British MotoGP, Silverstone, Saturday, 30th August, 2014.

It's just before 11 o'clock, we're on our way to Brooklands corner, Scott Redding apparel is flying off the racks like…..um…..Scott Redding apparel, and Moto2 Practice is about to start.

For us, this is a late arrival but we hope to stay a bit later into the evening to watch James Toseland and his band on stage. Given we have his CD it should be good but there's an 'elephant in the room': do we have the stamina? It could go either way.

Just gone 11 o'clock and Dakota Mamola (standing in for the injured Jordi Torres, we think) rides past in the style of his Dad on the Mapfre Aspar Suter Moto2.

We haven't had anything to drink since we left home at 9:15am. Time for a break. Gotta pace ourselves and keep our fluids up if we are going to stay late, eh?

11:35am and we're still loitering with intent at Luffield en route to that desperately needed drink 'cos David is refusing to be dragged away from the track when 'bikes are going 'round. He'll faint in a minute, you'll see.

This is Jeremy McWilliams (50 years young lest we forget) on the Brough Superior Racing Moto2. Our hats go off to him. 

You can bet he's made sure he's had plenty of hydration an' all, unlike some.

11:55 and with the National Superstock's on track Vicky is finally able to persuade David to stop and sit down and have a drink of tea. Most welcome.
Ironically, the drinks emporium on the right had already run out of tea which is why we have had to resort to the cowin' burger joint.

12:15-ish and we've walked through the hordes of fans milling around the outlets selling Scott Redding apparel behind the Woodcote Grandstands to the Start/Finish line in time to see the very last few minutes of the Superstock Qualifying for their race later (much later) in the day.

This is Michael Robertson on his Kawasaki 1000.

12:30-ish and we're en route to Copse Corner but there are hordes of cowin' people everywhere slowing us down. Don't they know we have a strict timetable to follow? Look, there's another one of 'em standing about taking photos of stuff. Gerroutavit!

We conclude that this is the biggest Saturday MotoGP crowd we have seen for years. 

It's all Scott Redding and Bradley Smith's fault.

12:40-ish. Ah, the joys of Moto3 Qualifying.

Always frantic and entertaining whether we are on the outside of the entry to Copse or………

…. on the outside of the exit to Copse.

Two riders with their elbows out, one cruising, and another not looking where he is going. 

Yep, par for the course, then.

1:20-ish. Moto3's antics have ceased and there's a welcome break in the timetable before the MotoGP 'bikes take to the track.
Vicky is pleased to stop at Aintree for another welcome cup of tea and a Waitrose Pain au Raison. Very civilised but at 1:30, on the dot, David is off to the top of Wellington Straight 'cos the MotoGP 'bikes are on track bang-on-time. 

Damn the Timetable, says Vic, I'm staying put and so should you, you've got half a cuppa tea left!

1:35-ish and Jorge Lorenzo attacks the Wellington Straight on his Movistar Yamaha.

Hmm, thinks David, I'm feeling lightheaded. Perhaps I'd better return to Victoria and finish me tea?

2:00pm-ish and David is suffering the effects of dehydration and the effort of trying to pan a heavy SLR at the same speed as the finest motorcycle riders in the world.

Of course, like a lot of folk, he'd do well to remember that images posted on the internet stay on the internet forever.

2:15-ish and we've walked over to the other side of The Wellington Straight to find that upstart Mark Marquez-fella barely trying as he shifts through the gears on the Repsol Honda. 

He makes it all look so easy. You can go off some people y'know.

2:25-ish and Karel Abraham checks we're ready to take a photo of him doing a practice start on his Cardion AB Motoracing Honda.

Yep, goferrit, Karel-mate.

2:40-ish and Vicky would kill David if this blog didn't include a shot of Dani Pedrosa. 

Look how he gets the Repsol Honda a little bit crossed up, even on the straight. 

Steve Parrish mentioning on the TV for the zillionth time that Dani he has an unfair advantage 'cos he's only a little-fella (as if all other riders are huge-fellas) now a thing of the past, thankfully.

2:50-ish. It's the end of MotoGP Qualifying and Pol Espargaro comes to a halt on his Monster Tech 3 Yamaha prior to doing a practice start whilst Valentino Rossi on his Movistar Yamaha doesn't.

No idea who's finished up on Pole but we can guess.

Scott Redding does a practice start on his Go&Fun Gresini Honda.

2:55-ish. Damn my weak bladder, Vic. 

I'm not queuing up, I'll come back later after we've got another cuppa tea.

3:10-ish and we're in the open grandstand at Village for the Moto2 Qualifying. 

Nice to have a sit down at last.

3:30-ish. Moto2 riders file through Village.

Very polite. Not like those young Moto3 ruffians.

4 o'clock-ish and it's time for another cuppa tea (over 4 quid for 2), followed by slightly too moist chicken noodles (£15) whilst we wait for the Red Bull Rookies to take to the track. 

4:25-ish and we're back at Brooklands and the Red Bull Rookies Race is about to start on the half-hour.

The level of competition is always intense. This is only the Sighting Lap!

Hold on, something is going on on the Arena Stage. Let's go and investigate.

4:45-ish.

From left to right: Toby Moody, Bradley Smith, Pol Espargaro, and Julian Ryder.

Two of these people are the funniest stand-up comedy duo in MotoGo and it's not Moody and Ryder.

4:55-ish and Bradley Smith comes over to the front and our side of the stage to sign stuff.

Move back a touch Bradders. Yer too close.

4:58-ish.

Pol Espargaro signs stuff.

5:10-ish.

By way of a contrast, Aleix Espargaro signs stuff and poses for selfies. It's all in a day's work.

