Me and my friend are heading to Barcelona May 2010. My first and so far only GP has been Monza this (09) September and now I have a problem..

I really did not enjoy Monza´s stand #5 Tribuna. OK, we saw cars comin´from pit lane but otherwise they passed us 360km/h for about half second.

Now we have booked our flights & hotel to/in Barcelona and the studying I have made from various web sites say that..

..the Grand Stand (=cheapest) ticket is a very good option in Barcelona.

Been there, seen it..? Pls could I get Your opinions. We ain´t lookin for cheapest tickets but somehow a picnic on the hills sounds nice.

Thanks for Your answers..

//SoS

Hi SammyOsammy
I was there a few years ago...
Here is my take on the event

Jp

As an old boy with 40 years plus of GPs under my belt , forget the Grandstands and the usual fear of not getting a view , go GA and get up early on race day and get a good spot , over the 3 days see various spots instead of being posessive over your paid for seat !

Next year I will visit 9 GPs and do GA on all of them !

UUPS!! Travellin´grom Finland tells that english isn´t my strongest language, I managed to mix up the term.. Although I must blame the late time to post together with too many glasses of wine.

I actually ment GA-tickets. But anyway, You answered my question; I could afford to grandstand but GA might be best choice in Spain..

Thanks!!

Cheers JP, I´ll save Your story for later use..

My best to Irina if You happen to be in contact with her..

I've been to this race nine times & will be going again next year. Flights & hotel already booked.

We keep coming back because (a) we adore Barcelona and (b) it's an easy race to do. When we first went in 1995 there weren't many grandstands & most fans went GA. After Fernando started winning, the numbers increased & lots of new grandstands were built & many of the excellent GA places disappeared. But there are still plenty of good places to watch from. Circuit is hilly so the view is good.

Get the RENFE train from Passeig de Gracia train station (smaller than Sants station and easier to find your train) to Montmelo. Once you get to Montmelo you can't get lost - just follow the Ferrari/Fernando hats.

Hope you have a good time.

I've been to 12 out of the last 13 GPs here, and also F1 tests, LMS, DTM and 1 motogp.

My personal preference is Grandstand F. As has already been said, the GA is now much more restricted, but there are a couple of good spots. Watched this years DTM (short circuit) from the stand at the exit of the new chicane, from where you can also see the whole stadium section. Thought this was quite good and its closer to the cars than all of Tribune G.

However, almost all the viewing is good and I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Hey thanks for the advice about the station. Must say I really don´t want to follow those hats..

Cheers, GA and the spot You told it´s gonna be..

I think you're misunderstanding me. Exit of new chicane is all tribune (=stand=grandstand - OK?).

Decent general admission on the outside of turn 4 and (only 2 minutes away) from turns 5 through to between 8 and 9.

Circuit website is helpful but new version is Spanish/Catalan only.

Thanks, finally I got it..

I´ve been to 5-6 of the Spanish Grand Prix´s (2 in a hospitality suite), and plenty of MotoGP, WTTC, and DTM races. I would say the best place to be is near a large screen TV monitor and a beer vendor - as there are too few places to pass in Montmelo and the hills prevent you from seeing much more than the stretch in front of you.

I keep going because the experience is a blast, but the viewing is average unless you are in the suites.

I could go the suites and actually take some clients with me but this trip is a holiday with trashy jeans..

Could You please be more spesific with spot You suggest..

Hi mate,
I went in 2008 and have to say I was quite disappointed. I've been to Monza as well, and I found Barcelona offered not much in the way of shade, not much in the way of viewing from the GA areas, and the crowd were really quite aggressive in places. For instance we were just before the corner where Heikki Kovalainen buried it in the tyres and the crowd cheers when he crashed thinking it was Lewis. And anyone who stood up (even in the GA areas) was pelted with rubbish. Was pretty unpleasant.
I took nine mates along, who had a variety of interest in motor racing. They found it interesting enough. Wasn't a classic race though, quite a snoozed fest.
So I'd recommend forking out for a grandstand seat to make the most of your experience. Barcelona is a great city though, lots of fun to be had there.
But if I was flying out of London for a weekend Grand Prix break there are better options I reckon. I've done Monza, Hungary and Spa as weekend getaways and I found all more enjoyable than Barca. Monaco is good too, though I've only been to practice days there.
Only my five cents though, have a good time!
P

Cheers!

