Well, with the first 11 races of the season over and done with we're now into the F1 summer break. For teams and drivers a force shut-down of two weeks gives time to relax and recover, with the final two weeks of break left for developing and enhancing their prospects for the rest of the season. For me, the summer break means that it's time to prepare for 2012's F1 road trip, this year to Spa.
Last year, I had the chance to go and watch the F1 in person at the Nurburgring. It was such an experience that Dad and I decided we had to go and watch a second race, again at a legendary track. Nothing really compares to watching F1 in person. You don't get the atmosphere when you watch the sport on television, and you don't really understand how amazing those cars sound until you're standing a few feet away from them.
So with 25 days until we catch the ferry there are only a few things left to sort out. We're taking our awesome blue Range Rover once again, and we're braving the elements by staying in a tent on the Spa campsite. When we went to the Nurburgring, we drove through Wednesday night and Thursday morning to arrive at the campsite at around 6 in the morning. The pitches were already pretty much gone, and we were lucky that we took the Range Rover so we could camp wherever there was space. This time around, we're leaving on Wednesday in the afternoon, so no driving through the night. Luckily, the official Spa camping has set out pitches by the look of it, so hopefully we won't have to find an unoccupied patch of forest!
The weekend will consist of a load of motorsport, with F1 as the main event. We'll also see racing from the Porsche supercup, the GP3 series and the GP2 series. Last year I wasn't much into GP2, largely because the supporting races never received much television coverage. However, this year GP2 has completely caught my attention, with some races being even more exciting than the F1! So this time around I'll be sure to catch more of those races in person.
Aside from the racing, we also get the chance to wander around the pit lane - with the pit walk at the Nurburgring being my first glimpse of my hero Vettel in person (I later managed to meet him at the Goodwood Festival of Speed). The pit walk is great, as you get to see what goes on behind the scenes of the sport, so this is something else that will be a highlight of the weekend.
So, this year's F1 trip is inching ever closer. As in 2011, I'd like to know what you think I should do while I'm in Belgium, whether it's linked to the circuit or the surrounding area. Send me a message on Twitter (@Mooevilboffin), and maybe your suggestion will appear in pictures when I return! The countdown begins...
