What is it like to be there?

MarkG · 17 Apr 2013, 13:54 (Ref:3235807)

I haven't been to a Grand Prix for many years so what is it like to watch a GP as a spectator at a circuit nowadays?
Is it worth the money and hassle of getting there?
Are the F1 races as exciting as the support races, for example GP2?
Once the first couple of laps are done, and once one has adjusted to the speeds, is it still exciting?
When watching on TV one knows what's going on and pretty much all is seen and heard, although of course, the TV does diminish the speed spectacle that a circuit spectator will enjoy.
I assume most forum comments are based on TV viewing?

**Born Racer** · 17 Apr 2013, 13:57 (Ref:3235808)

Unfortunately sometimes the best circuits are not great at how they are run. Spa is a great experience (it's Spa! And we're motorsport fans). But quibbles include the 50 centime payment to use the old lady's public toilets and the lack of transport (the last shuttle back to Liege leaving early after the race). That was 2010.

I went to Austin in November and, as you might expect of an American event, it was very well organised.

Silverstone is fine, but the last time I went in 2011 the grandstand seats didn't give you an allocated seat and that's not right for the money you pay for it (maybe I didn't read the small print well enough).

**garcon** · 17 Apr 2013, 14:01 (Ref:3235810)

It's getting on for a decade since I went, but I can certainly say both the Nurburgring and Spa were better value (and probably cheaper weekends) than Silverstone.

The sheer physical experience of seeing, hearing and feeling an F1 car go by is worth the cost alone, and at most circuits there's usually somewhere close enough o get that experience and then somewhere else to get a decent view of a reasonable section of circuit. Spa certainly rewards if you're willing to don your hiking boots and explore.

**bella** · 17 Apr 2013, 14:14 (Ref:3235819)

the best way to enjoy epic circuits like spa and monza is when there's *not* a grand prix in town. the newer ones are the other way around.

i do the monaco gp every year, which is admittedly slightly different and i find that very good value for money, both in f1 terms and entertainment terms. on fridays, you can watch the racing for free - there are actually races on friday morning, and you used to be able to get onto the secteur rocher for free on a thursday too though for some reason they wouldn't let you do that last year.

i mean, when you look at what you get as a pure number - the races on offer for the price - it's not really that great, but if you're a fan then the value for money factor increases dramatically. you can get a lot closer in the days leading up to the race than you used to be able to, and there are more and better races than there used to be in the early 2000s. that's balanced out by the lack of huge interesting stands that the teams and manufacturers used to bring, now it's just a feeble attempt to extract cash from you.

i never invested in the kangaroo tv thing, for me that's not why you go to a grand prix. you go for the event, for the real life noise and for the sight of the cars. spending it trying to follow the race on timing screens and telly sort of defeats that, but it's a personal thing. it was also quite expensive.

food and drink... i usually bring my own anyway. but silverstone seems to have a decent variety of greasy mush on offer, even if it's a little expensive. at the nurburgring for the german gp it wasn't bad at all, and the circuit camping prices were reasonable too. what we're good at in the uk is catering for ladies - the bogs and showers are much better at silverstone in the campsites and on circuit, whereas everywhere else tend to assume that there's so few of us they don't need to look after us. the nurburgring again isn't bad from that point of view actually inside the circuit in the stands but monza and spa are both absolutely shocking.

ps. paying for bogs is ingrained in a country's culture, not a f1 grand prix. belgium is especially bad for it, likewise monaco though the rest of france isn't so bad.

MarkG · 17 Apr 2013, 14:15 (Ref:3235820)

Quote:

Originally Posted by garcon

The sheer physical experience of seeing, hearing and feeling an F1 car go by is worth the cost alone, and at most circuits there's usually somewhere close enough o get that experience and then somewhere else to get a decent view of a reasonable section of circuit. Spa certainly rewards if you're willing to don your hiking boots and explore.

That aspect I can fully understand, and would relish. But I would get that by watching on the Fridays or a test day. I have no inclination at all to pay to watch at Silverstone, but I'd go to a test day there. Barcelona also, I'd watch testing and maybe a Friday, then go elsewhere in Spain for the rest of a holiday, then watch the recorded qually and race on TV back in blighty.
Maybe Monaco is one race I'd pay to watch at the circuit. There are pretty girls there also

**garcon** · 17 Apr 2013, 14:18 (Ref:3235822)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

ps. paying for bogs is ingrained in a country's culture, not a f1 grand prix. belgium is especially bad for it, likewise monaco though the rest of france isn't so bad.

... although the definition of what constitutes a toilet in the rest of France can be worryingly sketchy...

Greem · 17 Apr 2013, 14:50 (Ref:3235830)

I don't spectate very often (I'm usually found bouncing round in an orange romper suit)... but it's THE NOISE. I said it's THE NOISE!

The sound of a grid full of F1 cars thundering off the line is pretty mind-bending; the first lap (if they're not hugely spread out by some incident) is amazing.

Saying that, I'm just as happy with a grid of MGBs pulling away, or Smart Cars, as I am with F1, V8 Supercars or other monster-engined vehicles

MarkG · 17 Apr 2013, 15:06 (Ref:3235834)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greem

I don't spectate very often (I'm usually found bouncing round in an orange romper suit)... but it's THE NOISE. I said it's THE NOISE!

The sound of a grid full of F1 cars thundering off the line is pretty mind-bending; the first lap (if they're not hugely spread out by some incident) is amazing.

Saying that, I'm just as happy with a grid of MGBs pulling away, or Smart Cars, as I am with F1, V8 Supercars or other monster-engined vehicles

I have a lot of time for you guys and gals in orange, having done some racing every blue moon when my wallet had some notes in it. That doesn't mean I'll necessarily agree with what you say

but in this case I do.. whatever the grid, that first lap or two is exciting.
Last time I actually heard the noise for real was when Kimi drove for Ferrari. It was a test day at Silverstone and I was at the entry to Copse. Yes, the noise is awesome, but more awesome was him going round Copse without lifting, I think he may have just snicked a lower gear though. Even though I hate more grip that power, that was quite a stand-out moment.

Javi · 17 Apr 2013, 15:27 (Ref:3235842)

I´ve been to several F1 grand prix, but my advice will be (and forgive me to say so): Go to Le Mans 24hrs. That´s an amazing experience..., and much better (IMHO) value for money. But I have not been to Spa F1, that I would love...

frostie · 17 Apr 2013, 16:12 (Ref:3235852)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

I´ve been to several F1 grand prix, but my advice will be (and forgive me to say so): Go to Le Mans 24hrs. That´s an amazing experience..., and much better (IMHO) value for money. But I have not been to Spa F1, that I would love...

Le Mans is still the best racing weekend I've ever had. I went in 2008 and absolutely loved it, same goes for Sebring last year. Sportscar racing gives such good value for money for fans and they tend to be at some of the best circuits in the world. Add in that it's a bit less busy and hectic and it's really enjoyable. Although for Le Mans I did find the Kangaroo TV to be essential.

In relation to F1. If you're a fan you'll love it! The speed of the cars, the sound of the engines, the colours...everything is just better in person. You get to pick up on things that you wouldnt notice on TV. Might be that you can hear which cars are carrying more revs, who brakes latest, the different characteristics of the cars that we take as gospel from commentators may be different when you're trackside.

It's expensive to go to a GP. The last one that I paid for was the Spanish GP in 2011 but at €144, what's that £120?, for three full days of seeing my favourite sport it's something that I'd consider a bargain. Tie in a holiday and you're laughing!

Silverstone is one of my favourite tracks on the calender, it was also where I went to a GP for the first time in 1997 and I still remember everything from that weekend! It's gotten a lot more affordable of late and for the MotoGP last year I got my Dad a roving grandstand ticket for the race weekend for something like £80. The F1 is obviously much more expensive but maybe someone knows if the track offers something like that for F1?

I was at Silverstone in 2000, the year it was held in April and pretty much washed out, but you could see and feel the passion that everyone had for the sport. It's like going to a music festival. The rain buckets down on you but you don't care. You're there for one thing and that's the racing.

Every track is special in their own way but if I was going to go to a GP as a once off I'd look at the calender and think in terms of "where would I like to go on holiday and take in the race?" That way you can kill two birds with one stone and have your annual fortnight abroad while going to a race as well.

**garcon** · 17 Apr 2013, 16:15 (Ref:3235853)

LM24 is about so much more than the race, it's a unique event, a pilgrimage like no other. I'm not even sure it should be compared with other motorsport events.

FordCosworthPanoz · 17 Apr 2013, 21:09 (Ref:3235944)

Went to at least 1 Grand Prix from 1995 to 2008. After a 2010 visit to Silverstone with free tickets I haven't been back since.

It really is all about the experience of seeing a Formula 1 car and not much else. For seeing cars up close, I go to ALMS events where I can ask questions to ex-F1 and other world class drivers and get right up close to top class race cars. I guess after the V10s and even 2006 V8s the new cars just didn't seem that interesting not to mention that Most of the circuits I've been to the grandstands are horribly positioned and you only see 1 or 2 corners. General admission is fantastic at Spa and Budapest, but the other tracks are mostly terrible for it.

Another thing that makes the race is the atmosphere. I was at the 2000 German Grand Prix with 120,000 spectators and despite only seeing the cars come by 45 times, the howl of the fans with the air horns was insane. And to see the change in emotion, in the beginning after Schumacher was out the fans were sad and many were leaving. But then when teammate Barichello had a shot to win everyone was going crazy. Meanwhile, Montreal 2008 I saw a really great race, but the lack of atmosphere from the fans made it kind of boring.

The prices are ridiculous compared to other forms of motorsport and the experience not something to scream about. However, keep in mind that there is nothing like seeing a Formula 1 car scream right in front of you, I lost my 'fever' a couple of years ago, but I'd love to see others catch this same fever. I'd also recommend tying in your formula 1 trip with a vacation.

GP's I've attended:

1992 British Grand Prix
1995 British Grand Prix
1996 British Grand Prix
1997 British Grand Prix
1997 European Grand Prix
1998 Canadian Grand Prix
1999 Canadian Grand Prix
2000 German Grand Prix
2000 United States Grand Prix
2001 United States Grand prix
2002 Canadian Grand Prix
2002 United States Grand Prix
2003 Canadian Grand Prix
2003 Hungarian Grand Prix
2004 Canadian Grand Prix
2004 British Grand Prix
2005 Canadian Grand Prix
2006 Italian Grand Prix
2007 Canadian Grand Prix
2008 Canadian Grand Prix
2010 British Grand Prix

chillibowl · 17 Apr 2013, 21:17 (Ref:3235948)

lack of atmosphere in Montreal in 2008? is that just relative to the number of other times you have been there?
its pretty heavily slanted pro Ferrari so they must have taken it very hard that Kimi got knocked out.

FordCosworthPanoz · 17 Apr 2013, 21:32 (Ref:3235957)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chillibowl

lack of atmosphere in Montreal in 2008? is that just relative to the number of other times you have been there?
its pretty heavily slanted pro Ferrari so they must have taken it very hard that Kimi got knocked out.

I was in the Silver 11 stand in an area that was very pro Ferrari. Much of the only 'atmosphere' there after the pit collision were profanity laced sentences regarding Lewis Hamilton and people while excited at Kubica's victory didn't react like previous races. Montreal atmosphere is usually great.

One time the atmosphere got incredible for the wrong reason was Monza 2006 when Alonso blew up right in front of us in 8c at turn 1 when he was driving for Renault against Michael. I've never seen the fans that excited and thrilled at an F1 race as I was that day. Even what I remember from the 1992 Mansell win at Silverstone was nowhere near as loud and crazy as that. Also, I was by a bunch of Poles that essentially shouted "ROBERT KUBICA" over and over again for the last 10 laps. First podium for him.

**bella** · 17 Apr 2013, 22:41 (Ref:3235978)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

One time the atmosphere got incredible for the wrong reason was Monza 2006 when Alonso blew up right in front of us in 8c at turn 1 when he was driving for Renault against Michael. I've never seen the fans that excited and thrilled at an F1 race as I was that day. Even what I remember from the 1992 Mansell win at Silverstone was nowhere near as loud and crazy as that.

i can vouch for the italians being nutters when it's going their way. i was at the italian gp in 1998 when they got a 1-2 for the first time since f1 was still on horseback. the track invasion was frenzied to say the least...

Gingers4Justice · 18 Apr 2013, 00:01 (Ref:3235994)

Seems a bit ridiculous that living in Northamptonshire in a household which breathes petrol that I've never been to (or should that be 'taken to', seeing as I'm 18?) the British Grand Prix. But when my dad was part of the Chaplaincy team, he managed to take me to the qualifying in 2008.

I'd seen Lewis Hamilton take pole, which was great in front of the home crowd. F1 cars in the flesh really are something to behold and I'd never seen such fast cars before.

But did it leave me wanting more? Not particularly. But that's having been to Le Mans first, which I guess is an unfair comparison. Unless I get a job on good money when I'm older, I don't ever envisage spending the money to go to the British Grand Prix. Why would I spend all that money to watch only a handful of races at a circuit I don't like, when for the same price, I can take a week off and watch a 24 hour race and a visit to a foreign country?

I would love, however, to be able to go to a traditional European Grand Prix when I'm older. That's Monaco, Spa or Monza, all for different reasons of course.

Paradise City · 18 Apr 2013, 00:13 (Ref:3235996)

It's like a festival and concert combined only the music is better.

It's unnecessarily expensive. I bought my tickets and the grandstand was an extra hit. When I arrived at that track I bought nothing. I had all I wanted that I brought with me. I enjoyed myself though and I guess that's priceless.

billybanana · 18 Apr 2013, 04:03 (Ref:3236025)

Went to Singapore GP in 2011 and paid $1000 for pit straight grandstand. Yes it was a spectacle being at night and all but would never do it again. Bugger all atmosphere and a single support race which no one watched anyway. Couldn't help but feel slightly ripped off.

Guess I've been spoiled over the years with the full day's support racing we get here at the Oz GP.

djinvicta · 18 Apr 2013, 08:32 (Ref:3236072)

Spa is the amazing one, even though you only get to see the cars 45 times instead of 70 odd at Monaco. To see an F1 go up Eau Rouge is awesome. I was there in thr rain when EJ had his one two with Damon, when DC caused the first lap chaos. Thr track invasion at the end was amazing and I walked down Eau Rouge, SO steepand narrow.
Monaco Ive been loads of times as I have friends living 5 miles away. The best bit of that weekend to me is Saturday night after 7pm, they open the roads up, so you can walk the track, and join the mechanics and truckies in the old Rascasse bar. Mind you, 3 pints and a wine is over £70!!

Sodemo · 18 Apr 2013, 08:46 (Ref:3236078)

I personally don't think its worth the hassle or the money any more, certainly for Silverstone. I last went in 2005 (and previously in 1995, 2000, 2004). The overriding memory for me was of being tired and just a general feeling of being unclean. The toilets were terrible, and for some reason we couldn't shower at the campsite. We had to be at the circuit gate by 5/6am or some other ungodly hour in order to get a decent spot at Club corner (which is now mostly grandstand).

You don't get that many races, maybe 3 or 4 including the F1 race, I think there was the Porsche Supercup, then the F1, then there was a classic Sportscar race after, I think that was it, so 3 races. I'm used to going to clubby meetings, BTCC and others, where you get 8 maybe 10 races in one day, so getting only 3 is poor value in my view. From what I remember there was a lot of empty track time, so it wasn't like they couldn't squeeze more races in.

djinvicta · 18 Apr 2013, 09:27 (Ref:3236092)

Last time I went, it took 4 hours just to get the car out of one field afterwards

**bella** · 18 Apr 2013, 09:50 (Ref:3236109)

to be honest, the last time i went to silverstone i paid for a camping spot at windmill, put up a tent in case i couldn't be arsed, and then just used it as a parking spot. the campsite pass let me get access to it when the roads were closed and it was cheaper than trying to buy a car park pass at face value off ebay.

MarkG · 18 Apr 2013, 10:00 (Ref:3236113)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bella

to be honest, the last time i went to silverstone i paid for a camping spot at windmill, put up a tent in case i couldn't be arsed, and then just used it as a parking spot. the campsite pass let me get access to it when the roads were closed and it was cheaper than trying to buy a car park pass at face value off ebay.

frostie · 18 Apr 2013, 10:00 (Ref:3236114)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodemo

You don't get that many races, maybe 3 or 4 including the F1 race, I think there was the Porsche Supercup, then the F1, then there was a classic Sportscar race after, I think that was it, so 3 races. I'm used to going to clubby meetings, BTCC and others, where you get 8 maybe 10 races in one day, so getting only 3 is poor value in my view. From what I remember there was a lot of empty track time, so it wasn't like they couldn't squeeze more races in.

That's one thing that really annoys me about F1. The tracks should be able to use national championships on the undercard. We see the V8s in Melbourne, presumably because there's no GP2 or GP3 races and there's open slots but at Silverstone it would be terrific if we still had a British F3 race and given the state of that series they could surely do with a GP support race status. Put on a BTCC race as well and you could have a much better chance of the F1 fan becoming a casual touring car fan instead of what we have at the minute where F1 is clearly king.

In other countries it would be fantastic to see the DTM double head a couple of times in Germany and Belgium and then have some sportscars in Italy or something. We're still struggling for money in motorsport so surely doing this would make other series more attractive to sponsors and allow them to raise more funds

eps · 18 Apr 2013, 10:18 (Ref:3236122)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkG

I haven't been to a Grand Prix for many years so what is it like to watch a GP as a spectator at a circuit nowadays?
Is it worth the money and hassle of getting there?
Are the F1 races as exciting as the support races, for example GP2?
Once the first couple of laps are done, and once one has adjusted to the speeds, is it still exciting?
When watching on TV one knows what's going on and pretty much all is seen and heard, although of course, the TV does diminish the speed spectacle that a circuit spectator will enjoy.
I assume most forum comments are based on TV viewing?

You should have come to Silverstone last weekend.... ELMS, WECs and Euro F3s. That would give you a good idea of the noise and spectacle, but without the thronging crowds. Although the food is still rubbish and overpriced and drinks are rubbish and overpriced and a limited selection - I remember being at the Belgian GP one year and all you could buy was Fosters!! In Belgium FFS!! But the sponsors pay a load of money to only allow their products to be sold at the circuit. The tix for last weekend were £35 for all 3 days, slightly less if you couldn't make the Friday.

The spectacle and speed is excellent. I still get surprised by the speed of F1 when you watch it trackside, although I haven't been for about 3-4 years. The race doesn't really settle down to be honest - the Television will focus on a handful of cars and it really depends on where you sit or stand trackside. Spa is an amazing experience and well worth it. Silverstone is good, but a little over priced (imo). Saying that I'm off to Monaco for the one and possibly only time, for the spectacle and being right on top of the cars, the sight and sound. A radio helps, to keep track of things and if you're lucky enough to be sitting opposite a video screen, you get replays and action from around the circuit. Most people seem to leave en masse after the F1 race - well certainly at Silverstone, just stay and watch one or two of the support races afterwards and then get home in a fraction of the time!

I've been to a number of circuits around the country - I would recommend going along to one of those, possibly nearer to you, maybe Cadwell Park, Snetterton, Brands or Rockingham, when the F3 or similar single seaters are on and see what that's like. F1 is just bigger, louder, quicker and much more expensive.. The closing speed and acceleration and sheer cornering speed is astounding. The other thing that Television takes away are any undulations to the circuit. Silverstone is not the most gifted in that area, but it isn't truly pancake flat either.. The smaller series races will allow you to move around as well and view the action from different corners and so on, whereas in F1 you tend to stay put in one place, esp. if you've got a decent seat or vantage point.