Attending a grand prix

Drove to the Montreal GP with my late Father in 1998 to cheer on Villeneuve after his WDC in 1997. Schumacher won the race.

Oh yeah, we had to drive a little to get there in 1998: 9000 km (return trip) to get there and back in my 1989 Peugeot 405. The trip was not really about going to an F-1 race, but it was a fun thing to do with my old Dad, and now that he's been gone for 7 years, it is cherished even more.

He took me to my first race in 1970: the 1000 km race at Spa-Francorchamps. That was a mythical race at a fantastic venue, F-1 doesn't hold a candle to it.

Both very cool!

It still boggles my mind that I didn’t go to a Montréal GP from 1992 to the late 1990s when I could afford it.

Spa would probably be the “before I die” GP I’d most want to attend, with Monza second.

Edited by Zmeej, 05 June 2023 - 03:55.

I have been to a race once, Spa 2012 and totally loved it. The atmosphere was just great.
To be among lots of other racing enthusiasts, talking about drivers with other friendly fans from different countries in crowded busses...just wonderful!
And that noice from the cars!

Edited by Zmeej, 05 June 2023 - 03:57.

I've been to Spa twice - 2004 and 2011. The atmosphere is brilliant, it feels like a pilgrimage of motorsport fans across Europe. It's also a bit of a trek into the Ardennes to get there which further reinforces the community spirit.

…

Spa is slightly exceptional in having great general viewing areas due to all of the elevation changes. This is certainly not true of all tracks, forcing you into the pricier grandstand seats.

I would recommend attending a race to anyone who hasn't, but accept the limitations of the experience. You will not see all of the track, you will likely be less aware of the race than the TV viewers (although you can compensate with Fanvision). The key benefits you get are the atmosphere and seeing/hearing the racing with your own eyes.

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IT’S ALIVE!!!

Edited by Zmeej, 05 June 2023 - 04:34.

I've been to two grand prix (small note, I'm 23). In 1999 to Spa with my dad, and ten years later when I was in Australia for half a year, to Melbourne (2009).

I had great times on both occasions - but to be honest, Spa is terrible value for your money. There's only 44 laps, no lap after the race and for almost 100 euro's your standing in the mud.

Australia was better value, but that was due currency rates being good (EURO>AUD). The atmosphere was amazing too.

But given the steep prize, I think I'll just continue the trend and go to some 2019 Grand Prix

I'm curious how you remember having a great time at Spa in '99 at the ripe old age of ... 0

Particularly the date when it was posted.

I've never been to a GP, but I'd like to. This thread has made me look up ticket prices for races near me. Turns out I'll never go to a grand prix, then.

If I go to a GP with two buddies, 1500 euros for a Sunday is realistic (including travel, a hotel, food and beverages, etc.). It'd be 1000 euros if I went with my nephews instead (they are children). Absurd.

That's 3 or 4 times the price of a concert of a major rock artist. I could afford it, but I'd feel scammed during the race.

I've been to 7 races (Melbourne x2, Silverstone, Spa, Budapest, Imola, Hockenheim) and it's always a weekend away with mates, visiting somewhere new and it being about so much more than watching a race.

The only feasible ones for us are European races and the ones none of us have been to are Zandvoort, Spielberg, Monza and Barcelona. We've all visited Barcelona before (and it's a dry race (as i they don't sell alcohol) that's had organisation problems), Zandvoort is likely very difficult to get tickets for, Spielberg is a pain to get to and not appealing after the crowd behaviour last year so I guess the next one we visit will be Monza.

I'm hoping Portimao makes it way back onto the calendar because that would be another fun one to visit.

Or you could always marry a girl who loves motorsport and make it a family tradition to go to a race each year.

Holy Thread Revival Zmeej! It's a great one to read in full, and I agree with those who say there's nothing like being there. The physical sensations of sight and sound, the ability to observe tiny nuances in driving style and to see the whole field stream through... beyond compare.

Watched many non-championship F1 races in the sixties and seventies (how lucky we were in the UK!), more than a dozen British Grands Prix starting in 1966 at Brands Hatch, plus the 1970 French GP at Clermont Ferrand, and 1976 German GP at the Nurburgring. (Did visit the old Spa, but for 1000k sports cars).

Families, mortgages, and so on intruded, and coincided with the ramping up of admission prices to the current ridiculous level. Last went to Silversone in 2004, "business entertainment" which included a pair of binocculars to see the track...  Now, why didn't I return to the enclosures when fortunes picked up? Value for money! I don't say that inflated prices should stop anyone else going. But I have always loved all motor racing, and there's a circuit 8 miles from home, and four more within three hours drive. At any of those I can watch F4, F3, GT, Historics, Touring cars, Superbikes, 750 Motor Club, Formula Ford, and many others - all for pocket money, with no hassle getting in and out.

