Paddock Pass: Tight quarters, mixed emotions and nowhere to hide in Geneva

By the time I finished the driver interviews, several F50 wings had already been dismantled and were being rolled into containers for the journey to the next destination. The glitz and glamour had disappeared, replaced by hi-vis.

Teams were tearing down their signage and packing away their bases. The F50s were being reduced to their component parts, with Shore Crews working at remarkable speed to get everything packed away.

But perhaps the most entertaining or sobering part was the realization that the season is coming to an end. In a paddock this small, there's nowhere for anyone to hide their emotions.

The Australians were easy to spot, gathered outside their container with pizzas and plenty of banter. They wanted the win, but understood that another second place is a strong finish. The Swiss were buzzing after making the Final, the Danish were happy too. The Spanish team had secured their place in the Grand Final and were celebrating what that meant. There were parents across the teams being visited by their kids, moments of celebration and moments of consolation.

But perhaps the most obvious emotion came from the British team. They sat on the floor outside their container, looking dejected as they waited for their F50 to be craned out. The Final had been so close. Now, the opportunity of securing the last Grand Final spot was slipping away.
It's a funny point of the season. Earlier in the weekend, Artemis driver Nathan Outteridge said that every point counts just as much at the end of the season as it does at the beginning. And technically, that's true. But for me, the points feel heavier now.