Watching a GP

[JamesH]

Hi all,

for his birthday, my (will be) 9 year F1 fanatic old wants to go to a Grand Prix.

We were planning to get standard Silverstone tickets, but a friend has said that the standard ticket he had last year was OK for hearing and smelling the cars, but he couldn't actually see any! Is that the case? Is it really impossible to see the track on a standard ticket?

He also said that the 1.5hr queue for the toilets was a travesty.

So, is Silverstone the right option? Should I go for Grandstand seats? Should I go to Spa instead? Have a motorhome, so Spa would be feasible.

What other options are there I should be looking in to.

TIA

James

[Mike E]

What a choice! A road trip to Spa or staring at a car park in Northamptonshire.

[Paradise City]

Monaco is nice. Monaco is OK without a grandstand ticket but OK as in you have to scramble to get a good perch and you are away from the cars but you can still have a fair view.

You can get a close up view without a grandstand ticket at Spa.

[Tucky]

Like most events it's all about getting there earlier than everyone else to get close to the fence, and unless you want to carry your son on your shoulders for an hour and a half then you need to be right up to the fence. A number of people stroll into Silverstone on Sunday expecting a good view but find all they can do is watch the screens. I decided to get a grandstand ticket this year at Woodcote and it was a great view, especially with all the action at the end of the Wellington straight; the only problem is the price which nearly put me off it (around the £350 mark if I remember correctly). To get a good view for the race it's really about how much you're willing to pay and unfortunately the people who run Silverstone know that as well.

[bella]

if you can find somewhere good to park the motorhome then i would go for spa. iirc ticket prices are broadly similar to the amount you pay for silverstone, but for your money you get more of an impressive set of visuals to associate f1 with, imo. especially for a youngster.

the potty experience at spa is definitely sub par, but then it's not exactly brilliant at most circuits when they're remotely busy.

it might be worth looking at the nurburgring/hockenheim, since they're only an extra ~2 hours down the road than spa. can't remember which one would be holding the grand prix in '15 but both are most definitely an experience.

monaco is visually something pretty spectacular, but i went when i was 13 as a f1 fan and the impact of seeing the cars in person was completely lost next to the surreal visuals of monaco. again, pretty shoddy bathrooms and finding a perch on the rocher is something you have to practice and get there indecently early for.

[JamesH]

Thanks for all the info. Hadn't considered much further afield than Spa tbh, so that adds a bit more interest to the decision. Is there a French GP next year just to increase the field?

Terribly sad that you pay a lot to get in and cannot even see the race at Silverstone. Someone, somewhere should be quite ashamed. All the way to the bank.

[Steevp]

Spa without a doubt. Even if it's tipping down with rain (even!) he'll have a great adventure.. (Don't worry about the loos at Spa, yes the free ones are awful, but you're always within range of a 70c clean one)

[bella]

Originally Posted by JamesH

Thanks for all the info. Hadn't considered much further afield than Spa tbh, so that adds a bit more interest to the decision. Is there a French GP next year just to increase the field?

alas no. but if you really fancy a road trip and a proper serious weekend, the red bull ring is a bit of a trek but it's doable with one driver. campsites are sodding expensive, but they seem to put in a lot of effort to make it worthwhile for people to stay at the circuit. you could also fly most of the way to somewhere like munich and drive the rest, then stay in graz. it's another one of those visually stunning places to watch a race, and you can do some pretty cool summer mountain passes and that sort of thing too whilst you're there to make a bit more of it. i believe the general admission options there are pretty good in terms of places to go where you can see loads of track action too.

[MGDavid]

is Hungaroring the dirt cheap option - once you're there?

[steve_r]

Not sure where your friend was stood, but there are still good places to stand and see the cars on a General Admission ticket at Silverstone. I

f your money will stretch to going on the Friday and Saturday as well (or instead...), and you can sit in most the stands on a general admission ticket.

[bella]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

is Hungaroring the dirt cheap option - once you're there?

it can be. there's good options for general admission viewing, and even dirt cheap grandstands if you do like somewhere organised to park your bum. parking for cars and camping is a bit more shambolic though, that's what has put me off going for the gp after multiple visits with wsr.

i know there's buses and so forth to the local railway station from the town centre but if you're someone who likes to have all their ducks in a row i would look elsewhere unless you have local contacts who can help with the details. on the other hand, the old boy i work with went as part of a stag trip this year and they managed to botch it.

the weather is increasingly a bit bipolar - it's either blisteringly awesome or fairly parky and damp.

[katrina.kershaw.7]

You can see the track at silverstone I watched from village, also you make sure you're in sight of the screen and have a radio from the paddock shop. Have also done spa gp beautiful circuit if you plan ahead and get there early you can find screens and the best places to stand

[Greem]

Bits of GA I've stood in front of at Silverstone: Becketts, Chapel, Hangar - great views, very quick. Brooklands, Luffield - not so great, have to be there early but if you're up front that's an action point.

Was on the GP pit straight this year; getting through the GA area between the grandstands was a nightmare. Postage stamp to look through, about a million people trying to look through it.

Still (gloating a bit) I got to watch the race from the wall under the Abbey grandstands opposite the Sauber pit garages, right on the turn 1 marker board. That was quite exciting, but most definitely not general admission!

[Born Racer]

I concur with the comments on Spa. It's a spectacular place to appreciate a Grand Prix car. I spectated in 2010 on the Kemmel straight and was afforded a magnificent view of overtakes into Les Combes and a screen in front of me. Facilities were less glamorous than I imagine you get in Far Eastern venues - an elderly Belgian lady charging you 50 centimes to go for a widdle, but that's fine. The campsite looked full of serious-looking noisy Dutch and Belgian fans.

Next year, I'm going on a road trip with my girlfriend there. We'd rather go there for a holiday and enjoy some of Belgium (and its beer; cheers ) than go to Silverstone, although that's good if you've got a grandstand. It can be seriously chilly up there though, even in July. Bring gloves.

If the weather in Hungary is bi-polar, as bella described it, the Ardennes microclimate is full of unpredictable moodswings. Bring a jacket.. and suncream.

Although it may not be an option, I'd like to add I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the first Austin race too, but for trackside views, Spa takes it for me of those three.

[GT6]

Go for Spa, every motor racing fan needs to go there once in their life