Everyone who knows me will tell you that I have been an incurable Formula 1 fan, since the age of five. So imagine getting THAT call! The call that a million people eagerly wait for, when they enter a sought after competition. Imagine that you are the grand-prize winner and imagine that your lifelong bucket list item, that you once thought impossible, is finally happening to you.

I am talking about the trip of a lifetime. A week-long international excursion to visit your favourite Formula 1 circuit at Suzuka, Japan. And all of this with your amazing husband, your couch seat F1 rival – he supports an opposing team and driver.

That ultimate high when the QR Code on your ticket is scanned and the gate opens for the two of you to enter. Hand in hand you marsh in the maul of the excited crowd as you approach your seats in Grandstand 1, block Q2. From afar you can feel the high octane ambience of your fellow Tifosis amongst a scarlet-red sea of horses. 

I am met with a slight tinge of sadness at the start of the race – he is long retired, but I can still hear the iconic and heavily animated voice of Murray Walker as he shouts “Go, go, go”. The sound of the V6 engines pulling away from the grid sends jolts of electricity coursing through my veins. The best smell in the world is the burning rubber debris off of Vettel’s Ferrari after the lights are out and the race starts.

Suzuka is a never-ending figure 8 shaped-circuit, and the most technically challenging of all and the anticipation is almost too much to bear over whether Grosjean is going to end up on the gravel again and how many safety cars there will be?

Who will be box-box-boxing first and what tyre strategy are the front running teams on? Will Hamilton be able to preserve his tyres and can he secure the title today that will see him equal Michael Schumacher’s’ record of World Championships?

After enjoying a few cold Asahi Super Dry’s and sitting on the edge of my seat, shouting at Vettel to overtake at the hairpin curve on the inside – we run down the straight to parc ferme. Dressed in my best Ferrari Collectors’ gear, the tears stream down my face as I stop for a moment to kiss the track. I might never get this chance again!

I sit on the shoulders of my husband, feeling exactly what Vettel must be feeling today! He took the front of the race, held it for the last two laps and is now smiling from ear to ear as we animately dance along to the German National Anthem. After that, it was proverbially celebrating with the Ferrari team as they took the Constructor’s Title away from Mercedes for the first time in a number of years.

I think some Japanese Cuisine and a few more cold ones are at the order of the day – we earned it.

This is my perfect day. Let’s face it… who doesn’t want to be Big in Japan?