First time to an F1 race (British GP)

[QuattroDave]

TypeRTim said:

QuattroDave said:

TypeRTim said:

For Hungary, if you are staying in central Budapest - get a taxi to the circuit. We went in 2015 and were told to use public transport as the taxis were 'expensive', worst decision ever. The metro system (red line) would take you as far as a 'proper' train station where you got a train so far, until you had to get on a coach. Oh, and only the metro had a/c! The coach didn't take us to the main gates either, so it was a walk and a half to get the rest of the way... in 35 degree heat. We got a taxi back to our hotel in district 8 and it was quick and for us, dead cheap.

The circuit is in a natural bowl, so as you walk around, you can get a good view from pretty much anywhere if you have a GA pass. Take your own water and lots of it. Also, most of the grandstands are open air so bare that in mind (we were at T4/5 grandstand) for weather protection, both good and bad.

For Silverstone, as you are driving yourself, leave plenty of time as traffic on the A43 can get bad, especially if you come in from the M1/Northampton direction. Also the main road in to the circuit once you are off the A43 will get gridlocked very quickly. The infield parking, you have to go all the way down the main entry road before you get to the main circuit entrance, so be prepared for queues. There are plenty of support races on this year, F2, F3, W Series, Porsche Supercup and historics - plus there is normally a concert laid on once the track action dies down for the evening.

There are plenty of concession stands dotted around, but be prepared to take out a second mortgage!

Thanks Tim,

So far I've got to take:

Toilet Paper;
Water;
Suncream &
Sack full of cash!

What time in the morning should I be aiming to get to the track? Pretty sure my boss is taking a helicopter into the site, shame I don't have that option!!

Depends how much of the support stuff you want to watch. I'm only going on the Friday this year so have only got the timetable for that day, but the first session is the W series at 08:40. There will be plenty of track action all through the day. FP3 on Saturday will be late-mid morning, so would probably aim to get to the track for around 9 at the latest.

Are you staying locally?

Unfortunately I only realised I was getting full weekend tickets Friday just gone so all local venues had sold out. I managed to find one place 20 miles away which is a lot better than having to do a 100 mile drive home and as I'm taking my mustang the fuel saved pays for about half the cost of the room!!

[StevieBee]

QuattroDave said:

Sack full of cash!

Pretty sure I read that all vendors are card only!

[TypeRTim]

QuattroDave said:

Unfortunately I only realised I was getting full weekend tickets Friday just gone so all local venues had sold out. I managed to find one place 20 miles away which is a lot better than having to do a 100 mile drive home and as I'm taking my mustang the fuel saved pays for about half the cost of the room!!

Yeah, most places around Northampton and Towcester get booked up pretty early for GP weekend. When we lived in Northampton we often debated putting our house up as an Air BnB type thing just for GP weekend to make some extra coin.

[QuattroDave]

StevieBee said:

QuattroDave said:

Sack full of cash!

Pretty sure I read that all vendors are card only!

Sack full of credit cards?

[djgritt]

Enjoy Silverstone - I think it creates one of the best circuit atmospheres in F1 with the fans, always packed.

I would recommend using the support races and the Friday and Saturday practice sessions to do the circuit walk to see the cars in different locations - as someone has already said, Maggotts/Becketts is a must for one session as the cars look phenomenal coming out of the complex.

For the race (and for Quali if you normally get invested into watching it) I would strongly suggest making absolute full use of your grandstand seating throughout. General admission crowds will easily be <10 people deep at all the decent viewing spots by 9am and grandstand seating is not to be sniffed at, it’s invaluable to have a guaranteed viewpoint and even to have a seat!

[Derek Smith]

QuattroDave said:

Not so much booked the tickets as my boss is the chairman of the BRDC so just sorted them for me! I'm sure he'll give me some pointers closer to the day but seeing as he's usually in the presidents suite and has been to the race every year since day dot I thought I'd ask people who have had a little less exposure than he has to get a range of views as to where to go and what to do

Please tell your boss I love him.

[Sir Bagalot]

QuattroDave said:

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

I've been told my car will be pretty close by so I'll keep my toilet roll in there

We plan to be there all day Saturday and Sunday so was wondering if there are other non-track related things I can entertain my daughter with?

Also go on Friday. A lot less people about and you can move quicker. You'll also see a lot more F1 action

[Diderot]

I cannot emphasise enough, ear plugs for you and ear defenders for your 10 year old. Even though these cars are relatively quiet compared to the V10s SPL wise, serious damage can be done by 20 of them flashing past.

Sounds like you have a fantastic weekend in store. Someone above mentioned the Maggots Becketts viewing spot, and also someone mentioned the braking - at least as impressive if not more so. Stowe for me is also a must.

Enjoy every second chap.

[Steve57]

We are there for the first time this year too ( altho have managed to do monaco quali a few years ago). staying at Dadford road campsite from Thursday and very much looking forward to it altho will have the wife and 2 girls in tow which could be interesting. Grandstand seat on the national pit straight all weekend also.

[anonymous-user]

Try to find out where your parking is before you go, as the staff have no bloody clue every single year.