Like PayasYouRace, I was sensible enough to find a girl who became an enthusiast too. Age and "things" mean I shan't attend another GP, but I still love F1 and find it the most interesting category of racing.

I go to Melbourne, I've been 8 times now. It's my one trip each year, though. I don't generally go away for holidays, so Melbourne is my big holiday, and as I've got a bit older I've been able to invest more in it, better tickets, a better hotel etc. Of course, Melbourne has multiple series that I enjoy and a lot of great activities across four days, so I view it as quite worth it.

I've been to a couple hundred races because I worked there for years, but I couldn't imagine paying to go to a race: it's just so expensive, and I would hate the lack of access (I admit I'm in the vast minority on this, and also that I was very fortunate).

But I've been curious about who pays to go to races, and why: I paid to go to my first race (Monza 97), because my mate was coming over from Australia and I wanted to see him as much as go to the race. I don't think I would have gone to another one, but then was offered a job there.

Since then there have been many years of looking out and wondering why people pay that huge amount to come to the track and try to work out what is happening in the races (or in the last few years of Bernie's reign why they weren't coming): is it a bucket list, once in a lifetime thing, or something else?

As I mentioned before it's a weekend away with my mates. We'll be in a city for Wednesday-Monday or something and attending the GP is just a part of it. In terms of the expense of tickets, we generally try to get cheapest grandstand tickets which worked well in Budapest and Hockenheim (cheap tickets) but Imola last year was a challenge as our grandstand wasn't a grandstand. It was some old seats on bits of rotten wood that clearly had no attention in years. I don't know how people justify spending so much for the prime spots. Even in the prime spots you only see a small amount of action.

It's unquestionably worse being there than watching it on tv. It's a bit better now that the cars are quieter and internet signal is better for phones but it's not always easy to keep track of. I remember in Melboune 2013 and Kimi won, partly due to strategy. Despite knowing F1 well and having access to a screen, I still wasn't sure until close to the end who was going to win despite it being clear to people at home.

The party around the venue is usually great though. Walking through Imola last year with loads of bars and people turning their houses into bars/restaurants for the weekend. Same in Hockenheim in 2018, a Turkish family turned their garden into a beer garden selling doner kebabs and beer on the walk between the circuit and the train station. That was a fabulous race but when I talked to my mates about it recently we didn't talk about Hamilton winning from 14th or the Vettel crash, we talked about some party we had at someone's house, with people from Germany, Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands. That's what makes F1 weekends special for me...

I do love going to a Grand Prix. There’s something special about going to any  live event that you just can’t replicate. It is expensive & I’m lucky in the sense I use it as my holiday. Thoroughly enjoy the Friday practice day walking around the outside of the circuit as the tension builds. You also see so many things that are ignored by live feed. For anybody who loves F1 I would recommend going at least once. 

We all have different reasons for going (or not going), I have been to 5 different (Spa, Monza, Turkey, Austria & Montreal), I go as a huge fan, I go for all that we do not get watching on TV, the sheer brute force, the speed which is seen and experienced in a different and much more animalistic fashion than when not physically there, for seeing how darn good the drivers are, for seeing how the cars are not on rails, that F1 racing is in fact the metaphorical gladiators the media peddle.

Some of the peripherals can be underwhelming, food bad and expensive, fan gear insanely expensive, poor track signage, parking and general organization, which all disappear Sunday when the lights go out - And for some then reappear when race is over and next 2 hours is spend leaving the track.

As a F1 fan nothing beats being there in person.

I will be at my first live Grand Prix in 10 years when attending Spa in July.

My partner and I enjoy travel and F1 so combining them made sense for us. We travelled to 1-2 races every year from 2008-2019. COVID cancelled our plans in 2020, it was impossible to leave Australia in 2021 and last year we went back to Singapore (our fifth time, the seventh time we bought tickets as my partner was too sick to travel in 2017 and 2020 needs no explanation). 

Edited by miso, 05 June 2023 - 11:51.

My partner and I enjoy travel and F1 so combining them made sense for us. We travelled to 1-2 races every year from 2008-2019. COVID cancelled our plans in 2020, it was impossible to leave Australia in 2021 and last year we went back to Singapore (our fifth time, the seventh time we bought tickets as my partner was too sick to travel in 2017 and 2020 needs no explanation).

