Like many of us Scott Woodwiss watched F1 from a distance before he finally got to see the sport up close. Read about his first experience at a Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone in 2005 below.

I’ve been a fan of this strange and crazy phenomenon we call Formula 1 since the tender age of two. It began when I was sent a signed picture for Nigel Mansell, which I still have 15 years later. My parents tell me my first word wasn’t “Mama” or “Dadda” but “Mansell”.

I vaguely remember the day in 1994 when Ayrton Senna was killed. My father came back from work and when he was told there’d been a big accident he instantly said “It’s Ayrton, isn’t it?” At the time I was too young to understand what had happened.

I never really started to watch F1 until 1997. I had been a Damon Hill fan in the past. But now he was in an Arrows, I switched camps over to Michael Schumacher. This was where my allegiance would remain for the next four years or so, and year after year I would hope that Michael and his Ferrari would win the championship only to be thwarted by Mika Hakkinen and McLaren.

When he did eventually do it again, I was thrilled. But then as he did it again and again and again, my enjoyment of it all seemed to wane and eventually I would find myself on occasions falling asleep because there wasn’t anyone else remotely close enough to challenge Schuey.

I got bored of Ferrari’s domination, and didn’t quite cotton back onto F1 again until 2005.

That year I had my first live sighting of an F1 car. It was at the BMW Power Festival at the Rockingham speedway. There were the usual support races (Formula BMW, saloons, etc.). Then it came to the exhibition runs. The preludes were an ETCC touring car and their Le Mans-winning V12 LMR, which I was greatly looking forward to since I enjoyed the wailing soundtrack that accompanied its beautiful looks.

But then Andy Priaulx rolled out the BMW Williams and pounded out a few laps. I can’t say if I was stunned or amazed or not. In fact I don’t think I reacted at all. Maybe because I wasn’t fazed by it at all, or maybe because my brain and senses were trying to take it all in.

By some very good fortune and some money, my dad was given as a birthday present tickets to the British Grand Prix that same year. He got two, which meant that joyfully for me, I was able to go too.

The day started by craning our necks, or mine at least, at the outside of Copse to view the GP2 race. This, we felt was not an ideal spot, so we trekked round to see if there was anywhere else we could view the races from. By luck, we found the best place. Some people had literally just moved from a spot just before Maggots, which was incredibly close to the track. In fact it was probably the closest you could get to the track around the whole circuit.

After the Porsche Supercup, driver parade (where Schumacher waved towards me, sort of) and a guy from McLaren jogging round the track in nothing but a pouch for losing a bet, it was time for the main event.

Having heard one F1 car was an experience of its own. But nothing prepared me for the sheer feeling of 20 3.0 litre V10s at full chat going past at the same time towards Maggots. From where we were the sound was just ear-achingly loud. I know some fans say you’re a true fan you shouldn’t wear ear plugs, and I didn’t, but seriously it just a wall of noise and then it was done.

For the next hour and a half or so, nothing really happened apart from the cars going past time and time again, and from where we were without the joys of something like Kangaroo TV, and only the vague voice of Silverstone Radio in my ear, I will admit that I started to get a little bored. Ironic, I know, but true.

Three years later and I am much more engrossed in the sport. I have RSS feeds on my home page. I watch all the races, including the recently introduced free practice sessions online coverage. I read Autosport and listen

I’m bored and thought I’d just write something to pass the time and also get some things out of my head.

First off, I hope you guys are all OK. You must be on summer break or something by now. Although by the looks of it, you’d never guess what with the weather. I don’t know, it doesn’t seem to make its mind up. One moment it’s blue skies and sunshine, the next it’s clouded over like the apocalypse is upon us! But then again, it is England so, what do you expect? Let’s hope for some more sunshine though.
Anyway, recently I’ve been feeling a bit low. I mean, like, really low. Low like I’m so depressed you wouldn’t believe it. I couldn’t really enjoy my favourite music or playing the 360 because I just didn’t feel like it. I’m OK now, but occasionally I get it again. Maybe it is this weather. But I guess it’s been a mixture of several things. First off, I’ve had thoughts that I’ve had various health problems, when really it’s just my mind over-exaggerating and making me think that. Plus there’s the fact that I’m still living off £50 a month for myself. Also, I still don’t have a girlfriend, I have no social life, I can;t see you guys because you’re either working or studying or something, which gets me frustrated, because I miss you guys a lot. I’ve got no job, my dad’s on the dole so he can’t afford anything and we can’t go out together either, and other little things which I won’t get into. But yeah, apart from that, I’m fine, thanks for asking!

