My flight was due to take off from Gatwick (London) at 8:15am and it was due to land at 11:30am and my meeting was at 12:30 Well British Airways decided to have a problem with the aircraft and we finally took off at 9:15! So an hour late which would really makes me over an hour late for the meeting.

While waiting in the waiting lounge at Gatwick a guy turned around to me and said 'You don't happen to be going to Maranello are you'...it helps when you wear a Ferrari jacket Anyway chatting to him before the plane takes off he was getting calls from Maranello with regards to his meeting up and he was abit easier simply because he had to be there for 3pm (the launch) and not like me. As we talked more it turned out he was a 26 year old who owned a Ferrari 308 and was invited because he was an owner. We finally arrived in Bologna at just gone 12pm so it was going to be pushy. After arriving it was decided that we should share a taxi as it makes send and splits the cost. We arrived in Maranello about 12:45 and cost about 75 Euros to get there.

When arriving into the town, we went from not many people to suddenly hundreds just waiting outside the entrance to Ferrari. School boys and mostly men, at first I couldn't understand what it was about...like is this the norm? After parking up at the entrance to Ferrari we got out and made our way to the Galleria where I was due to meet up with people from the website. At the Galleria all people who were viewing the launch (Owners, drivers etc) had to sign in. After a little wait I checked in and got my pass, baseball cap and ticket entrance into the Galleria. I was told I could look around there until the shuttle comes along to pick us up to take us to the launch. After walking into the Galleria which includes the 99,2000 and 2001 cars, there was also a chance to see a mock pit garage, trophies from various eras. Here was a small buffet which was available but just as I was working my way around I was approached by Valerie (Ferrari World) and ended up not going around the rest of the museum and hanging out with the other members of the website who also got a ticket. After a short discussion it was time to head out to the front for a shuttle bus which was going to take us across the Fiorano track and over to the Logistics area for the launch.

Ferrari were using there own Ferrari shuttle buses (with Marlboro livery) but we ended up getting a huge coach for the 10 of us. We drove out of the car park, turned left and went about 200 yards down the road then made a right and took us along another 100 yards before we went into the entrance of the Fiorano track. As we cleared security we went under the track and stopped just outside Enzo Ferrari's office. I were now in a place where the public have never had access to..I was on private land but I was still confused actually on where we were. After getting off the bus I finally realized I was on the outside of the barriers which was the Fiorano track and to the right there was the new logistics area where the car was being launched. After looking around, the Fiorano track was bigger than I thought and well maintained...infact it looked like a real race track. We walked the red carpet across the grass then over the track (which was used as a car park for VIPS. We went through the barriers onto the other side where Ferrari had parked up an Enzo Ferrari, 360 and 550 and in the background was the transporter and coach. There was a large que of people waiting to go in, infact Ferrari were still sorting out the seating from the launch in the morning for the press. While waiting I looked around the cars and had my photo taken.

After about 15minutes we started to move and we stepped into a warehouse/aircraft hanger style building but it had been separated off for the launch. We walked to the right and walked through some doors and there was 4 woman and a room where we could drop off jackets. Moving on ahead and straight on we could see the stage and see the F2003 under cover. We were some of the first to find our seats where if your looking face on at the car we were sitting on the right hand side at the top, but hey...its still bloody close This launch was for the Ferrari owners, Ferrari racing drivers, sponsors directors, Ferrari personnel and the likes of me...the people that came through there website. The owners getting the best seats (let face it they technically have paid for the seat through buying the car ) As for famous people, well no one that I could see. We sat in our places and were joined by the Vodafone directors from Italy. They all got out there Vodafone Sharp picture messaging phones and started to take photos (plug or what). Some of us talked to them about the contract with Ferrari. When the seating was about 80% packed suddenly there was a massive cheer and I was like 'what the hell was that'. Looking over to the entrance there was a rush of people from there seats and suddenly the cameras switched on to show Schumacher, Barrichello and Badoer all walking into the room. They started to shake hands with people and talk and then they were joined by Massa, Todt and Montezemolo. Was it worth getting up and going over there? Lets look professional about this and not be like 'I love you Schumacher'....so no one from my side did so I thought I wouldn't.

Finally everyone was in, Massa and Badoer sat together with Todt and they were separated by Montezemolo then it was Schumacher and Barrichello. They were all dressed in there overalls with there baseball caps. It was time for the launch!

