Grin and bear it, dodge it, or hit the bar? The top three Formula 1 drivers of 2018 had different ways of dealing with the obligation of attending the FIA’s end-of-season Gala.

@DieterRencken reports in his final Formula 1 diary of 2018.

0600 Friday 7 December, Park Inn, St Petersburg

I wake up to (distant) sound of aircraft taking off – I’m in a hotel room on the perimeter of St Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, having landed late Thursday evening. Not wishing to commute to a foreign city in the dark of winter, I’d elected to overnight at the airport, then catch an Uber at a more civilised hour.

The reason for my first visit to this winter wonderland city is two-fold: Friday’s FIA Awards Gala, to which I’d been invited as a member of the FIA’s Media Group, and the world champions press conferences.

The latter is a significant attraction: the teams have previously been generous with their time. This is, after all, our final opportunity to hear from the year’s top drivers before the off-season sets in. By the time they face the press again when the 2019 cars are launched their thoughts will understandably have turned to the season ahead instead of the year just gone. It’s our last chance to find out how the championship was won – or not – and the relaxed environment often elicits thoughtful and interesting responses.

Or, as in the case of Nico Rosberg in 2016, a total bombshell…

08:00

After a bland hotel breakfast, I order an Uber to the Lotte Hotel in downtown St Petersburg, having offered my Belgian WRX media colleague Marie-Laure Pirson, per chance staying in the same hotel, a ride. The 30km journey takes us almost and hour and a half in heavy traffic.

10:00

Fortunately the Lotte has a vacant room despite my early arrival, so I’m checked-in and settled in within 30 minutes. This room is covered courtesy of hosts Russian Automobile Federation – thank you, RAF – as the trip is two-nighter for most due to flight schedules, the two-hour (or three- from UK) time shift eastwards and timing of the event, but all other costs are for our own accounts.

I’m advised the 11:00 press conference with FIA president Jean Todt and RAF president Victor Kiryanov is postponed until 13:30, so wander about the immediate hotel precinct before heading to the conference centre across the river for registration and a front-row seat.

13:30

Todt and co. are delayed so we get under way around 30 minutes late; once the sporting proceedings begin I realise we are part of a scripted conference: MC Tom Clarkson, working through a list of set questions, holds court, and no media questions are granted. Last week’s column about independent media , a topic which was received well by some if not all of my media colleagues, suddenly seems very timely.

I text my objections to the organisers and am told that “due to time constraints we can’t entertain media questions…”, but am granted (outside) access to Formula E champion Jean-Eric Vergne. While interviewing the Frenchman – good value due to his thoughtful responses – I notice (a now-moustached) Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen hanging about, but no Lewis Hamilton.

Questions about the star draw’s absence are met with shrugged shoulders and silence. It dawns: the five-time F1 world champion, who seemingly bends the Mercedes empire unto his will, ain’t going to grace the media with his presence despite Clause 6.6 of the F1 Sporting Regulations stating: Drivers finishing first, second and third in the championship must be present at the annual FIA Prize Giving ceremony.

Clearly, in typical F1 fashion, the team has found a loophole. Do press conferences form part of the ceremony? Grey area. I text Mercedes’ head of F1 communications Bradley Lord about the star’s absence. Response: “He’s not feeling 100 per cent so not at the PC but will be this evening.” Will be what? Feeling 100 per cent? Be at prize giving? Both? Miraculous recovery? Note: No “he’s ill”; just “he’s not 100 per cent”. More grey.

The situation is doubly frustrating as Hamilton also cancelled his post-race print media press conference in Abu Dhabi.

When the F1 conference gets under way there’s clearly been a U-turn on questions, for limited time is found for floor questions. After Toto Wolff waxes lyrical about how Lewis had implored him to point out areas for improvement, I suggest that regular attendance at press conferences – something Lewis historically taken a somewhat cavalier approach to – could be a good start.

“I think he’s not coming to the press conference because he’s fed up with always the same questions”, Toto responds, before adding “no, he’s not well” and trotting out the “not 100 per cent” line.

I’m later told by a high level Mercedes source that Lewis decided to skip the press conference as “He did not feel like answering controversial questions from asshole journalists after giving his all, all season long”. Whether that description of our profession was verbatim Lewis or fabricated by my source is not the point. Decisions about whether we can afford to attend events like the FIA Gala are made taking into account who we expect to hear from and the coverage we can therefore expect to produce. Is it worth attending next year’s Gala if any or all of the drivers are going to skip their media obligations? The FIA should consider clarifying exactly what constitutes the “ceremony”.

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17:00

Transport to the St Petersburg Great Philharmonic Hall for the Red Carpet Ceremony and Gala/Awards. I catch up with some of the great and good of international motorsport in the coach, then have face time in the hall. Those I chat to include F1 steward Tim Mayer – son of former McLaren boss Teddy – and ex-F1 driver/Melbourne Clerk of Course Tim Schenken (we joke we could be namesakes after former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicalli once confused us), and Sochi CEO Sergey Vorobyev. I also cross paths with Allan McNish and Dimitri Mazepin – the latter’s dispute with Racing Point/Force India still ongoing.

19:00

Proceedings get underway, and I must compliment the FIA and RAF organising committees for a superbly run event, one that tastefully combines global motorsport with Russian culture. Many of you may have seen some of it, as for the first time it was broadcast on the FIA’s Facebook page.

I’m intrigued as to whether Lewis will at all arrive, and, when he does, it’s clear he’s found that missing 0.1 per cent, for he seems jovial and hale and hearty.

21:00

It’s equally clear, though, that Kimi is in non-F1 mode when I receive an iPhone photo taken by someone who noticed the Finn smoking a cigar in a darkened corner. He’s never made a secret of his partiality for some of the world’s more potent liquids, and tonight he’s obviously super relaxed…

23:00

Event over, I catch a coach back to the hotel with my good friend Ari Vatanen and his lovely wife Rita. We head for the bar for a nightcap, surrounded by many of this year’s champions. Ari and I spend some time with my compatriot Thierry Neuville, second in this year’s WRC, before amusing ourselves at the sight of Kimi animatedly preaching to Toto and Susie Wolff about the world’s wrongs.

I often envied Kimi’s tiller skills, but I surely won’t envy his head in the morning…

As I head for bed I reflect on my day in one of the world’s most picturesque cities – a real perk of my job – and a fitting end to the season: Lewis dominated – not only on-track, but his team as well. Well played, Lewis.

That brings to an end my first year of Formula 1 diaries for RaceFans. I hope you’ve enjoyed the insight I’ve been able to bring from the world’s motor racing destinations. I wish you all a great festive season and a happy 2019!

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