cuttings but it's hard when you are just starting out like me!

[calcium]

How on earth did you manage that? I've been intouch with both Toby and Julian but they weren't giving out any info.

[calcium]

Also, did it annoy anyone else, that the Melbourne hair pin was completely off limits at Donington last year? Is there anyone in this forum that receives Paddock Passes to the Moto GP and if so what line of work are you in?(or who do you know???)

[Carly]

erm well dad was very good at trials in his day, it's such a case in any paddock of not what you know or what you do but who you know!

[asha]

At phillip Island last year, I was sitting at Luky Heights. At the end of the race (knowing what happen last year, with most riders not doing a victory/warmdown lap [don'd ask]) as soon as the clear track pace car passed, I made a bee line for the podium. Cutting across the track at the bottom of Lukey, I followed the crowd through the back of the pits and next thing I know, I'm standing in pit lane, I follow a couple of mechanices (one who was wearing a rather nice MS aprilia jacket!) to right under the podium (catching only the end of the celebrations). I nearly got sprayed with Max and Val's bubblely, But I could smell it and it smelt sweet! I got knocked over by 6 guys wearing yellow suits and stood next to a women with a tear in her eye which quite possibly was val's mum (or some other close relative) as she looked simular and was crying in italian.

After the riders ****ed off, the crowd around be disappeared. I looked behind me and saw about 6 thousand people pushed up against the pit wall, with another hundred police holding them back. "how did I get here I asked myself", when I heard some guys getting asked where their passes were? and to leave immediatly. I thought to myself, "I'm not leaving here of my own accord", and I walked down pit lane to the, got to see MAX's bike real close up, I could have touched it! but I didn't want to leave my greassy fingerprints on such a prefectly polished jewel. I got to see in most garages, including the Derbi, Aprilia ones, even saw Ant West take his helmet off after the race. Eventually got told to leave, just as the last garage door closed, HAHA!

The experience will stay with me forever! And was very satifying for me personally as I have driven over a 1000km alone just to get there! The 9 & 1/2 non-stop trip home, wass spent dreaming and remembering all the tiny details, it changed the way I see the sport. MotoGP is the best!

[calcium]

Hi Asha,your experience made my skin tingle,you share my passion!I have also had an experience at MOTO G.P.that will stay with me forever,at Donington last year.
I stayed on the campsite for the whole weekend,now that was an endurance challenge!!4 hours sleep max,disgusting porter loos which all got melted down,fireworkes,huge bonfires,bikes and mad,mad people.We were camped next to a very noisy flood light generator and right under the flight path to the airport,we could touch the planes!!and to top it all(apart from the thunder-storms)a Scottish gang in kilts with a HUGE sound system in the back of a Transit van camped right next to us,what a weekend.
I was so angry and absolutely gutted when I found out that the Padock area was completely off limits,yes I'd gone there to see the racing but I'd also hoped to get close to the riders.It was by shear luck and barefaced determination that I eventually got into the Padock area.I was so overwhelmed,I met Max Biaggi,Jay Vincent,Youichi Ui,Katja Poensgen,Leon Haslem,Valentino Rossi(Toby Moody and Julian Ryder)I saw Rossi/Checa/Walker and Haslems bikes.My golden moment was actually sitting on Leon Haslems bike.It might sound sad to most of you but it's an experience I will never forget.I know I will never be that lucky again and I will always envy all those very privileged people with Paddock passes whether they are true fans or not.

[asha]

Yeah, its a shame that there is a bit of us and them attitude. But i guess you get that everywhere. My brief stay in "Paddock Land" made me realise how normal everything was too them! But also how amazing it is too.
I told my tutorial classmates at sydney university about my trip.
I confrontation with the real i called it.
Having never been to a GP in real life before, everything looked all strange and 3-Dimenional (and in a funny sense ugly), Max's bike is more neo-orange the red, for instance! The smell of that "green" fuel, its just so distinctive! When i first saw the 125cc bikes, on track first thing saturday morning, dissappear down the last corner and down the long straight, I could only compare them to, slot cars!!

On telly, you get to see a different race (i love watching on television) at the track its (for me) less emotional but more beautiful. First thing I did once home was watch the race on video!

It was also very cold at phillip Island! Funnily enough most of the crowd was pretty ignorant especially of the 125cc and 250cc. An example:
After Katoh won his race he rode pass my stand (Lukey Heights). I ran down the stairs and gave him a big double fist punch in the air and, very happily, I got a fist shake wave back! (which i still have on video!) When i turned around, no one else was standing or waving, maybe 6 people clapping, OUT OF THE WHOLE STAND!!?? What is going on?
Katoh, should have won the championship at phillip island, if only Marco kept his head out from under his bike! And Katoh fell hard that race (only 1 week earlier) too.

