Hungaroring - Grand Prix of Hungary 2003
Sunday, 24th of August
After the experiences of Saturday we drove off then still earlier than planned already at 6:45 o'clock. Again across Budapest however not describing following but again over the Erzébet hid and then on the M3. Early rising was worthwhile itself, because we were already short after nine on the parking lot at the Hungaroring. This time we continued to drive still another parking lot, because we had seen on Saturday that this one has an exit directly at the bronze grandstand.
Our equipment meanwhile perfected and to the conditions adapted. For the hard wooden seats a cover for supporting, against the sun our small portable sun screen, thanks Mr. Ikea for it, that he has such a thing in the offer, ear plugs and mineral waters. This time the cooling box remains in the car switched on, so that we have cool mineral water after the race.
So equipped we move to our places. Here we already determine the first lack. The wooden seats of the grandstand are too thick for the mounting bolt of our sun screen. That is probably really only meant for beach chairs. Thus the extension duct set and into a crack of the planks wedged and with the foot secured.
Slowly grandstands were filled and down on the distance ran the Renault Clio Cup. Beautifully fast, this small cars and naturally also completely beautifully loud, however not unpleasantly, rather more roaring.
After the Renault Clio Cup it is time for the drivers parade. On the large screen display we can already observe, how the Truck with the drivers and escort drives past at the other grandstands. As the Truck then passes us the hardcore fans became crazy. The Micha, Kimi and who white otherwise still calls become only over-sounded by the compressed air horns.
It is not simple to have a view of the drivers since the Truck drives on the one hand rather fast past at us, on the other hand the bring along flags and transparencies are wildly swung.
After a few seconds the whole Show is already past. For the drivers that is obviously also only one obligatory exercise, because converse lively with one another and signs simply to the spectators. Boys, there are also visitors with telephotos, there falls such a thing on and for the price, which one pays here as entrance fee, may one there nevertheless somewhat more commitments expect.
Afterwards again a small break, we in addition layed down on our cover in the shade of a tree to simply ease.
After one hour of relaxing we went back again on the grandstand. The Porsche Supercup is announced. Completely nice in principle. As we do not know anybody of the drivers it is also relatively uninteresting.
To a further break, which was used for cleaning the track and by us again to a small rest, it started finally. The Grand Prix of Hungary was started.
Actually surprisingly for all, from the start to the goal dominated a driver, Fernando Alonso in the Renault, the race. He had as much lead that one must say, he partly blamed the entire field and earned with a solid lead the victory.
Some Schumacher fans were so disappointed that they before end of the race, when it was clear that their Idol cannot come among the first three, gone. The remainder of the visitors, doesn´t matter to which group of fans they belonged, was jubilant to the winner too, when he drove its discharge round past in moderate speed at ranks.
When the gates were opened for winners honour, thousands of spectators flowed on the finishing lines around the play to see. For us it was the indication to leave.
Down are to be seen a few pictures, which I copied from from the video, which we made. They show some fence guests, who saved the entrence fees with daring constructions and had from the camping site probably a better overview of the distance than we.
The chaos of the departure began already on the parking lot. From left 4 tracks, from on the right of a two-row and from the center, where we were located in the queue, came an individual row. All wanted at the same time as possible pass the gate, which is broad approximately 1.5 passenger cars. Security, which would regulate something, nothing was to be seen. It was as in the genuine Western, man against man and only no distance to the preceding endorser release, whom another could use to come between. If one were finite then at the gate, one had to manage himself still somehow into the traffic-jam, which was in both driving directions on the road. After we were finite on the road and it continued to go slowly, my hope to drive again over the VIP road made niece. The Access was blocked by policemen. The column was led over dirt roads into the next village and from there it continued in the snail speed through the villages toward M3.
For the village inhabitants it was a play, everywhere they stood in front of their houses and admired the by-creeping masses. Some also still fast had invested into a crate Cola and a crate water and offered the bottles for the purchase. Sorry, self-support.
After 30 minutes we had already 3.2 kilometers made and now it continued relatively briskly to go further toward motorway and from there through Budapest the M1 toward homeland.
As result I must say, it was completely nice to experience formula 1 race once but for me there is no reason to visit a second. There the TV is nevertheless more comfortable and one sees substantially more from the race. For the nevertheless quite high admission fee one receives too few. There the organizers must consider themselves still somewhat and place an attractive master program on track. Even on the Hungaroring not all tickets were sold, I estimate, at least 10 % of all grandstand places remained empty.
© Ulrich Hoffmann 2003
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