Race Weekend Diary
One Weekend. Four Days. Endless Memories.
By Manisha Kelkar | Manisha Unleashed | Motorsport Mania
To most fans, race weekend begins when the lights go out on Sunday afternoon.
For those of us inside the paddock, that’s when the hard work is almost over.
A race weekend is four intense days of preparation, teamwork, problem-solving and emotion. Every lap, every adjustment and every decision builds towards those few precious minutes when everything is on the line.
Welcome to my race weekend.
Thursday – Track Walk
Before the engines roar into life, the circuit is almost peaceful.
Thursday begins with one of my favourite traditions—the track walk.
Walking the circuit at normal speed gives you a completely different perspective than driving it at 250 km/h. You notice every camber change, every bump, every kerb and every patch of repaired tarmac.
Our engineers are studying data.
I’m studying the racing line.
Where is the grip?
Has the surface changed since last year?
Will the kerbs upset the car?
Where can I attack?
Where should I be patient?
We discuss braking markers, overtaking opportunities and potential hazards.
By the time we leave the circuit, I’ve already driven dozens of laps—inside my head.
The race has already begun.
Friday – Practice
Friday is all about learning.
The stopwatch matters, but not as much as understanding the car.
Every run has a purpose.
Sometimes we’re evaluating tyre pressures.
Sometimes we’re comparing suspension settings.
Sometimes we’re collecting aerodynamic data.
Sometimes we’re simply building confidence.
The engineers are constantly downloading information from the car while I’m trying to describe exactly what I feel.
“It understeers into Turn 4.”
“The rear feels nervous under braking.”
“I’ve lost traction exiting Turn 9.”
The data tells one story.
The driver tells another.
The fastest teams combine both.
By the end of Friday we’ve usually completed hundreds of kilometres—but we’re still searching for those final tenths of a second.
Saturday – Qualifying Nerves
Everything changes on Saturday.
Practice is over.
Now every lap counts.
Qualifying is one of the most mentally demanding parts of the weekend because there are no second chances.
You have one opportunity to put everything together.
One perfect braking point.
One perfect apex.
One perfect exit.
You’re balancing aggression with precision.
Push too hard and you make a mistake.
Play it too safe and you’ll leave time on the table.
Inside the helmet, your breathing slows.
The outside world disappears.
The only thing that matters is the next corner.
When you cross the finish line and look at the timing screen, the emotion is instant.
Relief.
Frustration.
Excitement.
Sometimes all three at once.
Sunday – Race Adrenaline
Race day has its own atmosphere.
The grandstands are full.
The national anthem plays.
The mechanics make their final checks.
The engineers study weather forecasts one last time.
Then comes the grid.
It’s strangely calm.
The noise fades into the background.
You’re focused on procedures.
Clutch.
Engine map.
Brake temperatures.
Tyre pressures.
Radio check.
Deep breath.
Then the lights come on.
Five red lights.
The longest few seconds of the weekend.
Lights out.
Now instinct takes over.
Hours of preparation become split-second decisions.
Every lap is a conversation between driver, engineer and machine.
Manage the tyres.
Protect the brakes.
Save fuel.
Attack when it matters.
Defend when necessary.
Keep adapting.
The chequered flag eventually falls, but even then the work isn’t finished.
The engineers immediately begin analysing data for the next race.
The cycle starts all over again.
More Than a Race
People often ask me what my favourite part of race weekend is.
The answer changes every time.
Sometimes it’s walking a famous circuit for the first time.
Sometimes it’s finding the perfect setup on Friday.
Sometimes it’s delivering a qualifying lap when everything clicks.
Sometimes it’s battling wheel-to-wheel on Sunday.
The truth is that no single day defines a race weekend.
It’s the combination of all four.
The preparation.
The teamwork.
The setbacks.
The breakthroughs.
The pressure.
The adrenaline.
Those are the moments that make motorsport unlike any other sport in the world.
Final Thoughts
From Thursday’s first track walk to Sunday’s chequered flag, every race weekend is a journey of constant learning and relentless determination. Success isn’t created in a single lap—it comes from hundreds of tiny decisions made by drivers, engineers and mechanics working together with one shared goal.
When fans watch the race, they see the final chapter.
What they don’t always see is the incredible story that unfolds over four unforgettable days.
And that’s why I can’t wait to do it all again next weekend.
About Manisha Unleashed
Manisha Unleashed is your all-access pass behind the visor. Join me each week on Motorsport Mania as I share the realities of life as an international racing driver—from race weekends and fitness to engineering, travel and my journey towards becoming the first Indian woman to compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Every race has a story, and this is where I tell it.