This year, our travel plans don't include a race as the fan behaviour at a lot of the European races last year put us off and the whole token system in Melbourne made it unappealing to attempt going to. Paying to get early ticket access is a gross money grab, even by F1 standards. Hoping things will be different this year and we'll head to a European race again in 2024. Domestic travel costs in Australia were also ridiculous earlier this year.

I'd go to Singapore every year if I could. It is a brilliant all-around event without the hassle of it being hard to get to.

We've never had fancy access but we're not really fancy access people so that is fine with us.

We attended Monza in 2012 and, along with Austria 2014, it was so poorly organised. If that was my only fan experience I wouldn't be that keen on attending again either. Otherwise, we've been to Japan twice (Fuji and Suzuka), Spain, Silverstone, Germany (Hockenheim), Monaco and Melbourne twice. I think food is improving but maybe I have just been to better races more recently.

Edited by Calum, 05 June 2023 - 15:28.

I liked Monza (2017). The train from Milan and straight onto a shuttle bus worked well. Everyone just squeezed on the shuttle bus. Not luxurious but manageable for a 15 mins journey! Was quite surprised at how much criticism it all got last year too, sounded really bad.

I like the city break ones too. Will probably try Barcelona or Hungary in the next few years.

At Singapore can you walk the track after they open the streets back up after the race?

Does the city feel extremely busy with F1 fan people at bars and restaurants during the days?

Are the queues for the Singapore Flyer Wheel ridiculous with so many people in the area?

When we went to Monza (2006?) it was surreal how well-organized it was, parking, shuttle service, short walk to stands, after race, walk to shuttle service, no que jumping less than 30minutes after race we hit the entrance to the Autostrada.

For a real debacle parking wise, Spa is your place, unless have upped service since I was there last time admittedly 2004.

It's been almost ten years for my last go. I haven't yet heard those hybrids in real life.

Prepare to be underwhelmed. Apparently I responded to this thread 10 years ago when we still had V8s, my response is now a little bit different. I still attend Montreal each year, but I'm really not going for the race/cars any more which are huge and not nearly as exciting to see live with the loss of the sound, it's rather the city and cultural experience of being there during race week that makes it worth the time and $$. We've also been sitting in the same exact seats in the same stand since 2000, and the long-term ticket holders around us are also mostly the same with some churn over time, so you get these little annual interactions with the same friendly folks that become a really important part of the experience. 

I voted ‘I attend one every year’, which I did back then. A mixture of Silverstone and Spa mostly. With the increase in popularity and prices, it’s just not doable anymore. Well, it’s doable, but it does put it into the ‘treat’ zone rather than the ‘fancy a walk around Silverstone next Friday for practice?’ zone.

It’s not really a typical motorsport event anymore. It’s like going to see a football world cup game now…which I guess is what Liberty wanted.

For a real debacle parking wise, Spa is your place, unless have upped service since I was there last time admittedly 2004.

They haven't. Trick is to just bring a bicycle and park your car on the other side of the main road, even walking would be quicker.

It's been almost ten years for my last go. I haven't yet heard those hybrids in real life.

When I first heard them in 2014 at Silverstone, it’s not an exaggeration to say that my heart sank. It was the first GP that I took my girlfriend (now wife) and I remember hyping it up regarding the visceral feeling of V10s and V8s. Obviously I knew the V6Ts were going to be quieter but I was shocked at just how quiet they were. It’s another reason that I’m reluctant to pay the prices now. Whatever anyone wants to say, the experience with these new engines is absolutely nothing like it used it be. They are louder now than they were, but still a bit of a disappointment. I think people now are used to it and have forgotten the old experience anyway, plus the new fans know no difference.

I do love seeing the jaws drop when they do a V10 demo though…and very grateful that I saw plenty of GPs with 20+ of those cars driven in anger.

When we went to Monza (2006?) it was surreal how well-organized it was, parking, shuttle service, short walk to stands, after race, walk to shuttle service, no que jumping less than 30minutes after race we hit the entrance to the Autostrada.

 

For a real debacle parking wise, Spa is your place, unless have upped service since I was there last time admittedly 2004.

I was last at Spa in 2017…it was a nightmare getting in and out and the parking was mental.

Still, give me that over an inner-city circuit any day of the week.

It's been almost ten years for my last go. I haven't yet heard those hybrids in real life.

I have. I was at hockenheim 2014. And I was so disappointed that I decided not to spend any more money on a GP. 

They haven't. Trick is to just bring a bicycle and park your car on the other side of the main road, even walking would be quicker.

