reports at Italian Grand Prix
Peter Hodges reported on the GP2 Series for Bridgestone at Monza
Bridgestone, exclusive tyre supplier to the GP2 Series, took Bridgestone e-reporter finalist Peter Hodges, from Congleton (UK), to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix (7-9 September).
Bridgestone e-reporter is a pan-European competition for aspiring sports journalists, offering up and coming writers the opportunity to report on GP2 – the feeder series to Formula One - at a European Grand Prix weekend. Peter, studying a Masters degree in Sports Broadcast Journalism at Staffordshire University, was the sixth finalist this year to report on GP2 for the Bridgestone website, bridgestone.eu/e-reporter, writing daily race reports and diary entries.
With the GP2 Series being a support event to Formula One, Peter witnessed Italian driver Giorgio Pantano (Campos) take his second race win of the season in Saturday’s feature race and championship leader Timo Glock (iSport) claim his fourth victory of the year in Sunday’s sprint race.
Peter interviewed numerous GP2 drivers including Andreas Zuber (iSport), Luca Filippi (Super Nova) and Giorgio Pantano, also taking the opportunity to interview various GP2 team personnel. In addition, he had the chance to meet up with F1 media, including ITV-F1 commentator James Allen, who offered advice on how to get started as a motorsport journalist.
Commenting on his invaluable experience at the Italian Grand Prix, Peter said: “It’s been an incredible weekend with so much packed into just three days. The access I’ve had, not just within the GP2 paddock but also in the F1 paddock, has been unbelievable – I even had the opportunity to see the ITV-F1 production team at work during a live broadcast from the circuit. Hopefully Bridgestone e-reporter is just the first step in a career in motorsport and having already had my first experience of the F1 paddock means it won’t be so daunting should I be working there in the future.
“All of the GP2 drivers and teams were really approachable. Bridgestone and the teams made me feel really at home, so I hope to be able to come back and see them all, but next time while working as a journalist and putting to use all the skills and experiences I’ve learnt from being an e-reporter in Monza.”
The last Bridgestone e-reporter finalist, out of the seven selected for this year, will be Laura Postma (from the Netherlands) who will attend the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps from 14 – 16 September. Finalists for this year’s Bridgestone e-reporter competition have come from Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands and the UK.
The overall winner of Bridgestone e-reporter, who demonstrates the most journalistic flair while reporting from the GP2 paddock, will be awarded a state-of-the-art laptop; the chance to interview a GP2 driver who has made the step up into Formula One; further invaluable work experience; and a trip to attend a Bridgestone safety event (www.safetyatheart.eu). The overall winner of the pan-European 2007 Bridgestone e-reporter competition will be announced at the GP2 end of season finale in Valencia.
