Race Day!

It all started when I received a phone call 3 days before race day. A friend on the other line offered me a ticket to watch the F1 on race day. It wasn't an immediate yes until he uttered the next golden words - it's a grand stand seating. That prompted an instant yes! yes! yes! as the answer.

I am not that keen to watch an F1 race day at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) (that means I am still open to watch the race day at any other venue, definitely who wouldn't) due to some bad experience I had before. Though I was very much grateful to my nephew when he offered a free ticket during the 2005 season, I lost my wallet and had to endure a 2-hour traffic jam getting out of the venue. The seating, on a hill that forms one of the corner for the track, provides me with only almost a second of F1 experience, out of one minute and the half taken to complete a lap at SIC by an F1 car. The cars came out from our right before quickly disappeared on our left.

But this time, it was a big upgrade. At first I wasn't really care about the price of our ticket until I received a call from a former boss, who was also attending the race and wanting to know where I'm sitting. I mentioned whatever written at the back of the ticket when he mentioned that I have an expensive ticket. A confirmation by the ticket provider that the ticket was worth over one grand. Never in my life, unless, after when I already own a Ferrari, that I would only buy an F1 ticket at such a price.

The whole experience was carnival-like with lots of people already thronged the circuit by noon. Entering the parking was already hell enough, to pay an amount that can fill up 3/4 of my tank with petrol just to park under a palm tree really sum up the leeching we had. The price of the food was marked up out of proportion. No outside food or drinks allowed.

Anyway, what made it's worth to get a grand stand seating, apart from its hefty price tag is to damage your hearing, by purposely had it exposed to the high-revving engine sound during start of the race. My seating was just next to the starting grid. I really love the roaring sound of an F1 car!

Finally, big credit due to Jim for the free ticket. Though I know I will have to endure another 2-hour traffic jam just to get out of there (just as what I had endure for the two races I've attended) if he happens to provide me with another free ticket next season, the prospect of getting a corporate suite wasn't really much a deal, isn't it?