Every journalist has their own schedule, although of course all are based around the events at the track.
Our base is the media centre, where we all have desks allocated. This is usually – and traditionally – situated within the paddock, in or near the race control building, ideally – although increasingly rarely – with a view of the race track.
But there is a trend to move media centres away from the paddock.
In Miami this weekend, for example, the media centre is spread over a number of rooms several stories above the paddock, which is on the NFL pitch in the Hard Rock Stadium. This involves taking a lift down to ground level, or a buggy up and down a circular car-park ramp.
In Las Vegas, although F1 is the promoter and built the location from scratch, it was decided to devote the entire structure above the pits to the Paddock Club for corporate guests, to maximise income.
The media is housed in a casino hotel, about a 10-minute walk away, through a tunnel and across a car park, although there is a small workspace in the paddock as well.
Team hospitalities are for employees and guests. Some media events, whether they be team press conferences, or individual interviews, do take place in these areas, either in the general space or in a senior team member’s office.
For more informal matters, the media is usually allowed in, up to a point. Some teams are more welcoming than others. But many a conversation, often off the record, has been had over coffee in the hospitality areas.
I will typically arrive at the track about six hours before the start of a race. Some leave it later.
If it’s a late race start, such as this weekend, it will be significantly earlier than that. There is always plenty of work to do, people to talk to, information to gather. Plus, the earlier you are, usually the less traffic there is.
Written media watch the race in the media centre. Television and radio broadcasters usually have commentary booths.
In terms of post-race media sessions, these happen on top of each other after the race, which can make it tricky.
The drivers go to the “pen”, where they do the rounds of the broadcasters before spending a few minutes with the written media, who all crowd around trying to get their voice recorders as close as possible.
That’s with the exception of the top three finishers, who go to an official news conference after their broadcast interviews.
At the same time as this happening, the teams are starting to do their media sessions with their bosses – typically, Mercedes are first, followed by McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.
Sometimes even these overlap, however, especially if teams are rushing away to catch flights.
Any interviews we miss – and it’s inevitable you will miss some – we have to source elsewhere.
Then it’s a question of turning all that material into content for the audience.
We leave the track when we’re finished for the day. Sometimes, depending on logistics, you have to leave before you’re done, and work on the go. Typically, that will have meant at least a 13-hour day, sometimes longer.
