For day 2 of the Austrian Grand Prix I arrived early and photographed drivers and team owners arriving into the paddock when the weather was just perfect and before it got hot. I found that the Ferrari hospitality suite provided a richly coloured, dark backdrop and when the subject turned left and headed into the early morning light. the resultant pics were pleasing, well to me at least. 
Felipe Massa went for a jog in the paddock early on and Sebastian Vettel rolled up on his bicycle. 
Daniel Ricciardo walked up the ramp to the Red Bull hospitality suite, which is huge and I was given a tip that there was a reflection shot that might work so I had a crack at it and thankfully Dan was smiling hence his pearly whites were highly visible.
Kai Able (below) is a TV presenter for Germany’s RTL and my god, doesn’t he look the goods here. Every day he comes in some loud outfit but it works, because I’m writing, and you’re reading, about him.
When I returned to the 3rd floor mega Media Centre mid morning, two of the teams were doing pitstop practice and the media centre was a great spot to photograph it from. The cars are pushed in by mechanics with a team member (not an F1 driver) in the driver’s seat ready to brake on the spot. 
The final corner of the Red Bull Ring is a right hander and if one shoots from the inside of the corner looking back up the hill, you can shoot the cars as they crest. I was down low enough that the fences and signage behind the cars were not visible and that is always the aim when shooting this sport. I spent 15 minutes of the first practice session in that spot. 
From there I tried some other shots to provide variety; here I’ve shot through the 3cm gap in the armco.
I then decided to cross over to the outside of the track, but on the way, I had 10 minutes in the small forest panning at a slow speed hoping for a few sharp shots, this was one of the better ones.
On the outside of the final corner there are a couple of angles. This one is looking up the hill, shooting through the wire fence. 
There there’s the shot of the cars rounding the corner and heading down the start/finish straight with the large Austrian flag so prominent on the run off area. 
In the wide shot below you can see the campers up on the hill and come Sunday that will be full I’m told and what a view they have. 
Here’s a video camera that transmits live images used in the international telecast. It’s just so tiny and only 20cm from the track, although it’s a straight section of tarmac so the chances of it being cleaned up by a car would be low.
After a quick and tasty lunch provided FOC by the circuit it was down to the pits for the 2nd practice session at 3pm. I like to position myself so the cars drive directly at me as they come in for the stops in front of their garage. Of course, they always turn away from you in order to hit their mark, but still, they come within a metre and half although looking through the lens you are immune to any danger (that’s the way it feels). 
There was plenty going on in the pits and one has to have their wits about them to avoid injury or pissing off the hundreds of other people working. In fact Kimi Raikonnen had a whinge over team radio about a photographer who got too close as he came in for a stop. I didn’t know about it until later in the day and in this screenshot you can see the photographer in question in the shorts and black vest. 
I happened to be standing right behind whoever it was and can be seen in the next frame (top right) but thankfully I was in the right spot.
Here is a selection of things I saw and photographed whilst in the pits. 
I’ve now had enough of writing this blog and will finish it abruptly. More tomorrow.