Only been on Monza (last season) and it really was great. I believe in You, Barcelona race can´t be that good but it is also wanting the city itself as a destination.

And now when my favourite driver is out (for good??), we ain´t gonna pay very expensive tickets. So GA it is.

There´s only two of us but I think we´ll do well in GA:

I´ve planned to carry a flag with me. Something like "Fernando Santander, icy, icy, icy greets from Finland!"

Jeez man, be careful!

I'm not saying the crowd will beat you up, but elements at Barcelona are extremely passionate Alonso supporters (as you'd expected, it's Spain) so if you'd going to have a sign rubbishing Fernando be prepared to hear "Su madre una puta" (your mother is a whore) thrown in your direction!

Someone said that to me, and I was supporting Nick Heidfeld, but I guess I did block his view...

But you're right, Barcelona is a great city.

Here is a good tip though: Get to the track early if you are using GA for a race that's sold out, as Barcelona surely will be.

There are buses leaving from the middle of Barcelona, but be sure to find out what time the circuit opens and be at the gate when they let the first people in.

You can't take booze into the Circuit Cat, which sucks, so you have to buy from the over priced sellers inside.

Also, plan the place you think you'd like to sit. That way you won't miss out or be disappointed.

We sat between turns 8 and 9 and I'd recommend that area.



Turn 8 is quite tight, but stll quick enough for the drivers to take a risk. They run onto the exit kerb a lot, if they take too much, they mess it up. Still a great place to watch the cars at speed.

Turn 9 is really quick, and you really get an impression of how fast those cars are moving.

As I said, the trick is get there early and grab your spot. Once you have it, befriend the people around you, and don't ever leave together!.

Go about two thirds of the way up the hill, in front of the big grandstand with all the Asturias flags hanging from it.

Here is the view...





If you get bored here you can walk up the hill and get a good view of the 180 degree turn 6 or the slower turn 7. There's a good view from the hill between turns 7 and 8 where you can see a wee bit of pit straight also.

Have fun man. The Spanish Grand Prix is a harder work than some other European races but you'll still have fun!

Hope this helps.

P

I might say hi when I see big group of people beating you up (just a joke, actually I will join them)


I'm going to the Barcelona too, I think. I was at Nurburgring last year and it was pretty good, but as a Alonso fan, I want to join the fiesta this time

Where the most Alonso fans are(I quess pretty much everywhere)? I'm thinking about Tribune F, General Admission or some stand in the stadium.

Trust me, the GA area between turns 8 and 9 is hardcore, fundamentalist Alonso country!

You'll be amongst your own kind for sure!

I took the photo above there.

Hmmm, so if we´ll also go there, better watch when to cheer and when not. And to whom and to whom not..?

And big thank You for this one..!

Nah, you'll be fine. It's F1 not English football!

And besides, F1 cars are freaking loud.

I was just suggesting be careful if you're going to plan to deliberately aggravate Alonso supporters!

Yeah, heard them in Monza 09 first time. Something You can´t verbally discribe..

We ain´t gonna organize any riots out there, it was only a joke.

Plan is to go to Katalonya, have fun, possibly see Barca´s last home match (if it is on wednesday 5th.), eat good, drink better and see some racing..

Man, you should have heard the V10s and V12s.

First race I went to was 1992 in Australia. The Mugen-Honda (Footwork) and Lamborghini V12 (Minardi) were SO loud it was awesome!



Don't worry, I knew you were kidding!

Barcelona is a cool city, if you like live music there is plenty on, great places to eat etc etc.

Just don't do what we did and get so drunk you're hungover for the race!

Yeah, I can imagine those cars compared to these modern "quiet" versions..
And propably we´ll do just the same You guys did..actually You can bet on it