Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Minardi fan · 1 May 2001, 20:10 (Ref:87676)

Iiiiit's testing report time!!!

Present today (May 1st) - Jos Verstappen/Enrique Bernoldi - Arrows, KIMI RAIKKONEN - Sauber, Olivier Panis, Darren Manning, Takuma Sato - BAR, Ricardo Zonta - Jordan.

Wow wow wow wow wow. Arrived at Silverstone at 9am, pleased to discover that Sauber were present but Kimi had not arrived yet. The new Kimi Kimi Kimi! flag was brought out, and a man approached as Ruth and I held it awaiting the arrival of Kimi himself. The guy asked if he could take some pics of us in front of the Silverstone sign, which we agreed to. Following this, he told us he was from the OFFICIAL KIMI RAIKKONEN WEBSITE!!!!! AAAAAARGH!!!! I'll let you know when the pics appear on it!!!!

Kimi arrived, and upon seeing the banner, he waved and smiled. HURRAH!!!

The day included lots of running from Darren Manning. Sato managed to ruin another BAR, and Kimi had two offs in a row at the start of the afternoon. Well done that man!!! The drivers played around with the TC, sometimes using it, sometimes not. We got another wave from Kimi as he was towed round Luffield.

At lunchtime a visit to Buckingham was in order where I purchased a marvellous Sauber fleece for the bargain price of £10. We then returned as quick as possible to Silverstone.

WoodyTJ, Sauber_16 and McLaren-15 arrived in the afternoon to watch the action. Jaffa cakes were eaten, the cold winds felt, and the Kimi banner was waved.

Indeed, the banner, and I'm proud to say this, was waved on EVERY SINGLE LAP that Kimi did.

And they call me obsessed? P'ah.

It was stalking time. First out was Ricardo, who cleared off to the factory sharpish. Next came KIMI!!! He pulled up, signed my flag, was told by Sauber_16 that I was his biggest fan and so on... Lovely chap, very small too!!! Bless. However, we were left somewhat deflated as we didn't say to him what we planned to!!!

Verstappen signed my Arrows model from last season but he was in a hurry. We also got Sato again, who was as ever pleased to see some clamouring F1 fans.

Then, possibly the star of the day - the thoroughly lovely Enrique Bernoldi. He pulled up, and couldn't work out how to open the window. Once he did that, he proceeded to chat to us, saying how he had to stop seeing as we were standing out there in the freezing cold. Then one person asked him if she could have a picture with him - and he got out the car!!! We all had our pictures taken with him - one to be DEFINITELY added to the gallery!!! He also shook my hand, at which point he exclaimed about how cold it was!!! He also requested that we call Ricardo 'gallo' - translated it means 'yellow' or 'chicken'. Nice one Enrique

. He also taught Sauber_16 how to say Good Luck - boa sorte - correctly in Portuguese. A thoroughly nice chap, genuine and friendly, and he's won himself some more fans this afternoon.

And so I decided I HAD to go to testing tomorrow - excuses will be made for work and uni, but that Kimi flag has just GOT to be waved on every lap, we HAVE to cheer Enrique on, (very loud gearbox on the Arrows), and we HAVE to get Kimi out of the car - at which point I will faint.

KIMI AND ENRIQUE - WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! HURRRRRRRRAH!!!!!!!!!!!

Sparky · 2 May 2001, 01:38 (Ref:87825)

Quote:

Originally posted by Minardi fan
The day included lots of running from Darren Manning.

Why? Is he that scary?

Seriously, Mfan.. A brilliant post. Almost felt I was there.
Bernoldi is a friendly chap, isn't he?

Anyone else ever dismounted for you before?

Keep up the good work. Sod the education and employment, man! WAVE THAT FLAG!!!

**bella** · 2 May 2001, 08:11 (Ref:87882)

*gnnnnnn*
mustn't.....like.....enrique.... devil's..work...
not his fault arrows did the dirty...

aw, what the hell.
nice chap

sounds like you had a good time
(btw, the dog ate the car keys/train ticket, and you couldn't make it back to uni in time)

Minardi fan · 2 May 2001, 21:15 (Ref:88093)

Lots of running from Darren Manning...

Testing day 2:

Present were Jos, ENRRRRIQUE, KIMIIIIIIIIII, Olivier, Lemarie, Ricarrrdo and Jarno.

If there was one word to describe today, it would be WET...

The morning commenced with an autograph from Kimi, and once again I said nothing when he stopped, just stood with my flag like an inane idiot. He seems very shy around all these people - especially the world's biggest Kimi fan! Following this, I sat in the car and phoned work, saying the car had broken down. I am making my hours up on Saturday and sitting on a checkout for EIGHT hours... oh my lord...