I will experience live come July, brother-in-law and nephew only have Austria as comparison, during the +10 hour drive from Aalborg I can regale them with Spa stories, I have been for 2 GP's and two Group C races.

For all the lousy parking Spa 2004 still gave me the priced meeting the Minardi mechanics at the Restaurant Moderne Sunday evening after the race.

Been to a few. F1 is just not worth the cost for my family anylonger.

I'd much rather spend my cash at Road America and watch historics alongside the French family collection which includes a few really nice proper sounding F1 cars.

1/10th the cost and the best camping and food a race fan could ever ask for!

It really is ghastly value for money and it's that, rather than the cost itself, which makes us think twice every year. Have been to Spa once, Silverstone twice, Monza once and Hungary twice. All in, I reckon Hungary is the best value as you can tag it on to a 7-10 day holiday in a very nice city.

I think that if you can make the effort to attend a race, then you should, as it gives you a very different angle on the weekend. The atmosphere, sound and excitement is worth the entrance fee, with diminishing returns in my opinion.

This year though, no plans.

We can rent a very nice 2 bedroom condo on the beach - in a VERY nice area for a month compared to a F1 weekend.

Great thread revival!

Good topic!

I think I have been to six, all but one AGPs..

The first was Adelaide 1992 I think.  I had broken up with my wife the previous year, and this was my big break-out!!  I had followed F1 since the 60s, and this was the realisation of a dream   . I drove over, stayed in a room in a house in the 'burbs (they did a 'host a visitor' thing back then).  My abiding memory was of the first day, as I entered the circuit going up the stairs of one of the foot bridges (no risers in the stairs) as one of the turbo cars accelerated underneath - the noise   (I knew I should have bought those earplugs being touted outside the circuit   ) but more so the fact that the diaphragm in my gut was resonating with the violence of the noise     ).  The other memory is standing in the crowd after the podium ceremony, with a big bloke yelling in my ear talking into his mobile phone to his mate, and me telling him to save his battery, as his mate didn't need to use his phone to hear him - nearly got my head punched for that!

I saw two as part of a group from the car club, in Melbourne in the early Oughties.  This was more up-market, we stayed in shared serviced apartments, the blokes did all the sessions while the women did the markets, shopping and God knows what until raceday.  At the track we had grandstand seats opposite the pits, but other than raceday we just wandered around the circuit picking different vantage points for the different sessions, supports etc, for the race we all retired to the grandstand.  In the evenings we hit the foodie trail, a couple of us had been residents there so we had good guides.  Great times!  Even better, attended a meetup of people from here during the first - I went looking but that thread has disappeared from the 'GP Travelling' forum. IIRC there were some phots of that get-together  .

Then, on my big retirement trip in 2007 I wanted to visit one of the European GPs, British clashed with time planned for staying with a friend in Scotland so the French it was.  Met some interesting Brits in the campground, Webber had a disappointing race but another bucket list item ticked off!  That was a great time - LeMans24, French GP, Goodwood FoS, Donnington, and sundry car museums, the cultural highlights of Europe    .

Latest one was an accident, my daughter had given my GF and I tickets to a show in Melbourne, and I was having trouble finding accommodation - then the penny dropped, that was GP weekend!!  We got a bed in the boonies, and then decided to do the GP the next day.  No grandstand, GA standing on the back straight with the plebs     

Been thinking of putting the band back together, most of that group are still around, we should do another before we start falling off the perch ....

Thanks

Great post.

Fantastic final sentence.

Edited by Zmeej, 06 June 2023 - 03:14.

I liked Monza (2017). The train from Milan and straight onto a shuttle bus worked well. Everyone just squeezed on the shuttle bus. Not luxurious but manageable for a 15 mins journey! Was quite surprised at how much criticism it all got last year too, sounded really bad.

I like the city break ones too. Will probably try Barcelona or Hungary in the next few years.

At Singapore can you walk the track after they open the streets back up after the race?

Does the city feel extremely busy with F1 fan people at bars and restaurants during the days?

Are the queues for the Singapore Flyer Wheel ridiculous with so many people in the area?

When I first heard them in 2014 at Silverstone, it’s not an exaggeration to say that my heart sank. It was the first GP that I took my girlfriend (now wife) and I remember hyping it up regarding the visceral feeling of V10s and V8s. Obviously I knew the V6Ts were going to be quieter but I was shocked at just how quiet they were. It’s another reason that I’m reluctant to pay the prices now. Whatever anyone wants to say, the experience with these new engines is absolutely nothing like it used it be. They are louder now than they were, but still a bit of a disappointment. I think people now are used to it and have forgotten the old experience anyway, plus the new fans know no difference.

