Recommendations wanted for Spanish F1 (Barcelona)
Discussion
StuB said:
Which tour operator/hotel/grandstands are recommended by those who've been there?
It's a treat for my son's 20th birthday (and his Dad really), so want him to have a great time, withouth paying through the nose for the full hospitality thing.
Any advice much appreciated.
hi. We went for the testing in feb and stopped at a hotel ibis about 20 mins away and at £40 a night was really good value and excellent service and food but no idea what availability will be like so close to the race. Regarding grandstands again no idea but due to the elevation around the circuit and banking you can see large chunks of the track from most places. The grandstands towards the end of the lap have a great view for about 20 secs of a large area but you probably won't see much overtaking. Enjoy as it was my first visit and really impressed with the facilities and will go back for testing next year. HTH. It's a treat for my son's 20th birthday (and his Dad really), so want him to have a great time, withouth paying through the nose for the full hospitality thing.
Any advice much appreciated.
We went in 2008 and sat in Grandstand J just opposite the pit exit
I'd not been to Barcelona before to compare it with any other vantage points, but we found it pretty good and one of the cheaper along the pit straight. You couldnt quite see the start but could see the action from half way along the straight down to the first corner and up the hill half way round turn 3, then they reappear and you see the cars again from turns 5-8 before they disappear again, plus there's several big screens along there to follow the rest of the action.
I'd suggest doing a bit of research on whatever stand you chose especially if youre thinking of one over the back of the circuit, as unlike the pit straight which are a good mix, grandstand N for example seemed to be booked out almost entirely by Alonso fan clubs / die hard Spanish fans. Although most of their well documented dislike towards Hamilton was of the panto villian nature booing him when he came out the pits etc, when we were there was a definite undercurrent of anti British-ness from a minority of Spanish fans. We never had any trouble at all, but being an isolated Brit in amongst an entire grandstand full of beer fuelled Alonso fans would have been a bit intimidating, especially if you came kitted out in Mclaren/Hamilton team regalia! Having said that, we went in 2008 as mentioned which was only a year after the Hamilton/Alonso thing kicked off, so it may well be a little better now.
As for accomodation, wherever you go its not going to be cheap as all the rates go up for that weekend. I went with about 5 friends and we rented an apartment for a few days in the centre of Barcelona which was significantly cheaper than any Hotel we could find and ideal for us going out in the evenings, although the race is only 6 weeks away so your choice of either might be fairly limited already, so get on the case ASAP!
I'd not been to Barcelona before to compare it with any other vantage points, but we found it pretty good and one of the cheaper along the pit straight. You couldnt quite see the start but could see the action from half way along the straight down to the first corner and up the hill half way round turn 3, then they reappear and you see the cars again from turns 5-8 before they disappear again, plus there's several big screens along there to follow the rest of the action.
I'd suggest doing a bit of research on whatever stand you chose especially if youre thinking of one over the back of the circuit, as unlike the pit straight which are a good mix, grandstand N for example seemed to be booked out almost entirely by Alonso fan clubs / die hard Spanish fans. Although most of their well documented dislike towards Hamilton was of the panto villian nature booing him when he came out the pits etc, when we were there was a definite undercurrent of anti British-ness from a minority of Spanish fans. We never had any trouble at all, but being an isolated Brit in amongst an entire grandstand full of beer fuelled Alonso fans would have been a bit intimidating, especially if you came kitted out in Mclaren/Hamilton team regalia! Having said that, we went in 2008 as mentioned which was only a year after the Hamilton/Alonso thing kicked off, so it may well be a little better now.
As for accomodation, wherever you go its not going to be cheap as all the rates go up for that weekend. I went with about 5 friends and we rented an apartment for a few days in the centre of Barcelona which was significantly cheaper than any Hotel we could find and ideal for us going out in the evenings, although the race is only 6 weeks away so your choice of either might be fairly limited already, so get on the case ASAP!
Edited by LocoBlade on Saturday 9th April 13:12
Grandstand F will give the best chance of seeing the action, if the new regs can help there to actually be any, but V4, A or L would also do.
Most overtaking, and there is never much at Barca, happens into the 1st corner.
The ideal is to be fairly high up on the stand, but booking through the circuit doesn't I believe give you seating option, and in any case the circuit will have sold out this stand 11mths ago ! !
A bit costly but I feel you will have to use a ticket agency, and swallow their mark-up on the price, to get a decent ticket this late in the day.
If I were you I would postpone the treat and go to Spa or Monza instead, tickets will still be available at face value, and both venues usually produce a much better race than Barca.
Most overtaking, and there is never much at Barca, happens into the 1st corner.
The ideal is to be fairly high up on the stand, but booking through the circuit doesn't I believe give you seating option, and in any case the circuit will have sold out this stand 11mths ago ! !
A bit costly but I feel you will have to use a ticket agency, and swallow their mark-up on the price, to get a decent ticket this late in the day.
If I were you I would postpone the treat and go to Spa or Monza instead, tickets will still be available at face value, and both venues usually produce a much better race than Barca.
We are also going to the Spanish GP, and have sorted everything except how we are going to get from the centre of Barcelona to the track, I've read somewhere that there are coaches, but can't find any links on details on how to book them. How are you getting there? and has anyone else been before that can help ?!
Thanks, Clair.
Thanks, Clair.
Take the local suburban train to Montmelo, and walk about 20-30 mins (depending where you are watching from). Or pay up-look big-and get fleeced by a local taxi whilst sitting in a humungous traffic jam. Buses ? don't know, but the traffic is truly awful, and progress will be VERY slow in & out on raceday.
Think the walking option is the best. You can stop for a cold beer after you leave the station, then walk.
Oh & BTW, don't get ripped off as I was one year & buy a return ticket which you then discover is only valid for 4hrs or thereabouts, and YES, they did make me buy another ticket on the way back, well, I did after I was met off the train by several Mossos having refused point blank to give in to the conductors assertation that my ticket was now worthless. Bar-stewards !
Think the walking option is the best. You can stop for a cold beer after you leave the station, then walk.
Oh & BTW, don't get ripped off as I was one year & buy a return ticket which you then discover is only valid for 4hrs or thereabouts, and YES, they did make me buy another ticket on the way back, well, I did after I was met off the train by several Mossos having refused point blank to give in to the conductors assertation that my ticket was now worthless. Bar-stewards !
Yeh we did the Montmelo train too and I suspect it's the easiest and cheapest way judging by the look of the traffic jams. Its still very busy though and on race day you'll find rush hour London undergound-esque amounts of people packed on the platform and outside the station with loads of local Police keeping everyone in check, so don't expect to get back to central Barcelona in 30 minutes.
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