Jean Todt got up first and walked over to the centre stage and started to talk in Italian. To be honest the whole presentation was in Italian, I couldn't understand a thing of it. Todt spoke for about 8 minutes on the car and last season, he then invited Schumacher, Barrichello, Badoer and Massa up...they all stood there while Todt finished off this speech. Then Schumacher and Barrichello pulled down the cover to reveal the new F2003-GA. Shots from hundreds of cameras went off and there was a pause. Remember all the press had there photos in the morning, now it was personal photos.
The drivers then went and made a mini speech regards the car, again they all talked in Italian so I couldn't understand, I couldn't' tell Schumachers lack of Italian, it was perfect..he certainly has come along way over the last couple of years. The drivers then sat down and immediately both Schumacher and Barrichello got out mobiles and started to play around (me thinks it was a plug for Vodafone as they had the video cameras on them and they didn't stop). Montezemolo then got up and started to talk about Agnelli and again the car. There was then a stop and it went dark and we were shown a video on Schumacher and the new Enzo Ferrari being put through its paces. Montezemolo then got back and talked abit more and while he was talking the cameras switched to Barrichello playing with his mobile...he then noticed he was on the big screen and stopped and smiled but looked very embarrassed by it. All the time this was all going on the car was on a revolving area so we could all get a good view of it.
Montezemolo then sat down and another video was shown but it was the history of Ferrari dating back to the 50's and showing all the eras...all of us at the presentation started to clap regards some Ferrari drivers, particular races and championships but Schumacher got the biggest cheer and clapping when he started to wrap up the titles.

The whole presentation lasted about 35-40 minutes and as soon as it finished all drivers were out of the building and gone. Montezemolo stayed around for abit to talk to VIPs while I stayed in my seat because everyone flocked to the front to see the F2003-GA. I just sat at the top chatting to other people about the car and launch and various other things about F1. Rai were on stage doing interviews and talking over the new car but it just wasn't worth it. We were told by Ferrari that we could wait around and wait for the crowd to die down and then we could take photos. Regards famous people....I was pointed out the re-fueling guy but all the main mechanics, Willi Weber etc were all not present. The difference between the morning launch is that Brawn and Bryne and Martinelli were not present in the afternoon and also no drivers talked in the morning so technically it was two different presentations.

The crowd had cleared out of the area rather quickly, most of them were off for a tour around the factory. Yeh only Ferrari owners get to tour the factory on this special day....oh...if only to be over 26!! So we went down from the grandstand and the car had been taped off so we couldn't get that close but it was close enough. So we all started to take photos of as many angles as possible...unfortunatly so was everyone else so most pictures we took ended up having someone in the way or didn't quite get the photo we wanted. Soon most of the area was clear which was great but before we know it Rai Uno were on the stage and we just couldn't get a clear shot. After about 5-10 minutes were were hustled together by Ferrari for a group shot which was taken various times in front of the F2003-GA. This has yet to appear on ferrariworld.com yet .....whether it does...is anyone's guess but maybe I might contact them to see if I can get it for my own use.

We left the Logistics area, gather our coats and waited outside for others. Since the weather was fantastic, the sun was out, no breeze and generally a very nice day it was decided we could walk back to the Galleria. Before we left Fiorano there was time to be shown Enzo's office where he worked and Michael Schumacher house which is used when he wants to stay over night. We were told that in all the years at Ferrari he has never used this house at all even though its fully furnished with bed etc. So we start heading out of Fiorano only to be greeted by hauds of men and children....is this for us? Are we now part of the Ferrari clan? Are we famous???? Everyone looks at us as if to say 'who the hell are they'...although you do feel that extra bit special when you see people eyeing you up (not in that way). So it pieced together...those people when arriving in Maranello in the morning were fans who wanted to get a shot of Michael or Rubens or just wanted to be in a town with so much Ferrari atmosphere. Honestly...it was such a weird feeling to have a whole town taken over for this one event.

As we head towards the Galleria it was decided that we would pop into a cafe for a quick drink which was kindly paid for by Ferrari. As we sat there drinking our drink it was nice to actually sit down and talk to a guy called Alessandro who worked for the site and he told me about his working shifts and what he did before joining Ferrari. While sitting there we were told that Barrichello would be at the Ferrari shop in about 10minutes so we decided to head off around there...this was my first time in any Ferrari shop in Maranello and it was great to get a shop dedicated to everything Ferrari even though most of it can be bought in the UK but there were some things were you just had to get. I managed to control myself and didn't buy anything...so we waited and waited and...well no sign of Rubens...and to be honest it was getting abit late so it was time to say goodbye to everyone which I did and head back to my hotel.

