Sunday 20 March 2016

Melbourne AGP 2016

Well another F1 event done and dusted once again with the same great Team I have been with for the last 4 years. What an interesting w/end we had with the weather playing games with us starting Thursday in mid 30s and Friday wet and cold Saturday cool day but mainly dry and race-day being Perfect.
  Our Team was assigned Post 3.0 drivers Left on turn 3 great spot with cars coming down at speed from two and breaking heavy into turns 3 and 4. Thursday gave us Cars from all categories apart from the F1 cars which don't come out till Friday. GT3, V8 Supercars and Porsche we had many visit our Kitty Litter but no one getting stuck. Friday was a similar day but on a wet track so we had to get two cars pulled out of the kitty Litter.
 Saturday proved to be a reasonably quiet day for us with V8s giving us some good battles but with all the action happening up between turns 1 and 2.
  Our Team briefing Sunday our Sector Marshal said its been like a rubber band stretched to the max ready to let loose and it did. It started to break with the Porsche race when two cars made contact which sent one nearly into our flag point being on blue flag at the time I just called incoming and we all moved out of the way the driver was able to keep the car straight with only the mirror running along the wall before he spun round deep into the kitty litter he wasn't going anywhere after that. Wow that was a close one brushing off some dirt well and truly awake now. all other events were fairy smooth until the main F1 Race.
Once again I was on Blue flag when on lap 17 Alonso (Mclaren Honda 14) made a move to pass Gutierrez (Haas 21) on the inside when they touched this sent Alonso into the wall just before our post once again I called incoming and to Duck I knew this was going to be big not being able to see much but hearing heaps of crunching and crashing and all of us being covered in dirt carbon and whatever else but at least nothing big came through the fencing. Only after I stood up and we went double yellow and race control Quickly went Red flag did I realize that both cars had flown into the kitty litter. Great to see both Drivers get out safe and all our Team even though a bit dusty were all good a big clean up after delayed the race about 30 mins. This now one of the biggest Crashes that I have had being on a Post. Once again a Great w/end with fantastic people definitely a year that I wont forget.
Sandown Shannons Nationals Next Event for me 2nd & 3rd April until then stay safe have fun.





Looking into turns 3 & 4


Looking back to 2.5 & 2.0



Team at post 3.0


Stewards Cup Presented to our Team





         

2 comments:

  1. Paul I was the senior marshal at the point in two thousand one when the crash of VIllenueve and Schumacher occurred.I was very lucky to have survived.We lost Graham Beveridge that day.I still worry about marshals being on the outside of turns.Never ever turn your back completely to traffic.As you saw debris is everywhere.And it is deadly.Good luck and besties to all the marshals.We had a great run for twentyseven years.

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