5:20-ish.

Short-term MotoGP rider, Leon Camier, enjoys the well-deserved spotlight.

Somebody give him a full-time ride please.

5:25-ish.

Riders are coming to the stage thick and fast (no pun intended).

This is Drive Aspar MotoGP rider Hiroshi Aoyama.

5:35-ish.

Karel Abraham.

5:45-ish.

Stefan (we remember yer Dad) Bradl.

He's a bit battered and bruised. It would help if yer stopped crashing, we don't tell him.

5:55-ish.

Mark Marquez takes to the stage and the crowd goes wild wild wild.
Fans of Clutch will see what we did there.

6:05-ish.

Young fella-me-laddo Marquez. 

He got a cheer almost as loud as that for Scott Redding (who hasn't come over to our side of the stage yet. Ah well. Can't win 'em all).

6:10-ish.

Scott and his team mate Alvaro Bautista are still here and they're coming this way! 

People are on the verge of fainting. Seriously. But not us. 

We like him, 'cos we do. But come on people, gerra grip.

6:15-ish.

Jorge Lorenzo is about to come on stage but we are knackered and decide it's time to go home. 

Sorry Jorge, and sorry James Toseland and his band.

I mean, c'mon we're not as young as we were. 

It's time to head back to the car, and the cool box containing our sammidges and cartons of orange juice, but not before David insists on taking one more action shot at Brooklands.

This is Leon Jeacock on his Superstock Kawasaki 1000.

6:20-ish.

Colin Edwards has announced his retirement but is rumoured to be amongst us. We didn't spot him but we do spot some of his fans.

So, one last pid and then it's off to the car for our tea and then the drive back home.

We get back home before 8 after another brilliant day out at Silverstone. 

If MotoGP ends up Donington next year it will be a travesty. We wont be there.

DORNA, we have spoken.

The old routine, Saturday, 23rd August, 2014.

It's about 10:00am and one has had a typical start to ones day.

Awake at 5:30am and its on with ones lead boots. Trot up to my servants sleeping quarters and, jumping on to one of my servants (whoever's the nearest, I don't mind), one launches oneself onto and off one of them them and stomp about between them, whilst urging them to do their duty, until they wake up. At 6:30 (on the dot) one of 'em finally does as they are told and one is forced to lead 'em into the kitchen for my first breakfast (today it was chicken and turkey. Nice.) of the day.

After that little lot one takes a moment to have a nice little rest on the settee in the kitchen until one feels a rumbling in the tummy and a slight light-headedness again at 7:45. Then, it's back into the bedroom for another session with the lead boots until one gets ones second breakfast at bang-on 8. 

This time it was Ocean Fish. Yummeeeeee.

Strangely, one was feeling quite heavy after that and it was as much as one could manage to trot down to the living room to lie on ones blanket in the sun for a nice little snooze. But one made the effort.

Of course, as one who tells his mealtimes by the position of the sun, one is well aware that the warmth may not last for long.

That's when one appreciates the services of one's well trained servants who come in, every now and then, to drag my blanket (and me) into the optimum position.

When the sun is no longer on ones visog one will know it will soon be time for ones 1 o'clock lunch (a touch of pollock would go down nicely) followed by ones afternoon kip.

It's a hard life but ones not one to complain (much).

I wonder what one will get for tea?

Championship Challenge, Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb, Saturday, 16th August, 2014.

It's 11:30, we've barely parked up, and Howard is already making friends,

This lot specialise in air shows as well as motorsport events, evidently.

It tends to be an…ahem….older demographic at these sort of things.

Here's a splendid example.

Michael Tregoning hustles his 1998cc Pilbeam MP82 away from the start line.

Drivers coming back from their morning practice runs wait to re-enter the busy paddock.

Back at the 'Trats' and Vicky gets ready to capture the moment.

The theme of this weekend's event is '50 years of the Ford GT 40'.

That'll do for us!

Back in the paddock again (we told you it was busy) and it's another case of 'if it wasn't for the last minute nothing would get done'.

Some folk say nothing much changes in hillclimbing from year to year but Scott and Roger Moran have got a new car and, kindly note, a new colour scheme. 

Radical.

Another gratuitous shot of a Ford GT 40 with the added bonus of two members of Shelsley's House Martin population on the hunt for smaller and, crucially, juicier examples of airborne creatures.

It's come to this!

We've used the quietude of the lunch break to attack (puff) the hill (pant) but are appalled to find that the MAC have erected some new safety fencing at the Bottom Ess.

Won't be taking any photos from those seats then.

Vicky settles into her favourite spot and waits for the afternoon action to commence.

But it's not as favourite as usual 'cos the 'Tea and Tea Cake Emporium' has been replaced by a new vendor promoting ghastly griddled meaty delights. At least they do a reasonable cuppa tea.

Roger Moran in the Gould GR61X twixt Bottom and Top Ess.

It's an outrage. A Nissan GT-R, but not in black.

Wot's Tony Bunker thinking?

ITV4 BSB commentator Toby Moody on a busman's holiday.

Victoria has been summoned further up the hill but is not impressed.

Scott Moran not exactly hangin' about at the Top Ess.

Heading back down the hill now and taking in 'that view'.

No Shelsley Walsh blog would be complete without one of yer olde-style motorcycle-engined single-seater-jobbies hammering up the hill.

This is Timothy Ross in his 500cc Cooper Mk 9 at The Crossing.

Back down at Kennel Bend and it's the last photo of the day. That honour (and it is an honour) goes to Terry Graves and his 3500cc Gould GR55 HB.

It's nearly 4pm now and Vicky says it's time to go to Droitwich Waitrose to do the 'big shop'.

Oh well, if we must.