Originally Posted by pythonScott (Post 36355836)

***updated with more pics on page 3***

its now the F1 off-season and what better to do in the F1 off-season than show pictures I took a month ago while on vacation from Afghanistan?!

i went to Japan for the GP, only thing is i didn't buy a race ticket... i scored a paddock pass and spent the full weekend (wednesday-sunday) in the Honda Racing F1 garage, stayed at the hotel with the team and rode to and from the track everyday with Jenson's team of mechs.

i lived the dream and these are some of the photos captured by my new SLR. I'll post pics soon from my point-and-shoot.

full gallery larger imageshttp://picasaweb.google.com/py...nD40#

Fuji-san:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0093.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0103.JPG

Ross Brawn in the background watching over practice
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the composites prep and repair area of the garage. Engine covers standing up on the right. left side of photo you can see the the end of the radio rack then a spare front nose/wing. F1 Photographer Lorenzo Bellanca in back, left of center, putting away some of his equipment
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0271.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0275.JPG

thurs night pit lane atmosphere
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0289.JPG

Rubens' car
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0290.JPG

Rubens's form fitting seat
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0293.JPG

well-wishes from Japanese school kids in Gotemba
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engine cover going on to Jenson's car
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0299.JPG

scales Honda uses to corner weight the car. Then the car is rolled down to scrutineering to see how it weighs in there
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0305.JPG

rolling the car back from the scrutineer's scales
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ferrari boys working late
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0335.JPG

Spare engines tucked in for the night (thurs night)
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metal porn. http://is.rely.net/1-92-30008-l-au16...EFX98SjN8A.gif
your header will never be this bad-ass.
never, ever.
owning a Hy-tech might feel like you're close. I have a Hy-tech and seeing these in person still made me weak in the knees.
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team kit i was given so I'd fit in while helping in the garage. It doesn't matter how poorly they've done this year (or how funny it looks http://images.honda-tech.com/set1/smile/emsmilep.gif), it was an honor to be able to wear that get up and i wore it proud http://images.honda-tech.com/set1/smile/emthup.gif
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0412.JPG

this is me... in a totally candid moment. I was fortunate and didn't have to wear the horrid FILA's that were part of the team kit and just wore my Adidas. The guys were jealous.
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friday morning before practice
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CTR in the hotel parking lot. I want one. bad.
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a CTR driving by in Gotemba, close to the hotel
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Accord hanging out by Gotemba train station. dude was really cool.
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heading into a noodle shop for some REAL ramen. so, SO good!
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_0697.JPG

Sunday morning riding into the track with Jenson's mechanics
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1000.JPG

F1 photographer Lorenzo Bellanca setting up a camera to take shots of the Honda pit stops
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1014.JPG

fuelers prepping the rig
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1018.JPG

prepping the tires and other misc for the grid dressing of the car
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1027.JPG

grid girls make great subjects, and these ones are jDm y0!
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waiting for the race to start. note all the people in the background on the grid
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1126.JPG

behold the pit stop lollipop!
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1102.JPG

front-left wheel gun, back up wheel gun, and front wheel fairing ready for action
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1132.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1136.JPG

Ross Brawn in his fire suit.
His disapproving glare can crush you. http://is.rely.net/1-92-30009-l-tEzP...BTGi0jOCgA.gif
Thankfully he didn't mind me in the garage.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1137.JPG

doh! the cars have started on the formation lap- its a rush to vacate the grid
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1140.JPG

its race time. everybody is at the ready.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1144.JPG

taken thru a 2-way mirror. Nick Fry and race team cheif mechanic Matt watching the race. Matt and the fuelers have red balaclavas and inverted color (green VS white) fire suits to stand out from the crowd
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i loved the red Alpine Stars booties. they offset the uniform just like the red highlights on the race car
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1159.JPG

another taken thru the 2-way mirror. team members watching the race
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1162.JPG

engineer watching the data stream, er, river coming in from Jenson's car
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1164.JPG

