Ernie Black - The F1 Poet

F1 Poem: Formula One Journalism – Glitz and Pits

I dedicate this to my Formula One journalist and photographer friends and all those aspiring to be one.  I have written about the struggles and sacrifices that F1 journalists make as they follow the circus around the globe before, today however, I thought I might write a little poem for you

From airport to hotel, then circuit and back
All over the world, it’s hard to keep track

200 days or more of the year
I’m away from home for my F1 career

I live out of a suitcase for weeks a time
Sleep four hours a day to earn my dime

I battle jet lag, in every time zone
I forget where I’m flying and from where I have flown

I go through customs and baggage checks
And hope I don’t lose my personal effects

Got detained for no reason in a Communist nation
And nearly got bombed in a civil protestation

I don’t do it for fame or money or glory
I just try to bring fans the real F1 story

I take notes as I train my eagle eye
And uncover secrets like a real F1 spy

There are certain lines I cannot cross
Live in constant fear of the F1 boss

I can’t cheer for my driver or even my team
I remain objective without being extreme

I don’t sit in the stands with nice cold beer
Like the fans at the races that party and cheer

I’m locked in a box with a dozens of screens
TV feeds and live timing and playback machines

Four laptops, a phone and my trusty toothbrush
And it always seems, I’m in a damn bloody rush

If Bernie would let me, I’d sleep in the pits
We’re certainly not showered in glamour and glitz

But I’ll tell you a secret, it’s the absolute best
This job is a dream and I’m certainly blessed

The sacrifices I make, are easily offset
The travel nightmares I can quickly forget

I’m living my dream, from inside pit-lane
I’m an official member of F1′s domain

Around my neck, is my paddock pass
I can mingle with drivers and F1 brass

Doing anything else, I simply can’t fathom
For a motorsport fan, this is an F1 orgasm