My hotel was situated around the corner from the Ferrari shop. It was Planet Hotel. I checked in and went upto my room.....4th floor and wey hey....my window looked out over the Ferrari restaurant and over the main entrance to Ferrari!. In the bathroom all the soaps and shower stuff was packed in Ferrari packaging (tempting to take home...but maybe that is to sad? ) After sitting down to watch CNN (the other channels were Italian) and looking through the pictures I had taken it was time I went out for dinner somewhere. After all you don't' come to Italy to sit in your hotel room eating Pringles...you want to taste Italy aswell. So I left the hotel in...well the weather had taken a turn for the worse and it had got very very cold so I walked further into town in Maranello and found a nice restaurant in a square. I walked in and used my italian to get a seat. I sat in a corner with 2 posters of the F2002 signed by Schumi and Barrichello.....while the TV was on near me which kept showing the launch of the F2003-GA every 10minutes it seemed. Honestly...in the UK...you wouldn't know F1 existed when it came to launch....we get nothing but in Italy its like on everything and the main headlines. So I ordered my dinner and drink and finished that nicely and was just going to get the bill when I looked up to see a man in a suit walk in a sit down 'erm....thats odd...there isn't many men in suits with the Ferrari logo on it'...so I think back to previous launches where I remember seeing Schumacher in a suit with Ferrari logo 'wait a minute...he must work for Ferrari'...so I sat and stared for abit.....'Oh my god it Rory Bryne!!!'. 'Ok Alex...what you going to do...keep cool...ignore him and go back to the hotel....no wait...how often does this happen??? Ok I don't' have my digital camera with me but that is abit sad...ok..he can sign something...what do I have to sign??? I only have my wallet...I don't have a pen...erm...AHHHH business cards....but no pen So I got up and went over to the checkout and tried to get a pen....it didn't work that well as he wrote out the bill for me....so I tried again...this time I used my hand to show I wanted a pen...of which he understood and he understood what it was for. I got my card out and walked over to him..luckily he hadn't had his food yet so I wasn't interrupting him. I went over and asked 'Sorry to be a bother but can I have your autograph'. He replied with 'sure....(pause)...what do you want me to write on it'. I stumble abit and say 'to alex' which he did....I questioned him on why he wasn't at the second launch in the afternoon with Ross and Paolo but he didn't really want to answer it. I did stumble on words but I smiled and said thank you and went back to my table and wanted to hit my head on the table...'good one alex...you played it cool...out of all the things you asked....you wanted to know why he wasn't there'. I paid the bill and walked back to the hotel for the night. I ended up watching The Osbornes and Band of Brothers in Italian. There was also some German awards show on Vox I think...with Schumi's managed Willi Weber there...no Michael but Mika Hakkinen won something...couldn't tell what it was...something maybe to do with Mercedes (still don't like the look of his wife).

The next morning I was up early. Ferrari Shop and Galleria wasn't open till gone 10 but it was time to check out the privately owned Ferrari shops around Maranello. I visited 6 in total during my visit...3 of those Official Ferrari shops. The private ones are very good but they mainly all sell the same thing but prices to vary....like models are cheaper in some shops than others. So my first port of call...here is my list

Shop 1: Baseball cap for Dawn2
Shop 2: F2002 150wins with Marlboro branding model
3x A4 photos of the F2003-GA launch
Ferrari zippo lighter
Shop 3: Ferrari beach towel
Shop 4: Official Ferrari 2003 F1 calendar
Shop 5: 2002 Ferrari yearbook
Shop 6 (Bologna airport): F2002 150wins model

Most of those things are or have been sold on (customers requested things for me to buy)..but there are things which I will keep for myself. Either way I had something in the region of 5 Ferrari bags which by the end was pretty difficult to carry by myself.
I went back to my hotel to pack up...sort things out and check out...while I was doing so I asked the lady on reception what famous people have stayed here...although her English wasn't great...she didn't understand me that well she did managed to say that Barrichello had stayed in the hotel...me not thinking much of it...I just shook my head and smiled...it figured...it was a nice hotel...near Ferrari...why wouldn't he? She went onto say that he stayed in the hotel last night (the night I was sleeping in it) but left early this morning...now bearing in mind there is only 25 rooms....he could of been next to me...opposite me....if only I hanged around in reception...I could of nabbed him.

So I was ready to leave Maranello...my taxi picked me up and took me to Bologna airport where I was dropped off. I browsed the mini Ferrari store there (nothing I hadn't seen already) and proceed to board my plane...it took off on time aswell!! Arriving into Gatwick on time I left the plane..go to the train station and JUST missed my train back home....trains go every hour to my local station but tonight was worse as...yep engineering works. I would get a train to Shalford and then pick up a coach which would take me back to my local station. I arrived into Gatwick at 6:30 and was home just after 9pm. Considering it should take about 1 hour to get from home to airport...abit annoying.

Total bill...haven't got a clue...dont' want to know.....do I care? No...its worth it! I would pay business class all the way if I had to. Enjoyment....well couldn't get enough of it...would def. do it again. Its ashame that its so hard to do...its something I will never do again but least I did get to do it.

Pictures that I took from the launch are available here.