Who else is going to Spa for the F1 then?
Discussion
Myself and Optimax Sniffer are doing the credit cruch version this year. We have bought general admission tickets (I agreed to slum it, due to limited funds this year!!) We are staying with friends about 25 minutes away from the circuit, and our tunnel crossing was prepaid as part of a frequent crosser deal a while ago, so the only "extra" cost is the fuel to get there and some frites and waffles!
Who else is making the trip across? I sat on the pit straight in 07 and Eau Rouge in 08 so it will be interesting to compare viewing experiences. Any recommendations on where to get a good view on race day (I'm prepared to get there very early, but I don't want to be balancing in a tree etc!!)
Who else is making the trip across? I sat on the pit straight in 07 and Eau Rouge in 08 so it will be interesting to compare viewing experiences. Any recommendations on where to get a good view on race day (I'm prepared to get there very early, but I don't want to be balancing in a tree etc!!)
I've been there 10+ times, nearly always general admission. For that, the end of the straight leading into Les Combes is excellent, as is the following corner, Pouhon. You need to get there early to beat the Germans to the best views, but it's worth it.
Good choice of circuit, by far the best of the ones I've been to.
Good choice of circuit, by far the best of the ones I've been to.
I went for the first time last year. Bit gutting to find out the "real" race result at a service area in Kent on the way home, but what else does one expect of modern motor racing?
Spa is a tremendous circuit. I was hoping it would feel slightly more like a fading dinosaur, but it's every bit the contemporary GP circuit. However, its majesty is in its size and its drama - it is simply enormous and the gradient changes make a guy like me brought up on the apparently hilly climbs of Oulton Park weep. The other great thing is that you can still drive parts of the old circuit. On our way to our campsite, we found ourselves taking the Masta Kink in the rain at all of 60mph. What it must've taken for the likes of Pescarolo, Rodriguez and co to lap the old cicuit at 150mph plus in 917s, Matras and so on in the early 1970s leaves you speechless.
Stand on the inside of Blanchimont during qualifying and feel the most extreme violence a GP car can conjure up. Awesome.
Spa is a tremendous circuit. I was hoping it would feel slightly more like a fading dinosaur, but it's every bit the contemporary GP circuit. However, its majesty is in its size and its drama - it is simply enormous and the gradient changes make a guy like me brought up on the apparently hilly climbs of Oulton Park weep. The other great thing is that you can still drive parts of the old circuit. On our way to our campsite, we found ourselves taking the Masta Kink in the rain at all of 60mph. What it must've taken for the likes of Pescarolo, Rodriguez and co to lap the old cicuit at 150mph plus in 917s, Matras and so on in the early 1970s leaves you speechless.
Stand on the inside of Blanchimont during qualifying and feel the most extreme violence a GP car can conjure up. Awesome.
Take a bike if you have room.
Best viewing is from the roof of the F1 pits towards the pit entrance (as you can see Busstop, entry to La Source, Eau Rouge Radillon and the rund own to Pouhon) but I guess you'll have to bribe someone heavily to get there during an F1 race.
My view is the stand at top of Eau Rouge is best but if you can get a place at Les Combes from which you can see Kemmel straight and run to Rivage that's nearly as good - most likely place for overtaking apart from Busstop. Other option is the new stand on the outside of the Busstop, as you can see pit entry and across to Le Radillion.
HTH
R
Best viewing is from the roof of the F1 pits towards the pit entrance (as you can see Busstop, entry to La Source, Eau Rouge Radillon and the rund own to Pouhon) but I guess you'll have to bribe someone heavily to get there during an F1 race.
My view is the stand at top of Eau Rouge is best but if you can get a place at Les Combes from which you can see Kemmel straight and run to Rivage that's nearly as good - most likely place for overtaking apart from Busstop. Other option is the new stand on the outside of the Busstop, as you can see pit entry and across to Le Radillion.
HTH
R
They were still selling most types of tickets on the official site www.spa-tickets.be the last time I looked just a couple of days ago.
Last year they were still selling tickets (including my fav ,Gold 4 on the outside of the Radillon . . . uncovered ! I am not a wuss
) on the Friday at least, probably Sat too. Last year wasn't a sell out, and this year may have also failed to be now that the Red Baron probably won't make his local race. . . Damn! 
Just checked, no Gold 4 but there are others avail.
Last year they were still selling tickets (including my fav ,Gold 4 on the outside of the Radillon . . . uncovered ! I am not a wuss
) on the Friday at least, probably Sat too. Last year wasn't a sell out, and this year may have also failed to be now that the Red Baron probably won't make his local race. . . Damn! Just checked, no Gold 4 but there are others avail.
