Did you visit a circuit this year?

[TimD]

I know! This topic looks as though it belongs in the "Trackside" forum, but I am keen to hear from a lot of F1 posters who don't often make themselves known in the other forums.

There can't be many of us who have missed a Grand Prix on TV this year, even the recorded highlights - we are, after all, diehard fans. And ten-tenths race fans are some of the most diehard in the world.

But I'm curious to know. Was your racing this year purely on TV, or were you able to get to a track to spectate? I know not everyone is in a position to spend money getting to one of Bernie's GPs, so I would be interested to know if you still got to a local circuit to see some homegrown talent in other formulas.

So spill the beans! What did you see? And could you bring yourself to leave the video machine watching the GP while you went out and caught some live race action?

[Clement]

Was at magny cours on adelade cornor -the track was good except 4 the lack of big screen TVs ,as was the race but there nothing much around the circuit to keep u interested. Mind u Nevers about 40km away was great fun during euro2000. Definitely recorded the race,as I missed alot of the action on the track.

[Red]

Yep, Hungaroring. My first live race. It's the closest, 7-800 km. Every year I try to lure some friends for a trip and fail. This year I said whatthe, I'm going alone. So on Wednesday I was in a travel agency office and Friday I was there. Anyway, I was mostly scouting, but next year I am going with the lesson well learned. (for example, Sunday evening I finally understood why everybody except me was wearing some towels or handkerchiefs around their necks...) And since my appetite just opened, I'm aiming for two next year, most likely Austria will be the other.

I stood at corner 11 (bronze ticket), just in front of a TV screen (oh boy, Bernie's TV is awesome) and I could see probably a quarter of the track from there. I was surrounded by a group of Italian tifosi (heh-hee), some Finns and lots of Germans and it was a general fun!

Not at all action (if Coulthard chasing Schumacher for more than a half of the race is not action), but I was impressed. The "only notable" moments (besides all the other minutes I spent there) were Fisico's off(s) and Diniz who parked his car 50m away from me (but I was too excited so I forgot to go near him and ask an autograph).

I set my VCR to record the race, but unfortunately my cat had some business with the antenna cable, so I am the proud possessor of a three hours recording of nothing.... (darn, and I explained him that the TV works better with that cable well plugged-in)

[SL]

If F1 testing at Silverstone counts then yes, 1 F1 meeting.

Le Mans, six or seven assorted Brands Hatch meets, both Goodwood events. Thats all this year.

SL

[Carla O]

Unfortunately i've only been to one GP in my life - Estoril 95, but i did go often to Estoril for private tests and on the thursday of the GP's (kind of from 87 to 96 or 97 i think)

haven't been near a track since then... @£#$% to all that ruined Estoril for so many years!

[Jay]

I haven't been to and Grand Prix circuits, but I was at Isle. Notre Dame in Montreal earlier this year, and they were having some kind of a motor race there. It really angered the regular cyclists that use the Island as a place to ride.

[downforce]

Sepang 2001....hope to go!

[jarama]

I've been at Barcelona as every year -the track is only about 15/20 km. away from my home-, and for the first time at Hungaroring.

Apart from this, and as every year, I'd followed the Catalunya Rally -one of the WRC events-.

[RussianFriend]

I dodn't know which thing will happen before, either Berney come to Russia,or I keep my word and went to Hungaroring. First time I've tried 4 years ago. Maybe, 2001??? Maybe, other circuit.

[Toth]

I drove past the Nurburgring and Hockenheim on the same day.

[KC]

Was at Copse for the British GP.

[Dean T]

I was at the BGP in the farm enclosure with a fabulous
view. I was at Brands on Sunday for World SBK and I was
on the Brabham straight. What a fabulous atmosphere!
far superior to the GP and I am more of an F1 fan than
superbikes! I was at Castle Coombe twice too, however
its not quite the same!

[Billy_Hunt]

British GP got down there on Friday .
Got stuck in two different Car parks(Fields actually).I decided there and then to leave the car the whole weekend in a field full of mud,especially since we heard that the car parks would be closed on saturday.Then some bright spark decided all cars had to be out of the fields overnight so I got towed out again .Parked the car on some tarmac(yes there is some near the main entrance ),and there we stayed all weekend for fear of not being able to get in again .We got warned that the car could get towed away during the night so we chirped rather merrily "thats ok cos we'll be in it" .
Oh yes there was a race as well, we stood at the complex saw Rubens take his Ferrari for a swim ,and then to top a brilliant weekend a british driver won.
The only down side the very smelly leather clad biker who very nearly sat on my knee trying to squeeze into a space that did not exist about 1 min before the start of the race
where as I'd been sat there all day trying in vain to see tv screens through the fog.
But fun was had by all and many pints of fosters were drunk

[EERO]

I went to Montreal and had the pleasure of meeting our Jay.

It had been twenty-one years since I had seen Gilles win at the Glen in '79. I dragged my wife to amatuer SCCA races at Loudon, New Hampshire, which intrigued her enough to make her want to go to Montreal next year.

[Liz]

No Formula One tracks this year (I did Monza last year) - Le Mans, Molson Indy Toronto, BTCC Snetterton, and a dozen assorted races here in Canada at Mosport. Next year: Montreal, Le Mans, of course Molson Indy, and I hope Road America... and Goodwood and Rockingham to finish it off.

Needless to say it will be a very cheap and austere winter. It will be worth it.

[LYM]

Been to Melbourne back in March. Sadly that's the only one I can afford..

No visits planned for next year. Crucial career stage for me ahead.

[ozywoodwards]

spa for GP, unfortunatly I only had saturday Brit GP tickets,so I couldn't get there.

um, thruxton around 8-9 times (I get free tickets as I live within a mile of the circuit) Coombe once and Gurston hill climb once.

I also got my Dad to drive me around the old Nurburgring when we where on holiday, and even though we were in a 1.4 Ford Focus, it srtill took my breath away at the size of the circuit and how dangerous it must have been when they held GP's there.

[Minardi fan]

It was quite an F1-packed year for me.

First off was qualifying for the British GP - we were at the chicane before Bridge. We were cold and wet, yet still managed to wave the Jordan flag. (At least until my hands got too cold to move...)

Next up was some testing at Silverstone, followed by our marvellous trip to Austria for the GP. We stood in the Bronze section halfway along the back straight, amongst a group of Ferrari haters. Needless to say, when we saw TGF go off at turn 1, the cheers were LOUD!!! Hehehehehehe!!!

And that was followed up with the EJ10 par-tay at Donington and rather alot more testing at Silverstone, the highlight of which was getting into the paddock on our last day!!! Hurrah!!!

[Murph]

Did the USGP this year..... have an article and some pics about that Indy experience in the Parc Ferme section of the 10-10ths site.

And next year? USGP for sure..... plus I hope/intend to go to Road America and Mid-Ohio for CART, Mosport Park and possibly Road Atlanta for ALMS, attend some SCCA regionals & nationals at the Glen, Nelsons Ledges, and Mid-Ohio, and become a "hanger-on"/"groupie" for Team Liz next year.... wherever they compete.... Since I start back to school in January.... (Photography degree)... I intend to use all these potentially fun-filled endeavors as "homework" for some of my classes!!! Liz, you've been warned !

take care all,

Murph