Design
The Belgium Grand Prix is for many UK fans a second home race. From our Milton Keynes base it’s a quick hop over – or under – The Channel, a drive through France around the infuriating Brussels’ ring road (London’s M25 is a race track in comparison) and through the Ardennes forest to Spa-Francorchamps. And in the spirit of Red Bull openness and participation one of our number decided to camp for the weekend among the fans. Our transport and accommodation for the weekend was the all-singing, all-dancing, go anywhere, anytime VW California

Strategy
Leaving Milton Keynes early on the Wednesday before Spa was a party of three. Despite the livery, vehicle and contents we were classed as freight, so our pristine VW California was stuck between the Polish, British and German HGVs on the bottom deck of the P&O passenger ferry. A quick four-hour run to Belgium and within ten minutes we had set up camp (raised the roof, unwound the awning and turned the front seats around) and had the first beer in hand. Our location was Spa d’Or a campsite 8kms from the track which boasted better facilities than your average field site (one of our number was under two and has high expectations of his accommodation) a decent restaurant with a beer menu, and on Friday and Saturday nights hosted a Grand Prix Buffet/Karaoke. Sorted.

Communications
The bad news was we had no pass to get into the F1 Personnel car parks. These are rarer than Wonka Golden Tickets, so our transport to the track alternated between cycling, lift from the site manager or a borrowed scooter. The important thing was we made it to work on time every day. The site wasn’t situated in the hardcore campsite ring which surrounds the track, so the extra distance meant we had a relatively better night’s sleep, for the most part devoid of the Continental and British fans who had imbibed too much local brew to damage their volume control. 

Marketing
The California we had came in a look-at-me livery and we gained the attention of everyone from other motorists to pedestrians who  waved, stared or pointed. While we didn’t blend in, we did make friends. From our first run in the Factory car park to the motorways to the ferry to the campsite we attracted attention. And when our fellow campers found out we were dishing out Red Bull Racing caps, posters and autograph cards… we suddenly became very, very popular.

Driver
It’s a mere 533kms from Milton Keynes to the Spa d’Or campsite including four and a half hours on motorway, one hour 40 minutes on a P&O ferry and an hour waiting in queues to get on the boat. And despite being a van, the California is no lorry to drive, it’s nippy and we had to wait at several service stations for our friends who had decided to venture over in a full-blown motorhome.

Result
If we’re honest it was luxury camping rather than the camping the majority of fans go through in the louder, slightly more rowdy sites, and the unusually good weather (for Spa) meant we could eat and drink al fresco and weren’t confined to the Caliornia (or the bar) that often in the evenings.

Strategy
For more on the VW California and to see where the promo vehicle has escaped to this summer visit www.vwescape.co.uk. There’s also a vacation video on YouTube:

Logistics
Our thanks to VW Commercial Vehicles, P&O Ferries and the Spa d’Or Campsite.

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