Edited by He Skunk on Sunday 16th August 10:11
He Skunk said:
They were still selling most types of tickets on the official site www.spa-tickets.be the last time I looked just a couple of days ago.
Last year they were still selling tickets (including my fav ,Gold 4 on the outside of the Radillon . . . uncovered ! I am not a wuss ) on the Friday at least, probably Sat too. Last year wasn't a sell out, and this year may have also failed to be now that the Red Baron probably won't make his local race. . . Damn!
Just checked, no Gold 4 but there are others avail.
Just checked mine are Gold 4. Open to offers.Last year they were still selling tickets (including my fav ,Gold 4 on the outside of the Radillon . . . uncovered ! I am not a wuss
) on the Friday at least, probably Sat too. Last year wasn't a sell out, and this year may have also failed to be now that the Red Baron probably won't make his local race. . . Damn! Just checked, no Gold 4 but there are others avail.
Edited by He Skunk on Sunday 16th August 10:11
He Skunk said:
They were still selling most types of tickets on the official site www.spa-tickets.be the last time I looked just a couple of days ago.
Last year they were still selling tickets (including my fav ,Gold 4 on the outside of the Radillon . . . uncovered ! I am not a wuss ) on the Friday at least, probably Sat too. Last year wasn't a sell out, and this year may have also failed to be now that the Red Baron probably won't make his local race. . . Damn!
Just checked, no Gold 4 but there are others avail.
Cool, thanks for the info. will see how things and keep an eye on the sales. good to know they were still selling last year.Last year they were still selling tickets (including my fav ,Gold 4 on the outside of the Radillon . . . uncovered ! I am not a wuss
) on the Friday at least, probably Sat too. Last year wasn't a sell out, and this year may have also failed to be now that the Red Baron probably won't make his local race. . . Damn! Just checked, no Gold 4 but there are others avail.
Edited by He Skunk on Sunday 16th August 10:11
If you enter the circuit via the main entrance at La Source (down the hill from the centre of Francochamps) there were a couple of "official" booths open selling tickets at the round-about just before the entrance.
Obviously, no guarantee you will get what you want, very worst comes to worst there are always plenty of ticket touts around if you don't mind "dealing" with the scumbags.
Obviously, no guarantee you will get what you want, very worst comes to worst there are always plenty of ticket touts around if you don't mind "dealing" with the scumbags.
It will spoil you for visiting any other circuit (except Monaco, but that is merely because it is "so" different and at certain spots you are "so" close to the track )
Take wet weather gear if you have any with you, it can change from sun-burn hot to torrential rain in the blink of an eye (much to the fans delight, particularly in the Schumi era) and a covered grandstand offers little protection to the drifting rain. If you have a ticket for a grandstand on the Eau Rouge side of the circuit, show it to the traffic cops as you pass Spa airfield & you can then enter via Francochamps (where there is parking in droves at the side of the road ) if you can, I have found other routes to be more clogged up. If you can moderate your experiments with the local beer it is best (particularly on Sunday) to arrive as early as you can stand, don't underestimate the time it needs to get in if you fancy/need a long lie. Post race, best to walk some (especially Eau Rouge) of the circuit to get a feel for what it must be like to drive an F1 car there & let the traffic chaos all the way to Brussels subside a bit. There is a good model shop in Francochamps & a museum in Stavelot plus you can drive a large chunk of the "old " circuit to while away the time between eating/drinking/spectating. Enjoy
Oh, and the racing too 
Take wet weather gear if you have any with you, it can change from sun-burn hot to torrential rain in the blink of an eye (much to the fans delight, particularly in the Schumi era) and a covered grandstand offers little protection to the drifting rain. If you have a ticket for a grandstand on the Eau Rouge side of the circuit, show it to the traffic cops as you pass Spa airfield & you can then enter via Francochamps (where there is parking in droves at the side of the road ) if you can, I have found other routes to be more clogged up. If you can moderate your experiments with the local beer it is best (particularly on Sunday) to arrive as early as you can stand, don't underestimate the time it needs to get in if you fancy/need a long lie. Post race, best to walk some (especially Eau Rouge) of the circuit to get a feel for what it must be like to drive an F1 car there & let the traffic chaos all the way to Brussels subside a bit. There is a good model shop in Francochamps & a museum in Stavelot plus you can drive a large chunk of the "old " circuit to while away the time between eating/drinking/spectating. Enjoy
Oh, and the racing too optimax sniffer said:
Last year Sarah and I walked the complete circuit on the friday, most of it again on Saturday but stayed in the Eau Rouge grandstand on race day. After the race we walked down Eau Rouge and up the hill to La Source.
...but we did have to stop for beer and waffles on the way round. It's bloomin steep in places!!! 
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