The drivers were out all morning, mostly using TC. Kimi seemed to do little running, but the flag was still waved on every lap. He then went off just before lunchtime, as he was blocked by Zonta's Jordan going slowly through Abbey and at the same time was distracted by a BT van's flashing lights... It only damaged the right wheels but after he was picked up by the medical car (he was uninjured

) he did no more running, and apparently left the circuit at about 3pm

. Tomorrow Heidfeld is testing for Sauber instead of Kimi.

Lunchtime was spent in Jane's car writing inane phrases such as 'Kimi Is #1' in the steamy windows (ooh err) - they were steamy because it was absolutely bucketing down with rain outside. The rain continued until about 3.30pm, when the drivers began to do some tentative laps. Trulli span just before Luffield and again just before the pit lane, and Bernoldi also span his Arrows before Luffield. Then they continued to run until 5pm, except for Kimi who had gone home.

Stalking time, and I was pleasantly surprised when a bloke who had been in the Paddock pulled up and handed me an Imola programme. This has some fantastic full page pictures in, and I got the Bernoldi, Panis and Trulli ones signed - all three will be framed on Friday

. Verstappen didn't stop again, and Bernoldi was in the same car as Zonta. We received our second Portuguese lesson from Enrique, who told us how to correctly pronounce several phrases

.

Testing continues tomorrow, but unfortunately I must return to Canterbury

.

A great two days of testing, thanks to Enrrrrique, Kimi, and all my lovely friends there (Ruth, Jane, Linda, Sara, Frances, Jon, and Woody!!!)

Next one is the biggie, on the 12th/13th/14th - every team. Which means more Kimi, and perhaps even more importantly... MINARDI!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!

**bella** · 3 May 2001, 07:58 (Ref:88242)

excuse the excessive ignorance, but 12/13/14th of june or may?
i can feel a few sickies coming on....

you met kimi again? driver hogger

badoer fan · 3 May 2001, 17:37 (Ref:88408)

How do you get into tests, do you have to buy tickets, or just turn up, or what?

Carrie · 3 May 2001, 17:53 (Ref:88415)

Quote:

Originally posted by bella
excuse the excessive ignorance, but 12/13/14th of june or may?
i can feel a few sickies coming on....

you met kimi again? driver hogger

It's June and I think you'll find most of the gang are planning to be there on the 14th

**Craig** · 3 May 2001, 18:31 (Ref:88440)

I'll be there on the 14th! But don't let that put you off...

Think that perhaps most of us wil be leaving early though, cos we all have to make a dash for the ferries afterwards - Le Mans and Mondello Park here we come!

WoodyTJ · 3 May 2001, 18:35 (Ref:88442)

I have got my pictures developed buttttt my scanner isn't working. You all might have to wait abit longer to see Minardi with his Flag

**bella** · 4 May 2001, 11:57 (Ref:88818)

see topid about meeting up at testing.....

whenever minardi and williams are testing, i'll be there...

Minardi fan · 4 May 2001, 12:43 (Ref:88842)

Testing is free, just turn up for when it starts at 10am. DINNER (lunch to poncey below-Leamington-Spa types) is from 1pm until 2pm, and the afternoon ends at 5pm, when the STALKING begins

.

I got my photos back, some superb ones of Mika in his car signing autographs, also some wikid ones of Kimi (of course!)

I will be there for all three days in June OF COURSE!!!

GO KIMI!!! GO MINARDI!!! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!

marcus · 4 May 2001, 14:10 (Ref:88877)

Brilliant reporting there MF ...how many people show up to these tests???

how much of the circuit can you see ??

has Katayama been testing for a F1 comeback ????

and Im so jealous .

Sparky · 4 May 2001, 17:43 (Ref:88936)

Quote:

Originally posted by Minardi fan
Testing day 2:

Testing continues tomorrow, but unfortunately I must return to Canterbury

You're right... You weren't there. I know 'cos I called in for an hour on the way home from testing with ChrisY at Combe!

Silverstone was cold, windy, dull and deserted with only a few cars on track...

...It was great!!

I'll definately be there on the 12/13/14th of June.

Minardi fan · 8 May 2001, 13:42 (Ref:90216)

Here is the picture the official Kimi photographer took, my friend Ruth is the other Minardi-clad idiot in the picture. Kimi's manager told me that on Wednesday Kimi spoke to him about my flag!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!

WoodyTJ · 8 May 2001, 17:00 (Ref:90298)

he he he - excellent picture