I don’t want this to sound like a rant or anything. It’s just I try to explain my problems and stuff to my mum and such, and sometimes it’s like she doesn’t understand what’s going on in my head. She just tells me to stop whining and get over it. The least she could do is be a little more supportive. Anyway, as you might have read in my MSN name, I went off to Silverstone for a race event, and before you say anything, the tickets were free, so don’t say anything about money there please, thank you. But anyway, it was a real blast, especially with Peter and Gareth, my old work mates from Toyota, along for the day. Gareth is just the funniest guy ever. There were moments in the car (we were all travelling in Peter’s car by the way) when he’d just start messing about with all the buttons and vents on the dashboard, and it would piss Peter off. Of course, we’d all be pissing ourselves laughing in the back because it was so funny.

He also just makes random noises and whistling a police car siren and stuff like that. He also at times just turned round to Peter beside him in the front and stare at him, which was so funny. He’s also come up with a new phrase which he made up at work. Apparently there’s this new guy at the Toyota place, and he brought his dog in one day. Gareth then bent down to him and said ‘Ha’ya got a new blanket?’ in a high-pitched voice, and since he’s got a Norfolk accent, it’s just the funniest thing ever. What really got us laughing was when he started saying it to random people out the car window while on the way back. Seriously, we couldn’t stop laughing.

There was one part on the way back when he stared at Peter and brought this pack of sweets up. I thought he was gonna say it, but he didn’t. He’s just the funniest guy ever, really. The day was really great and I had an awesome time.

I guess that’s everything at the moment. I would like to see all you guys again. I know I left early at Jordan’s party, but that was because I wasn’t feeling too good. Whenever all you guys are free again, we should have another rave. I’d look forward to that.

Time for me to sign off, then. I guess I’ll see you around. Bye! X

P.S. The last time I posted a blog a bit like this, I got somewhat negative comments about it. So this time, if you’re going to post a comment, then please make it a positive one. If it’s not something you like, then the safe thing wou

"We are made of emotions, we are all looking for emotions, basically. It's only a question of finding the way to experience them. There are many different ways of experiencing emotions. Perhaps one different thing only that, one particular that Formula 1 can provide you is that you know we are always exposed to danger. Danger of getting hurt, danger of dying...."

"I think it has been too much exploit in this aspect against me, and it hasn't worked really, and er.....the main thing is to be yourself...and not allow people to disturb you. To be different because they want you to be different. You gotta be yourself. Many times it's through a mistake...due to your own personality, your own character or interference that you get on the way that you learn - and the main thing is you learn from your mistakes and get better."

"I believe in the ability of focusing strongly on something, and you are able to extract even more out of it. It's been like this all my life, and it's been only a question of....improving it and learning more and more and there is almost no end, as you go through you just keep finding more and more. It's very interesting, it's fascinating."

"Racing....competing....is in my blood. It's part of me, it's part of my life. I've been doing it all my life....and, er, it stands up.....before anything else."

"If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver, because we are competing. We are competing to win, and the main motivation to all of us is to compete for the victory. It's not to come 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th...."

"On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit. You then go for this limit and you touch this limit and you think "OK, this is the limit". As soon as you touch this limit, something happens and....suddenly you go a little bit further. With your mind power....your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well......you can fly very high."

"There is a certain amount of danger in motor racing. So any time you go driving, testing or racing, you are exposed to some risks. There are calculated risks and there are unexpected situations that can happen......and you can be gone. Just in a fraction of a second. So you realise that....suddenly you're nobody. Suddenly you're nobody, and you life can be....can have an end, sudden.......This is your life......and you either face it in a professional and cool manner, or you just drop it, you just leave it and don't do it anymore, really. And I happen to like too much what I do to just drop, I can't drop it. It's part of my life......"