Which European GP?

[F1Yorkshire]

I'm thinking of heading to a European GP next year, I'm on a fairly limited budget so I'm not planning on heading to Monaco or even Valencia. I was thinking Turkey then the other half could get some sun at the same time but it may not be on the calendar next year.

Where do you guys recommend? Hopefully it will be a place that is served by Yorkshire Airelines (known as Jet2 to the non-Yorkshire people) so I can get some cheap flights.

I don't need grandstand seating just a patch of ground to pitch my tent and a small area to exercise my ferrets.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

F1Yorkshire:

I went to Monza in 2007, and the general admission tickets were pretty reasonable. I don't know if jet2 go there but Ryanair and Easyjet do go to Milan. The atmosphere was great, even though viewing opportunities were not perfect if you didn't have a grandstand ticket. I'd go again though. We were also allowed on the circuit after the race, something you're not allowed to do at Silverstone. We were walking around the Ascari chicane when a truck came right past us carrying the crashed car of David Coulthard.

Also Spa was terrific when I went in 1996, again ticket prices were not bad at all (don't know what they're like these days). I went with my brother and a friend who had free Euroshuttle passes, so we drove all the way. We set off about 3.30am on saturday morning from Ipswich and got to the circuit by lunchtime, just in time for qualifying.
I don't know how you'd get there by air though. Still, it's another great circuit with loads of atmosphere and not too far away. We camped quite close to the circuit and the saturday evening / sunday morning was quite eerie but fun; three Englishmen in a mist-laden field in the Ardennes forest, surrounded by Germans.

 

[tooncheese]

Spa and Monza are probably the two best tracks in the european season, but with spa being such a long lap you won't see as much of the cars as at Monza. If you are quick you could get a place on tthe main straight, but they are probably premium seats and will cost loads. So maybe parabolica is a good place some of the seats you might be able to see the main straight. Hope this helps

 

[tooncheese]

Whoops I didn't see the last line, I'm don't see patches of grass advertised on the f1 site, but I know malaysia will give you a bit of hill for a fiver, you will have to try the various tracks websites to see if they sell grass.

 

[MCLS]

I went to Spa in 2007 and it was great, despite the top 4 being 'stationary' for all the race, and Spa is relatively close, so drove from England to there and with Spa being where it is, airplane isn't particularly recommended. You can get general admission which gives access to a large amount of the track and you can get some good vantage points due to the hilly nature of the track.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Spa has a reputation for been a bit wet at times and the Mrs won't be happy about that. Its a shame the racing at Barcelona is non-existant as that would be ideal.

She does like watching the racing but shes not as obsessed as me yet so I need to pick somewhere that will appeal to her as well. Monza could be a possibility just can't let her go wild in Milan. Has anyone been to Hungary?

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

F1Yorkshire said:
Spa has a reputation for been a bit wet at times and the Mrs won't be happy about that. Its a shame the racing at Barcelona is non-existant as that would be ideal.

She does like watching the racing but shes not as obsessed as me yet so I need to pick somewhere that will appeal to her as well. Monza could be a possibility just can't let her go wild in Milan. Has anyone been to Hungary?

I see that jet2 fly to Bergamo, so to get to Monza you would be approaching from the opposite direction than Milan. Mind you, it can rain at Monza too in September, although when I took the missus in '07 it was gloriously hot and sunny.

It's a pity there's no San Marino GP these days. Hungary is, if anything, worse for overtaking than Barcelona.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

I'm just looking at the prices for this years Monza on http://www.grandprix-tickets.com/index. ... TKTS_ITALY

I could get a grandstand Parabolica weekend seat for 151 Euros and General Admission for 107 Euros. Thats very reasonable compared to the British GP who charge £130 just for General Admission. I think that could be my destination next year. Whats the difference between Laterale Parabolica and Parabolica Interna when it comes to viewing the actual race.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

F1Yorkshire said:
Whats the difference between Laterale Parabolica and Parabolica Interna when it comes to viewing the actual race.

