In a country like Chile where the F1 isn’t a popular sport although a Chilean Driver drove in F1 but many of you remember him because a triple World Champion tried to knock him out at Hockenheim because he took him of the race while he was leading. Also not everyday an F1 comes to Chile!
When I went to this event it wasn’t planned to being in the Vip Zone, so here’s the story.
I was waiting with Felipe (My half brother) outside the main stage/track trying to get a great place to the see car while Dad was searching for a parking spot. Meanwhile we were awaiting for dad to come out, I found funny things like people selling David Coulthard’s flags not the Scottish Flag but flags with his face alongside people selling F1 Souvenirs and of course Red Bull to be honest was a quite expensive; I have a market near to my house and they sell Red Bull more cheaper.
At my side was this chubby guy with a heavy smell of Cigarettes and he was wearing a Red Bull T-shirt and he spent the whole time bragging about his T-shirt, like he was trying to be coolest dude around but no way Jose.
Fifteen minutes when by and my Dad call us and he was making the attempt to get some VIP Passes for the three of us. Meanwhile the Chubby guy alongside with me was talking and smoking like like a chainsmoker, remember people: smoking is bad for your health.
Then my dad returned and I thought “damn it he couldn’t make it” then I saw in his hand three yellow wristbands and that was it, I was in the VIP Zone for the Showrun!
But how my Dad made it?
Well, he works for “El Mercurio” one of the most importants Newspapers in Chile although I don’t share their way of thinking (Editorial) but anyways I was in, fucking in! take that chubby smoker!
I was in as a “Photographer Assistant” for El Mercurio for two hours then I swapped to Radio Santiago. For an entire afternoon I was Alonso Manso: “Photographer Assistant” for El Mercurio and Radio Santiago.
When you are in the VIP Zone of any kind of event, everything it’s so different. In this case the VIP Zone was close to the Red Bull Garage.
Like every VIP Zone everything was surrounded by free stuff from snacks, Hot Dogs and of course Red Bull.
Once In I began my “grid walk” around the track. The streets of Santiago are bumpy with some potholes. While waking I started to salute the crowd, yes the crowd, it made feel like a Rockstar.
Then I went to the Garage. For the Showrun they carried two cars and in one of those cars they were testing the engine. That was one of the most amazing experiences in my life; damn that engine sound is loud as fuck!
From the Red Bull side I met Engineers and the Driver himself; David Coulthard. I was in the press conference in the Garage and he was talking from the Garage, I don’t remember all the questions but I remember one especially : “Why you never won the Drivers Championship?” David said: “I didn’t put my 100% that’s why”. During the Press Conference I tried to speak David but one of the Stewards looked at me, his expression was like “Hey kid you are too young to be Reporter.” so I decided to hide between the cameras.
Meanwhile I was walking on the track I met cool people for example I was able to meet Francisco “Chaleco” Lopez, one of the most famous Bikers in the Chilean Motorsport history, he was 3rd in the 2013 Rally Dakar in Bikes and one of the most nicest guys I’ve ever met.
After that failed attempt I started to speak with some of the Engineers they told me that “this the best job of the World” with a huge sense of pride.
David please?
After that brief talk with the Engineers I returned to the VIP Zone and I saw in a corner David Coulthard speaking to the Guesses in the VIP Zone, he started to talk about his job in the BBC and the F1 Forum, he talked about Vettel, Webber and Alonso in fact thought in Chile there was a lot of Alonso fans due to the fact that we speak Spanish.
After that conversation with the guesses It happened, I don’t know if lady luck was on my side but David was technically alone in the corner sitting and talking with some other people.
So finally I started to talk with David, we spoke for five-eight minutes, David told me he played Football and ate some Chilean Food, he was having a good time in Chile. I don’t know why but I didn’t had the balls to ask for a picture with him but I had the balls to ask if he could sign my Cap and ¡taran!
I couldn’t believe it. ¡¡I SPOKE WITH A FORMER F1 DRIVER….AND HE SIGNED MY CAP!! (¡¡and the Scottish people have the same accent!!).
Then David leave…he have a Showrun to do!
The Showrun:
David did some Donuts and high speed sprints and one of the most coolest things started to play the Chilean anthem
¡¡¡¡It was awesome!!!!
After that he did a second stint of Donuts and high speed sprints then the floor of the car broke due the bumpy surface of the streets, but at the end of the day I was happy. One of the best days in my life. Thanks to the smart thinking of my dad.
See more pics of the Showrun here on my personal Flickr: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCNYShY