Monaco GP - Info Request

[Andy H]

I am considering the idea of going to the Monaco GP next year. I have no problem with flights & accomodation but tickets are the big cost and the unkown. Obviously if you go all that way I want decent tickets but as cheap as poss!

Has anyone any comments on:

- the best place to buy them? can you do it direct from the Monaco circuit website and cut out paying any extras to agents.

- the best tickets? any recommendations and comments appreciated from those who have been.
(The only thing I have heard is Sector Rocheauter is appalling!)

- any other snippets of knowledge worth having.

Cheers
Andy H

[Minardi fan]

I too am thinking of going to Monaco next year. Race tickets are not actually as expensive as you think. However, stay in Monaco itself and the prices rocket.

Try Page and Moy.

[Andy H]

M-Fan

Tickets are expensive in my view! Ignoring the standing which I've heard poor things about. You're looking at £159/£259/£398 and £438 price brackets for Sat + Sun according to Just Tickets!

For some reason as well you have to buy the same ticket for Sat as Sun so no buying a **** one for qualifying to save costs!

The £159 ones appear to be in the middle of a long straight as well!

You can probably fly to Nice on EasyJet and stay there for 3-4 days getting the train to Monaco for less than the price of the above tickets.


Is there anyone who has actually been?

[Edited by Andy H on 7th July 2000]

[Truckosaurus]

Andy,

I went to Monaco in '98, it was a trip organised by the
company social club for the bargain price of < £100.

We travelled by coach which was OK going there because
it was overnight, so you slept through most of it, but
coming back was during the day and once you've seen one bit
of French autoroute you've seen it all...

We had the standing tickets which I believe sell for around
20 quid. The spot I watched from was halfway up the hill
to the Royal Palace, it overlooked the harbour and you
could see the cars coming out of the tunnel, around the
harbour and past the swimming pool. There was also a
videowall to see the rest of the action.

I'm glad I went but I don't think I'll be going back in
a hurry, unless I win the lottery or someone else is paying
the bills.

[Andy H]

Aha the £20 tickets - do these quotes I found sound right Guy?....

"I am annoyed that they can get away with charging money for tickets which don't allow you to see any cars, let alone watch any of the race."

"Having just returned from Monaco 2000 I would warn anyone interested in going next year to make sure you get a grandstand ticket - we had Sector Rocher (standing)tickets and while it's a great vantage point to see the whole track, it's almost impossible to see through the trees and shrubery. The few hundred who got there earliest had a reasonable chance but I was appalled at the number of people taking massive risks climbing trees, lamp-posts, steep hill sides,etc, to get a glimpse over the tree tops. You shouldn't have to do that if you've paid for a ticket.

After watching the first half hour of the race through tree branches (and luckily we could also glimpse a huge screen) we went to a bar to watch the rest of the race"

[Truckosaurus]

Yeah, sounds like where I was...

Luckily, I was at the front in a tree-less section - but then what do you expect for 20 notes?

I'd say it was better value then paying a £100 to stand on a muddy bank at Silverstone in the rain...

Or even just do as your informant above said, just sit in a bar and watch on tv. You'll not get a better view even in the posh grandstands, and then you can go and walk/drive the course after the race anyway.

[Andy H]

Stand K seems to be the best of the bunch if you're splashing out in the vain attempt of a proper view.

Next question is how do you get them direct?

K stand was 3300F last year (approx. £320 at current forex) yet Just Tickets were charging £438 for them!

I could do without handing some jokers £100 commission.

[Andy H]

I belive you can get tickets direct from:

http://www.acm.mc

One benefit of this is that agencies (Just Tickets, etc) often insist that the same seats are purchased for both Saturday & Sunday whereas booking direct there are no such limitations apparently.

If you contact them they will put you on the mailing list and then post you booking forms as they are available - early January?

Automobile Club de Monaco
23, Bd. Albert 1er
MC98012 Monaco
Tel: +377 93.15.26.00
FAX: +377 93.25.80.08
email: acm@acm.mc

Hope that helps
Andy H