[Mr. Pockets]

Well, they weren't restrictive with cameras at all. Unfortunately, though, the place was mobbed. I was unable to get too close to Ferrari's garage, but I think I had a good enough angle to get a shot of the spare car without the engine cover on. I'll have to see when I get the film developed. I'll be getting the pictures off the digital camera in a bit...maybe I'll post a few.

Anyway, the event itself. It was practically a religious experience for me. Rounding the corner, the first thing I saw was the engine cover from a Toyota. I've been rooting for Toyota since they announced their program back in 1999 or 2000 (having a hard time remembering which). I've been gulping every bit of Toyota news since they started testing the first wind tunnel model. Like any fan of any other sport, I feel like this is my team and that I've suffered the losses and celebrated the wins (small though they may be) right along with them. Luckily, Toyota's hardly as popular as Ferrari, so I think I got some very cool photos in their garage. In particular, two mechanics raising the very complicated engine cover onto Panis's car and buttoning it up. I was hoping beyond hope that they'd take the car to the weigh bridge. I wouldn't have been able to touch the car, but maybe I could have at least smelled it or something.

A McLaren MP4-17D passed within 3 feet of me on the way back from the weigh bridge. I feel like I've been blessed.

While I was outside Williams' garage, they fired up an engine. The crowd went totally silent. Idle for ten seconds or so. A few blips of the throttle. Then a soft whump of a backfire as they cut it. The crowd went nuts.

I've heard the engines on TV for years, of course, but hearing them in person was...something I'll never forget. Yeah, microphones seem to get the general idea across. But somehow, in person, those engines sing. All 5,000 parts of a P83 work together to make one of the most beautiful noises I've ever heard. Tomorrow I'll see qualifying and the noise will be filtered through echoes, people and other ambient noises. But right there in the garage, with nothing to obscure it, the sound is incredible. There was depth to that sound I'll never be able to describe.