Getting Up Early

[Super Hans]

From 2008 onwards, this will be a thing of the past for us UK based F1 fans, as the fly-away races move their start times to accomodate European audiences.

I really enjoy getting up in the middle of the night, or very early in the morning, to watch a Grand Prix, particularly when it's the first of the season in Melbourne.

I'm going to get up, have a coffee and savour the blearly-eyed experience of the hardcore Sunday morning F1 enthusiast for what may be the last time.

[Knowlesy]

I hate the getting up part nowadays as I value sleep but once you get up it's alright. I actually find it easier to just sit up through the night until it starts though!

Still, when you are up, it does have a charm to it. What is better than watching a (hopefully) exciting race at an early hour and then having the rest of the day to look forward to? That is something I will miss.

On the other hand, night racing looks a reasonably fun idea.

For this one it is lots of coffee, Maryland cookies, a nasty cold and a blasting headache. No doubt followed up with a miserable Ferrari one two to blast my spirit into oblivion!

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

On the other hand, night racing looks a reasonably fun idea.

Yeah, I suppose I'll have to start looking at the positives once I've mourned my last early start.

If they could just keep the Aus GP at it's usual start-time I'd be happy. I just find it a great way to start the season after the months of waiting.

I can't stay up through the night though, I'm too much of a weakling. It's go to bed early, set the alarm and then back to bed afterwards for me.

[JeremySmith]

I was so tired after the lead up to the Spa weekend I overslept and missed half of the race..

Bernie is trying to reinvent the wheel with these new times, better left alone in my book the real racing fan will just deal with it..

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

Bernie is trying to reinvent the wheel with these new times, better left alone in my book the real racing fan will just deal with it..

I couldn't agree more.

Originally Posted by JeremySmith

I was so tired after the lead up to the Spa weekend I overslept and missed half of the race.

I have a confession to make. For all my professed love of getting up early, I slept right through this year's Aus GP by accident. I'd got up even earlier the night before and watched quali, so to say I was gutted would be an understatment.

[JeremySmith]

I am sorry to hear that Super Hans, that is very frustrating..I was so excited for the return of Spa and then I missed it...SPEED did not do a replay of that one.

[Knowlesy]

I haven't missed many.

I missed the early laps of Oz 2003 and tuned in to find a truly weird race order, safety car out, Barrichello out and, I think, JPM leading. Bewildered to say the least!

Missed Suzuka 2002 because I couldn't be arsed and waited for the repeat.

And I missed a bit of China last year because I had stopped up for Petit Le Mans and then promptly fell asleep during the pre-race show.

Other than those, can't remember missing too many others.

[duke_toaster]

I don't think it will be gone that soon, remember that we will still have Aus next year, and Japan, and Chinal - none of them are for sure going to be night races. And it's not 100% sure that Singapore will be, it will need WMSC approval (If it hasn't got it already).

[JeremySmith]

I don't want to take the thread elsewhere, but only to add that night races are just another waste of money and dangerous at these speeds..

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

I don't think it will be gone that soon, remember that we will still have Aus next year, and Japan, and Chinal - none of them are for sure going to be night races. And it's not 100% sure that Singapore will be, it will need WMSC approval (If it hasn't got it already).

Australia won't be a night race, but it is being moved to later in the day to ensure a 6am / 7am UK start time. I think Japan and China will probably go the same way.

[touringlegend]

Sky+ is a great invention guys. Wake up, sit down with brekkie, and fast forward all the mind numbing parts.

[Knowlesy]

Can't do that. Because someone will invariably walk into the room, notice you are watching the GP and then still tell you who won anyways.

"Oh, I thought you already knew!"

[touringlegend]

A few death threats soon puts paid to that happening.

[Down F0rce]

Getting up early in the morning was a season opening tradition. I stayed up this year though, watched all of the Sebring 12 hours which ended just in time for the Australian GP start. That was pretty nuts. I'll be getting up for Fuji too, got my Red Bull at the ready.

[Knowlesy]

Yeah, Melbourne was great this year thanks to Sebring. The GT2 battle in the closing stages got the adrenaline pumping and got you well awake for the F1!

Although the effect wore off after turn one!

[garcon]

Well, if it helps Bernie's case, this real racing fan will be watching the re-run of tomorrow morning's instalment on ITV at 11:30am.

F1 may be important, but it's not as important as my Sunday morning lie in.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Sky+ is a great invention guys. Wake up, sit down with brekkie, and fast forward all the mind numbing parts.

Hmmm...it just doesn't feel the same for me and I can't quite put my finger on why!

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Still, when you are up, it does have a charm to it. What is better than watching a (hopefully) exciting race at an early hour and then having the rest of the day to look forward to? That is something I will miss.

I agree there - one of my best memories of F1 is from 1996 when I'd only been watching for a few months and I got up at 4.30am to watch Damon Hill win the title in Japan. Fantastic, wouldn't have missed it for the world. (the problem is, I could do it when I was 10 but I seem to get tired much more easily at 21 )

The problem is when you get up at the crack of dawn looking forward to an exciting race only to find that it's so tedious you could have slept from lap 2 until the last lap and none of the positions would have changed. At times like that I'd much rather record it, have a lie-in and watch it at a more sociable hour (tomorrow I'll be recording the race and getting up at 8 to watch it, then having brunch. A good start to the day!).

[JeremySmith]

Yes 21 is very

[Sodemo]

As far as I know, the start time for the Oz GP is only altered by an hour, so thats not going to make much difference for us Brits, in fact, I don't even know what that change in start time is trying to achieve.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

The problem is when you get up at the crack of dawn looking forward to an exciting race only to find that it's so tedious you could have slept from lap 2 until the last lap and none of the positions would have changed.

Pretty much every Malaysian GP ever held.

[jonm2]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Pretty much every Malaysian GP ever held.

except 2001? a fairly eventful race if i recall

[Knowlesy]

Yes, I excluded that one.

[Dutton]

Aw. 6am for all of them now, . I like the fact I get up at 6am instead of having to wait until the afternoon (as is the case in the UK), but I liked the occasional ones that are different.

This weekend, for instance, the race will start at 10:30pm (Saturday, that is) my time.

[Kidzer]

I love getting up early for GP's, it's quite a fun way to watch F1, especially Australia - was down at my cousins this year, a 24 marathon from about 10pm until whatever time the GP started then watch that and off to bed for a few hours, brilliant!

Night races would be interesting to watch, but given the choice I'd rather we got up at silly o'clock than having the races at night.

This one finshes at quite a decent time in the morning aswell, it'll finish and then I can watch the FIA GT Warmup live timing and then get my finger out and update Ryan's website!