 

I do love seeing the jaws drop when they do a V10 demo though…and very grateful that I saw plenty of GPs with 20+ of those cars driven in anger.

* waves to the others who also gave up attending F1 events after 2014 *

I used to go to one race/test per year and fitted in some tourist stuff around them. It all looks far too expensive now. 

Been to three. Monza in 14, Sochi in 18 and Budapest in 19. Sadly currently the value seems awful on most events.

Rally even in its current struggle interests me much more these days.

Been to:

Hockenheim 2002, hairpin

Barcelona 2004, first corner

Spa test day 2005 (these V10's... jeeeeezzzzzz)

Monza 2008 in the wet, first chicane (Vettel was epic)

Hungaroring 2009, first corner

Montreal 2012, 2nd corner

I was a Kimi fan, and apart from Hungary '09 he had problems in every race/weekend  

And then a few Saturdays in Spa in the 2014-2021 era. Cannot buy a 500 euro ticket with the current cars. F1 is way too expensive now, especially with the sound that's gone. Yesterday I bought tickets for MotoGP Assen, last chicane+start/finish straight for just €139,- That's an insane amount of better value than you can ever get in F1.

Edited by JeePee, 06 June 2023 - 19:42.

A more interesting question arising out of the recent posts in this thread would be… if you’ve previously attended a GP but are no longer interested, what is the primary factor? Seems like it’s a toss up between event cost and engine noise.

For me I had a big gap between 2014 and 2022 because of money and COVID. I had planned to go in 2021 but, well...I had a job that didn't pay too well for a while and the way the old GP Advantage worked for Melbourne, you had to pay upfront for the next year about a month after the previous year's race. Now I have a better job.

The noise didn't bother me, though I do sometimes miss climbing up onto one of the bridges over the track and standing there having my entire body shaken apart by the scream during free practice.

As one who have previously attended, and will continue to occasionally attend I can not answer for anyone other than say.

Noise, sound, growl whichever way you want to label it is what it is, not going to a Grand Prix because of you what you know, or think you know it will sound like is a way to exclude yourself from something which for all it's many faults is an absolute magnificent sporting experience. The 'no sound' is overblown, absolutely nothing is taken from how difficult racing a F1 car is through how it sound.

Price, the amount spend is a real concern, it is expensive and can be very expensive, we do not all live close to where a Grand Prix will be hosted, any experience travelled to come at a cost, overall personal economic circumstances for some will make it a no go. If you have the means, if you can squirrel away and go 5 years from now do it, of only once in your life as a F1 fan you will not regret going nuts and go for it. I feel the experience deep inside me when I am at a race, as I wrote somewhere this is my 1st in 10 years, I will spend WAY to much for this if a straight forward adding numbers together, but for a once in 10 year experience I am ok with it, I will share this with nephew and brother-in-law which will make the race a 'guys having a great time' trip as well. The race will cost me somewhere between $3500 and $4000, it is looking at the numbers straight on a stupid amount to spend, yet I still do it for all the positives listed through this thread.

Me being able to afford it, naturally do not mirror what others are capable of, which ever level you are able to get it done for, you really should try go at least once.

A more interesting question arising out of the recent posts in this thread would be… if you’ve previously attended a GP but are no longer interested, what is the primary factor? Seems like it’s a toss up between event cost and engine noise.

I've attended 3 GP's (live close to the circuit) and will likely skip Sundays from now on.

Race day is usually a mess with traffic/parking so I basically have to set aside 5-6h for the event, Friday-Saturday tickets are a lot cheaper and it's difficult to follow the race properly at the track anyway.

It'll be FP/Qualy at the track and race at home for me, from now on.

A more interesting question arising out of the recent posts in this thread would be… if you’ve previously attended a GP but are no longer interested, what is the primary factor? Seems like it’s a toss up between event cost and engine noise.

I've been to a few, my first British GP in 1993, followed by 1998, 1999, 2000 (so wet), 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2022.  The difference in price though stands out, I think it was like £45 to get in in 1993, £199 for general admission last year and a staggering £379 this year. I am not going this year.

Plus I have been fortunate enough to attend the US GP in 2000 (Indianapolis) and 2012 (COTA), Melbourne in 2010, Singapore in 2011 and Spa in 2013.  What I remember from Spa was it threw it down during the race, Vettel passed Hamilton off the start and that was it for racing, so folks were leaving from lap 35 onwards. I don't imagine it would be similar in these orange army days!

I've always wanted to go to Monza, we talk about it pretty much every year here!

Edited by Colbul1, 07 June 2023 - 13:56.