Episode 3 - Pit Lane Walk

...didn’t happen. Why not, we hear you ask?  Well, winding back several hours, we found the metro, bought a travel card, dodged the dodgy man wanting to help us, alighted at the stop we were told was closest to the Grand Prix entrances. Recovered in the oasis for a while then started walking. No signs, the people in red tops to assist visitors were in a state of confusion with both us and them finding their training inadequate for the task that would be even more enormous tomorrow, when the actual event opened. 

10,000 steps later, in the relentless sun, we reached the (wrong) entrance gate.  

CHORUS: The Pit Lane Walk?… yes, go straight ahead 10 minutes. (10 minutes = 1 hour).  

Then we found a map sign which didn’t locate where we were, therefore, was only one notch up from useless.

We found an information booth: 

CHORUS.

We arrived and fell into a cafe, sat in the shade and ordered beer. Yes, we know, alcohol and blistering heat is not good, but sometimes you just have to have hope that this time it will be alright. 

We watched the queue to the Pit Lane Walk grow and grow and grow.  Those poor people stood with no shade for 3 hours. We sat in the shade nursing our headaches.

The women’s toilets were locked. Our overheated dehydrated bodies re-absorbed. 

At 4:30 the gates opened and the two kilometre long queue inched forward then stopped. 

So, in answer to your question above, that’s why!  We exited the area and fell into a taxi. Our driver was odious but we didn’t care. We were very happy to be home and we slept so well.

Our metro stop for the Grand Prix

The oasis outside the metro. Pretty music played. Special place

Oscar Piastri banner made us happy. Where is my photo of Daniel Ricciardo’s?

A gate to the old city

There were many steps along the long long walk to the entrance gates 

Happiness on thinking we were near. We weren’t 

Pretty city fountain I wanted to fall into. It was so hot

Zone one includes the grid and finish lines so speed happens. This bend is where there were yellow and red flag events in the following days.

More of zone one glimpsed through the fence

Pretty stand and flag in zone one

Great broom and outfit

Many amazing buildings were on the “10 minutes” walk

Glimpse of Baku’s famous Flame Towers referencing Azerbaijan’s nickname “the land of fire”. Worth reading about them and all of Baku’s amazing buildings

Photo taken by other bewildered tourists

Seating in zone one for people with good glutes, pelvic floors and knees

Chorus

This made us happy and there is a lotus flower sculpture in the water

But where on the map are we now?

Around this model F1 car are some of hundreds of very friendly red top people there to help…  

Our shaded seats as the Pit Lane Walk queue grew and grew

A fraction of the queue

Locked women’s toilets.

More queue