21 replies to this topic

[andviv]

Ok, this year I did it to Indy. It was great. Now I am thinking about next year.

I need some advice about which race has more fun: Canada or Spain. (I live in U.S.)

Factors to make a choice:

1. Money (small budget) 35%
2. Faster track 25%
3. Opinions and advices from AtlasF1 members 40%


Please, help me to pick THE race to go next year.

[jetsetjim]

Whatever you do, DO NOT go to Spain.... it is invariably the most boring race of the season..

Most of the teams test there Ad Nauseum during the winter, racking up 1000's of km's.... Therefore they know their ideal set-ups, and the race becomes very predictable.

[Hurricane]

Canada
I was there in 96 and it was an amazing race with a great crowd. Unfortunately Hill came 1st, but I had a great time.

[JR]

I really must get round to going to a Grand Prix and Italy and Montreal seems to be the perfect all-rounder destinations for F1 fanatics.

Great circuits, great atmosphere, great racing, great localities, great partying. Great all round packages. And now not even Hill is around to have any negative effect.

Am thinking Montreal is a mecca for true F1 fans. Gotta get there sooner or later.

Shame the Adelaide GP isn't still around for the day when I visit Australia.

[maxpapis]

Canada
It's a great city, a great track, wonderful weather and fun people.

[garth_b]

Not having been to any GP's my advise probably has little value. However for the last 2 or 3 years Andy has organised an AtlasF1 members get together around the Montreal weekend. This is something I would like to attend 1 day and suggest that it would probably be cheaper for you to attend given cost of airfares to Spain are likely to be much more than to Montreal.

[Gra]

I went to the GP in Montreal three times between 1991 & 1996. I also was in Barcelona last year during the Spanish GP. And while both Montreal and Barcelona are great cities, I definitely recommend the Canadian GP. The cost will be significantly less and Montreal is F1 crazy. You'll have a great time!

I plan to go next year myself.

[andviv]

It looks like Montreal is the one....

I'll start planning my trip.....
Any advice about how to make it cheap and Good?

[Wheels]

Canada is by far the best choice. Been to both & Montreal is just F1 nuts during that weekend.
For tix call Air Canada NOW. 514.350.0000 I already have my res. Best seats are in GS 11 & 12 & 15. GA is not good at this track.
For cheap rooms stay at the dorms at McGill Univ. Which are close to Crescent St. where the party is.

See you there.

[andviv]

Wheels, I read the official web site and they say that they cannot sell tickets yet... it is that true? do you have yours already?

Please tell me about ticket prices.. I would like to go to GS 11 or 12 (they are the best, no doubt)

[Wheels]

I don't have the physical tkts yet, but my seats were confirmed by Air Canada GP because they were a renewal from this year. The folks at Air Canada are so friendly & helpful it is worth it to call them to find out the best way to handle getting tkts. If I were you I'd mail in the form ASAP and then call them after you think they should have received it. They don't officially sell the tkts until after the FIA confirms the schedule and they usually send them before the end of the year.

Price for Sec 11 & 12 is $325.00 Canadian for all three days.
E-mail me if you want to discuss further.

[Top Fuel F1]

Originally posted by Wheels
Best seats are in GS 11 & 12 & 15.

I've been looking at the Canadian GP lay of the land. I see it's onan island in the St Lawrance seaway. Wheels: you were talking about having tickets for the three days. Natually you would stay in your seats for the actual race. However on practice and qual. is there freedom to roam around to other vantage points to watch this activity?

Rgds;

[MarkWRX]

Andviv -

Do what some of my friends do. They are active Flag and Communications workers with the SCCA. They hold Divisional or National Licenses. They go to the Canadian GP as Marshalls. They get in for free, they get fed (I think) and they get closer to the drivers and cars than most of us can ever hope for.

I don't know the requirements, except that you would need to have at least a Divisional license. You can get that in one season of SCCA race events, if you are diligent.

The downside is that it is hard work in some cases. At club races, I am on my feet for 10 hours in all kinds of weather. For an ALMS race here in Texas, I arrived at the track at 7AM and left at 11PM. It can be dangerous, as has been shown over the past two seasons of F1. Even at the club racing level, the job can be stressful. At some pro events, SCCA workers are not treated well (CART seems to be the one I hear complaints about the most).

The upside? You get the best seat in the house. You might not get the panoramic view of the last turn at Indy that I had from high up in the SW Vista seats, but you are right there. You will feel the heat of the exhaust and the slap of the wind coming off the wings. You also have a very good idea about what is going on, since you will be in communications with Race Control.

Just my two cents...

Mark

[Wheels]

Moving aroung to various Grandstands is possible on Fri as there aren't too many people and security is a little easier, but that depends on the individual security person. On Sat. they are almost as strict as race day and you need to be in your assigned GS & seat. I know that on any day they will not let you near GS 11 /12 if you don't have a ticket for them.
You can try to swap seats with other Atlas members for Sat. That's what I've done for the last 2 years.

[karlth]

I haven't been to the Canadian GP but it sounds enticing. On the other hand I have been to the Spanish GP and although it has in recent years not produced very exciting GPs it did host probably the best race of the 90s, the 1991 Barcelona GP.

Barcelona is also a very exciting destination and the track is only around 15 minutes from the city. The monuments are stunning and you have beautiful beaches aswell. So if you indent to do something else than sit at the track then the Spanish GP is highly recommended.

[Linus27]

I went to the Spanish GP this year and although the race was OK, I would not want to go again or for a very long time. It is very rough. I got mugged at knife point. I know of a bunch of rugby players got phones and wallets stolen and on the way to the circuit, a couple got there bag stolen with there tickets in. Stealing is very high in Barcelona. Its nearly a national sport. They also don't mind doing it in public. One girl got jumped in broad daylight. The main thing that was annoying was that you had to be on your guard 100% all the time and after a while it was not fun. The city is beautiful and has many things to do but you just have to be so careful.

[Top Fuel F1]

Probably not as rough as San Paolo. Some of the drivers don't even like going there. Business men take helicopter taxis.

[jetsetjim]

I can vouch for Sao Paolo.... NOT NICE!

[karlth]

Originally posted by Linus27
I went to the Spanish GP this year and although the race was OK, I would not want to go again or for a very long time. It is very rough. I got mugged at knife point. I know of a bunch of rugby players got phones and wallets stolen and on the way to the circuit, a couple got there bag stolen with there tickets in. Stealing is very high in Barcelona. Its nearly a national sport. They also don't mind doing it in public. One girl got jumped in broad daylight. The main thing that was annoying was that you had to be on your guard 100% all the time and after a while it was not fun. The city is beautiful and has many things to do but you just have to be so careful.

That must have been a terrible experience, but I've been to Barcelona around 4-5 times and never had any problems.

Caution must be shown at all times like every city, apart from Reykjavik of course.

[Wheels]

Have to agree with Karlth. The city & people were great.
It's the race that sucks.

[keyser soze]

I went to Canada and Spa this year and I just bought tickets in Montreal again. So my advice would be to Definately see the Canadian before going alll the way to Spain. You won't be disapointed

[philhitchings]

Depends where you start from But Spain was brilliant this year weekend and race (for once)