It would be nice if they linked to views from the particular area you're considering buying tickets for, like most football clubs do, wouldn't it? The only thing I would say following my experience at Silverstone one year, when we sat at the Farm terrace enclosure, I would be very nervous about any position on the inside of a bend. On that occasion, the cars came into view very late and disappeared equally suddenly, as they rounded the bend at Abbey.

If going for the Laterale stands, they appear to stretch back down the back straight a fair way, so it would pay to get seats as near to the actual bend as possible.

Try looking at Google maps; the satellite photo gives a good view of where the stands are in reality, as opposed to on a circuit 'map'.

 

[Flood1]

I cannot address your specific question. I have been to many GPs but I always buy a seat. But generally, I suggest that you check to see if there are any limits on Gen Ad tickets regarding where you can roam. For example, Gen Ad tickets in Montreal won't let you migrate to the area that turns 1 and 2 are in. Security peeps requires a seat ticket to allow you to continue beyond a certain checkpoint. So, Gen Ad areas are limited.

Just a suggestion as I saw many frustrated Gen Ad ticket holders at the checkpoints.

 

[Bill Boddy]

We have been camping the last couple of times that the German GP has been at the Nurburgring. Last year there were some people from Yorkshire (as opposed to Yorkshire people) who were camping next to us. They had bought cheap tents at one of the supermarkets which they abandoned when they left (thank you fellows). I think that it might have been Ryanair that they flew with (hence the disposal of the tens) but I am not sure. They hired a cheap car at the airport (it held 5 at a tight squeeze) since the Nurburgring is a bit out in the sticks.

Alternatively there is Spa, as has been mentioned elsewhere. Once again you need some form of transport to get to the circuit. Apparently the bus stop is no longer a bus stop. The camping is great but the tickets are a bit on the pricey side.

Come to think of it wherever you go the cost of entrance is extortionate. You might as well get a three day ticket, there's not that much difference. Mind you there seem to be quite a few campers who don't actually go for the race, just for a rave weekend.

Oh, the Parabolica Interna, it really is on the inside of the bend with trees around. A quick flash and they're gone. At least at the Laterale stands you get to see them for quite a few seconds.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Last year there were some people from Yorkshire (as opposed to Yorkshire people) who were camping next to us. They had bought cheap tents at one of the supermarkets which they abandoned when they left (thank you fellows). I think that it might have been Ryanair that they flew with (hence the disposal of the tens) but I am not sure. They hired a cheap car at the airport (it held 5 at a tight squeeze) since the Nurburgring is a bit out in the sticks.

That sounds very much like Yorkshire people

Camping is not a problem for us, I will actually be missing the Spa GP this year due to a festival the same weekend. 80,000 people sharing a single water tap* and usually half of them leaving their tent behind.

I mentioned the possibility of going to Monza next year and now the other half wants to go to Venice and Rome at the same time. Women

*slight underestimate, there will be more than one tap!

 

[seenathkumar]

That sounds very much like Yorkshire people

Camping is not a problem for us, I will actually be missing the Spa GP this year due to a festival the same weekend. 80,000 people sharing a single water tap* and usually half of them leaving their tent behind.

I mentioned the possibility of going to Monza next year and now the other half wants to go to Venice and Rome at the same time. Women

You are going to miss one of the best GP race any way there will be a screen for you so you will be updated with the race.

 

[MCLS]

If you decide to go to Spa F1Y i'll meet you there Getting tickets for next years race.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

If you decide to go to Spa F1Y i'll meet you there Getting tickets for next years race.

Can't do Spa, It clashes with Leeds Festival. I'm gonna have to check what weekend Glastonbury is on as well. Just got my tickets for that too.

 

[RickD]

The only circuit I have been to where they showed you a stretched picture fromt he stands you were in was this years Melbourne GP, made it easier to pick a stand and then it is just a case of when you book. Managed to get their GP Advantage silver package which was really handy, the gold would have been better though, was just a month too late for booking that one.

Spa is probably best on a General admission or sitting in one of the stands at Eau Rouge.

Barcelona/Valencia & Hungary, is it really worth it?

Monza, try to check their own site http://www.monzanet.it/en as well as google for maps.