Wednesday – Day Three of USGP COTA week, and it’s so quiet compared to what I thought it would have been the day before all the F1 cars go through Scrutineering and all the FIA officials go through their systems checks. Not much activity to be seen, especially in Pit Lane.
The FIA Scrutineering Bay was all dressed up … and looking quite lonely.
Only a few F1 teams – mostly at the far end of the pits – have their garages open on the track side. The rest are a closed book. Ingenious and often decorative means are utilized to prevent the cars and teams from being seen. And on the back side in the Paddock/Hospitality Area, the closures are so cleverly installed so that all one sees is branding opportunities, often quite stunning.
For the most part, working with tires seems to be the only visible activity.
The Marussia and Caterham garage signs have finally been replaced with Pirelli signage, and inside those repurposed garages all kinds of activity is undergoing. Williams also scored another garage.
Track personnel are putting the finishing touches on everything, including painting, striping and still more container placement.
The teams have until 4pm Thursday to officially enter, after which time the FIA Stewards will determine the Qualifying Process.
Registration packets have been put together for the nearly 300 volunteer race marshals and officials, in readiness for Thursday’s big rush. By Friday morning at 6:30am, Worker Reg is closed and all Registrars are off to other duties.
Keeping busy and behind the scenes were all the specialty chiefs and a few helpers, putting the finishing touches on all that there was left to do.
The weather was quite mild, with overcast skies and breeze lasting into the early afternoon. There was just the right amount of warmth and it felt like Indian Summer. As Dr. Steve Olvey said “Let’s hope this great weather lasts.”
Thursday morning the F&C seniors have their first meeting, before heading out on course for the hour-long FIA systems test.
