F1 Q&A: Rule changes from Miami, cars designed to suit life as driver, simulator and F1 journalist

Each journalist has their own schedule, although of course all are based on track events.

Our base is the media center, where we all have assigned desks. It is usually – and traditionally – located in the paddock, in or near the race control building, ideally – though increasingly rarely – with a view of the race track.

But there is a tendency to move media centers away from the paddock.

This weekend in Miami, for example, the media center is spread over several rooms above the paddock, which is the NFL pitch at Hard Rock Stadium. This includes taking a lift to ground level, or a carriage up and down a circular car-park ramp.

In Las Vegas, although F1 had promoters and built the location from scratch, it was decided to dedicate the entire structure above the pits to the Paddock Club for corporate guests to increase revenue.

The media is housed in a casino hotel, about a 10-minute walk away, through a tunnel and across a car park, although the paddock also has a small workspace.

Team hospitality for employees and guests. Some media events, be they team press conferences or individual interviews, take place in this area, either in the common area or in the office of a senior team member.

For more informal matters, the media is usually allowed up to a point. Some groups are more welcoming than others. But many conversations, often off the record, have taken place over coffee in hospitality areas.

I usually arrive at the track about six hours before the start of the race. Some give up later.

If it’s a late race start, like this weekend, it will be significantly earlier than that. There is always plenty of work to do, people to talk to, information to gather. Also, the earlier you stay, the less traffic there will be.

Check out the written media run at the Media Center. Television and radio broadcasters usually have commentary booths.

In terms of post-race media sessions, these happen on top of each other after the race, which can make it complicated.

Drivers go into the “pen,” where they circle the broadcasters before spending a few minutes with written media, who crowd around trying to turn off their voice recorders as much as possible.

This is with the exception of the top three finishers, who go to an official press conference after their broadcast interviews.

At the same time this is happening, the teams are starting to hold their media sessions with their bosses – typically, Mercedes first, followed by McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Sometimes even these overlap, however, especially if groups are rushing to catch flights.

Any interviews we miss – and it’s inevitable you’ll miss some – we have to source elsewhere.

Then it’s a question of turning all that material into content for the audience.

We leave the track when we are done for the day. Sometimes, depending on logistics, you have to leave and work on the go before you’re done. Typically, this will mean at least a 13-hour day, sometimes longer.