Hi.
I registered so that I could get an opinion on something.
This year will be my first time at Spa (or first F1 gp EVER!), and I am trying to decide on tickets.
In your opinion, for a first-timer, which section is best: Gold 1, Gold 7, or Silver 1
I think Gold 7/Silver 1 would be best to observe overtaking, however, in general, maybe there is something I need to take into account that I'm not, especially since this will be my first GP.
So, I'm hoping you can offer some advice...
Thanks!

Went last year and bought bronze tickets at the time and sat at Pouhon. Excellent place to sit and great atmosphere throughout the day. Not much overtaking potential but lots of track time watching them come down from Bruxelles.

Out of your ticket selection I'd probably go with the silver 1. Watching them bomb down from La Source to Eau Rogue should be great to watch.

From your selection, silver 1. The only circuit I use earplugs as the sound bounces off the concrete walls going down to Eau Rouge.

Try frites & mayonnnaise.

Take - waterproofs.
Leave at home - creidt card. Some of the merchandise for sale in Francorchamps is unique & irresistible.

Gold seats at Eau Rouge.

I can not figure out where your seats are.

I should not mention it.

But Spa is the track with the most fence jumpers, they come crawling down the mountain, but you have no guarantee, and could be kicked out if the Police pick you up. And the Police at Spa are direct decendents from the Gaul warriors.

If you are driving your self. Start VERY VERY VERY early in the morning, last time I was there 2004 traffic was at a standstill 3 hours before practice, the police did nothing to help and the alloted parking spots are soggy fields.

If you find an empty parking spot in the middle of one of the small towns. DON'T TAKE IT, it only looks like a parking spot, however your vehicle will be in the school yard in Franchorchamps, where you your can pick it up after the race, at a mere Euro 200,-

I no longer recall what is east north south west.

But if you driver in from the direction towards La Source, then there are 'private parking' in the shape of people selling spots in their front yards. That is the place to park.

Try the Pommes Frites!!!!!!

And on Saturday after qualifying, walk up and have dinner at the restaurant Hotel Moderne. We met (and had me photographed) with the Minardi Mechanic's there.

Have a great trip.

Ah good somebody already posted a thread! Exellent. I have much of the same questions.
I live in Antwerp, Belgium and I can drive to Francorchamps in about one and a half hour. But I plan to go several days, so camping is probably a better idea.

A few questions:
-what can I expect to pay for parking if I come by car?

-are eau rouge and the Elephant the only campings within walking/cycling distance, and what can I expect? I'm a woman alone and I get very cranky when I miss my sleep- I have this horrible mental image of rioting drunk machos here;)

-is the Francorchamps Racing Hotel worth the extra cash?

And then for the actual race-

I'm also trying to decide between bronze and silver tickets. the €270 and €315 silver tickets are somewhat outside of my budget- somebody give me a good reason to get one of them anyway!


so far the questions for now. By the way I live in Belgium, and I visit the Ardennes whenever I can find an excuse to go there. So if there are any questions on that, I may be of help.

Go for bronze and head for Pouhon as early as you can in the day and stake your place! Don't dare budge!

Can't give any recommendations on camping as we stayed in a B&B just over the border in the Netherlands.

eh, I'm alone and I have the weakest bladder in the western hemisphere so that tactic is not going to work for me I'm afraid... I think the knowledge of having a reserved seat is greatly going to improve my weekend. I have decided that €270 is the absolute max so I have choice between Combes, Bruxelles(Rivage) and Stavelot. No silver tribune at Pouhon this year, alas...What's the wisest choice?

Thanks

There are many old threads on this and I have posted in most of them. Having lived in Belgium I know it reasonable well.

Go for Silver 2 on the run down to Eau Rouge and Radillion - as for a seat high up. You will see the cars exit La Source and see them until they disappear under the advertising hoarding on the Kemmel straight. I would say it is worth the 45 extra euro.

Camping is everywhere and is price controlled by the local commune/local adminstration.

Silver 1 is a bad idea. The large covered stand obscures your view down to Eau Rouge.

Bring warm clothes - the Ardennes can be unseasonably cold in mid September and waterproofs. The Belgians have their own word for the type of rain that you get there - la drache, which I suppose can only be translated into English as the drench.

How much hassle it is depends on attendance. In recent years it has been fairly low. In 2004 I saw Schumacher become WDC for the 7th time, walked past the podium up the village to my car - parked near the road to the motorway, so about 1.5 km from the village, and was back in Brussels before 17;30 for my tea. That would not have been possible only 3 years earlier when almost 3 times more people used to attend. In 2001 I was on the bus and train and I only got to Spa station -8kms away- at 19;30.

Thanks for the help everyone.
Now I am even more anxious to go...

I'm also going for the first time this year to Spa and would appreciate any guidance. My 17-yo son is going with me as his high-school graduation present. We're flying into Frankfurt on the Mon of the week before and will probably try and see if we can drive the Nurburgring that week.

I've looked into the tour packages and they're both expensive and I'd like to be less tied down to a schedule. So we're thinking about just "winging it" and doing a little camping. Can this be done ad-hoc by showing up Thur evening or do we need to make reservations? Likewise, are bronze general admission tickets available at the track or should they be pre-purchased?

Thank you,

- Mark

My son and I are going to try camping at Spa, so if anyone has any recommendations on places to camp, I'd love to hear about them. I'd like to get within walking distance of the track, so we don't have to deal with the traffic to/from.

- Mark

Aaah, Spa. Best choice to visit!

Excellent choice. If its your first time, then go for Eau Rouge. There won't be much overtaking, but the view is fantastic and the cars remain in vision for some time compared to other curcuits. First lap is usually quite hairy into Eau Rouge, too.

Also you can see the pit exit at the top of the hill at La Source and , allied to the big TV screen opposite the Eau Rouge grandstands, you will be able to keep well updated with what's happeneing.

Because if it rains, and it usually does at Spa, then you'll need all the help you can to follow the race!

I've been at Eau Rouge for the last three years but fancy a bit of overtaking this year, so I've gambled on the grandstand they put at the reprofiled Bus Stop chicance last year. It looked like that was where most of the overtaking would be.

Hope I'm right....

PS: Don't do Les Combes. Had a grandstand seat there in 2002 and saw zero overtaking and was miles away from the track.