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heading on down to the podium ceremony
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Me again! this pic was taken by my good friend on the team during the podium ceremony while I took the photographs that follow...
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champagne!!! http://images.honda-tech.com/set1/smile/embeer.gif
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the Ferrari mascot. dont be fooled, its NOT the horsey. nope. THIS guy is their mascot. I hate this guy. He makes my Honda-loving skin crawl
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1329.JPG

the Flav and his boo in a congragulatory smooch. Shes a babe. see next image...
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bravo! Flavio!! hugs all around
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my friend Tim walking past the cars in Parc Ferme
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1345.JPG

pit stop roster. did you make the cut?
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1354.JPG

5 hours after the race the garage et al has been fully packed and cars prepped for shipping to China
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1360.JPG

almost nobody ever gets to see this: the post race, post clean up team meeting and pep talk. Its a cool thing and reminds you that, in fact, this is a team
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSC_1368.JPG


If you're still hungry for more i should have the other pics posted soon (taken with my point-and-shoot)



Modified by pythonScott at 11:39 PM 11/16/2008

Originally Posted by pythonScott (Post 36422166)

my PHD camera shots

i have some vids of engine runs that I'm trying to get uploaded to youtube, but its been a challenge from S-L-O-W internet here in afghanistan. Will let you know if/when I get those up.

I only have photos from wed-fri as somehow, someway i lost the camera on Friday night while out and about in Gotemba. About a week before heading to Japan I had dropped the camera. Although it still performed OK, as you can see in the pics, it gave focus issues seemed to make everything grainy and more contrasty. I would've picked up another PHD after losing it but was too focused on learning my new D40.

what follows is a bunch of the photos from the gallery. here is the full gallery:http://picasaweb.google.com/py...00fd#


riding to the track with Jenson's mechanics wednesday morning
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7166.JPG

sweet!
R. Brawn on a Honda F1 sign. I'm a believer.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSCF7171.JPG

Nate and Tim assembling Jenson's front
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7183.JPG

decal touch up on the engine cover
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7179.JPG

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gearbox/rear susp assembly before rear wing is attached.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7199.JPG

Its been tradition that the Japanese engineers treat the team members to dinner on the wednesday night of the Japanese GP for years now. Because I was helping in the the garage I was welcomed along. We all met up at a Korean BBQ place and had a blast here you see them in the middle of some drinking game
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7234.JPG

Fuji-san thursday morning seen from the hotel parking lot.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7265.JPG

Brake fluid reservoirs attached to the steering rack. one reservoir for the front, one for the rear.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7288.JPG

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the 2 front rotors sandwiching the 4 front brake pads. I wish streetable rotors had mountings this easy to deal with!
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7289.JPG

close up of the rotor hats. on the lower one you can see the brembo logo
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSCF7291.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSCF7292.JPG

damn non-focusing camera. Takata harness in the foreground
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7294.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7329.JPG

tire set for Rubens
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSCF7303.JPG

front wing detail
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7311.JPG

looking over left side of Jenson's car. race steering wheel is on. The orange cover protects the water radiator while engine cover is off. Anything labeled RACE 2 this year belongs to Jenson's car
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7313.JPG

the cockpit with out Jenson's seat installed
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSCF7317.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...0/DSCF7319.JPG

Rubens' car. wheel hub assembly complete. note steering wheel on top of car
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7304.JPG

pit stop front axle stop mark
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7307.JPG

R. Kubica entertaining questions from journos Thursday evening in the paddock
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7348.JPG

turn 2 in the background, turn 3 entrance closer. Taken from the paddock parking area before heading into the paddock Friday morning
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7353.JPG

Turn 6, 'the Hairpin'. Taken from the paddock parking area
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7354.JPG

heading into the paddock Friday morning. I think these gents are on the Ferrari team, but not 100% sure =P
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7360.JPG

i <3 honda
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RB stopped during friday practice
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checks on Rubens' car during friday practice. tire warmers on
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7377.JPG

Rubens watching the timing screens during friday practice. Tire warmers on.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_KCEaN9yHF-I/SR...6/DSCF7382.JPG




Modified by pythonScott at 11:30 PM 11/16/2008