I wont mention, how unpopular Biaggi is either. I let my feelings felt though when he got pole, with a track recond and only seconds remaining! LOL. How can you BOO that??? Crazy people. If the race was one lap long, my money would always be on Max.

Did i have a point to make with this post?
Nah..i'm just raving about my love of grandprix.

p.s. btw, calcium welcome to the site! All fanctics welcome! LOL
p.p.s. I may need a place to stay near Donnington 2003. LOL

[calcium]

Thanks for the welcome,much appreciated.It was my first time at the Moto G.P last year too.Ofcourse you get a different picture watching it on T.V. and I too watched the whole meeting when I got home,but if it is only the once, I would reccomend anyone to go.The whole atmosphere was fantastic,you can't describe it properly,the sound of the air horns getting louder as the bikes come towards you and then fading away until the next lap,the crowd,the noise,the smell,the atmosphere was electric,yes sounds corny but that is the only word I could find that comes anywhere near describing it all.

Then to get into the paddock area after trying so hard....absolutely amazing.I had my photo taken with Max Biaggi,he was just tooting around on his scooter with his second place trophy and because of that I like him.He was very approachable,Valentino Rossi wasn't,he was also on his scooter but on the back and the person riding it was so fast and never stopped,so boo to him!!Don't know if I'm going to go this year though,I would never camp again!!but that's another story.

[asha]

YEah, lets start a "YAY" for max and "boo" for Val thread on the site that will get the tougnes waging. haha

btw, you didn't explain "HOW?" you finally got into the paddock?

I was chating to a friend online earlier and I was saying that one of the other great things about the GP was the lack of a what could only be called kind of racist attiude toward Japanese manufactures and machines that is assoicated with Bikey Gangs. Do you follow what I am saying.
Do you have that in the UK? Do you have bikies? That bigoted "jap is ****".."they don't invent anything they just copy.." stuff.

Am happy to say that non of that complete bull****e at the track, just heaps of GP lovers even if they didn't know much, or had questionable (follow the herd) favourites. It was all in the right spirit.

Also, of those who dont know.. Phillip Island is one (if not THE) smallest in the calander. Only about 35,000 ppl. total at the track.. (the figures are on the motogp.com page somewhere a few months back)
Reasons? 100km from anywhere. And only 19 million ppl. (i think)in the whole of australia.

[calcium]

As far as I know there's no racist attitude towards Japanese manufacturers over here.Please explain what "bikies" are?

I picked up on all the "follow the herd"attitude when I was at Donington,but that's not me!!I've always formed my own opinion and I have a few opinions of many riders(ha ha)
Another thing you touched on which I also noticed at Donington was the huge support for the 500 class but not so much for the 125 and 250,I think that's sad.

One of the most memorable races I've ever seen was a 250 race in 2000.It was between Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano.They were both team mates fighting for the Championship at Phillip Island.OK the race wasn't that exciting but the last lap and the finish was fantastic.Olivier won the race after sitting behind Shinya for the whole race.Olivier slip streamed Shinya to the finish line and won by 14 thousandth of a secand!absolutely brilliant!(and Max won the 500 race)

Going back onto the subject of Paddock access would anyone else like to share an out of the ordinary or paddock/pit area experience they've had at Moto GP or World Superbikes?

P.S. Asha,you must feel sad about the news of Gary McCoy?

[asha]

Oh yeah, Gaza sure ****ed up didn't he! Am I sad? Nah not really.. I think he is just that kinda of rider, you know, "on a good day" type.

Bikies? (is it just my spelling?) its just a name for motorcycle gangs like 'Hells Angles' etc.. They drink hard liquer have tattoos and ride Harley Davidsons (which tells you how good there taste is LOL) and are basically a big bunch of girls.

Concerning THAT race personally I think that Nakano was robed. You may remember that a race or two earlier Ukawa through his Honda under Nakano's bike and he crashed out!! And sure OJ crashed in Rio before PI but that was HIS fault.
Anyway, Nakano was the Gentalman of the year in my book for the way he took his defeat. And my sentiment was echoed here in 10-10ths at the time by many others.

Calcium I was wondering if you saw Casey Stoner riding in England (other then as a wildcard at Donnington).
I think the kid is GOOD, may even sneak a win this year
Fonsi will get the championship though. i watched him give an interview, he seemed like a mean *******, I like him!!!

[calcium]

Sorry,no I didn't see Casey Stoner racing here last year.He could have been at Oulton Park when I was there but to tell you the truth I wasn't really looking out for him,I had other riders to hunt down!!He must be a talent for the future because he was the only rider people were talking about that wasn't in the superbikes or Superstocks.

Asha,I thought you'd be a bit more down-hearted about McCoy,I like him,he's good to watch,he's got a different riding style to most.How long have you been watching the Moto GP?I've only been watching for 3 years so I'm not really up to speed on everything.