[TypeRTim]

Diderot said:

I cannot emphasise enough, ear plugs for you and ear defenders for your 10 year old. Even though these cars are relatively quiet compared to the V10s SPL wise, serious damage can be done by 20 of them flashing past.

Sounds like you have a fantastic weekend in store. Someone above mentioned the Maggots Becketts viewing spot, and also someone mentioned the braking - at least as impressive if not more so. Stowe for me is also a must.

Enjoy every second chap.

I would kinda disagree, I've been to all 3 of the last power unit formulas (3.0 v10, 2.4 v8, 1.6 v6) and I really did not need any sort of ear defenders for the last ones. The v10s were bloody painful and definitely required full ear defenders, the v8s were loud AF, but not quite as piercing as the v10s...but the v6s are actually kinda pleasant...? The Porsche supercup races were louder and more aggressive on the ears from my memory.

I was pleasantly surprised actually at how tolerable the v6s were in terms of SPL. They don't make the most tuneful or melodic noise, but they don't make your ears bleed either... some lament that, but I hate wearing ear plugs so I like it!

[QuattroDave]

Sir Bagalot said:

QuattroDave said:

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

I've been told my car will be pretty close by so I'll keep my toilet roll in there

We plan to be there all day Saturday and Sunday so was wondering if there are other non-track related things I can entertain my daughter with?

Also go on Friday. A lot less people about and you can move quicker. You'll also see a lot more F1 action

Sadly I'd already arranged to loan my mustang out to take a friends daughter to her prom which means I'm going to be 150 miles away for the Friday

[Steve57]

As a weekend ticket holder we have Thursday access too so decided we would take full advantage so doing all 4 days. Not sure whats happening Thursday but we have just got pit walk passes for thursday also.

[QuattroDave]

Steve57 said:

As a weekend ticket holder we have Thursday access too so decided we would take full advantage so doing all 4 days. Not sure whats happening Thursday but we have just got pit walk passes for thursday also.

I didn't even realise you could go on Thursday! Well feel free to report back on Friday before I go on Saturday

[coppice]

TypeRTim said:

I would kinda disagree, I've been to all 3 of the last power unit formulas (3.0 v10, 2.4 v8, 1.6 v6) and I really did not need any sort of ear defenders for the last ones. The v10s were bloody painful and definitely required full ear defenders, the v8s were loud AF, but not quite as piercing as the v10s...but the v6s are actually kinda pleasant...? The Porsche supercup races were louder and more aggressive on the ears from my memory.

I was pleasantly surprised actually at how tolerable the v6s were in terms of SPL. They don't make the most tuneful or melodic noise, but they don't make your ears bleed either... some lament that, but I hate wearing ear plugs so I like it!

I go even further back - to DFVs and Flat Twelves , then 1.5 V6 T etc . The V10s were by far the loudest of all , and a pierced eardrum attests to that - LIgier Mugen V10 to blame . Noise depends on lots of things , not just source but wind direction, humidity and , most of all proximity . My bad day was warm , humid and still and the exit of Club was the wrong place at the wrong time . I am now scrupulous about avoiding more damage , especially as I'm at motor sport events most summer weekends . I use moulded earplugs and (at Santa Pod ) ear defenders too .

I am intrigued to see and hear the current crop , not having seen F1 since the shouty little v8s . My practice is to wear protection if the cars are significantly louder than the average (which is pretty low these days , as most events have noise limits .

So far as viewing is concerned . Becketts is far better on TV than live , but Copse is mighty , as is Farm for sheer pace. As with al events the secret is to keep on the move as much as crowds allow, to get new perspectives on the track . Hopefuly I will be able to wander a bit on Friday . I'll be the old git mourning the loss of the original Woodcote and the more recent - and tragic - loss of Bridge , which was mighty

[paulguitar]

Diderot said:

I cannot emphasise enough, ear plugs for you and ear defenders for your 10 year old.

These cars are really very quiet, I don't think ear defenders are necessary. When Brundle does his trackside bits for Sky, he doesn't have to raise his voice.

[Sandpit Steve]

paulguitar said:

These cars are really very quiet, I don't think ear defenders are necessary. When Brundle does his trackside bits for Sky, he doesn't have to raise his voice.

An all-time favourite video:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_I0R5yZ80rA

Lewis being interviewed while a V10 is doing demo laps in the ‘background’.

All the modern TV audio stuff is set up for making the current cars sound louder, and a single old, really loud one blows it away.

No you don’t need industrial cans to watch F1 any more, but still take ear plugs for kids.

[paulguitar]

Sandpit Steve said:

paulguitar said:

These cars are really very quiet, I don't think ear defenders are necessary. When Brundle does his trackside bits for Sky, he doesn't have to raise his voice.

An all-time favourite video:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_I0R5yZ80rA

Lewis being interviewed while a V10 is doing demo laps in the ‘background’.

All the modern TV audio stuff is set up for making the current cars sound louder, and a single old, really loud one blows it away.

No you don’t need industrial cans to watch F1 any more, but still take ear plugs for kids.

I miss that sound so much.

[Sandpit Steve]

paulguitar said:

I miss that sound so much.

Somewhat annoyingly, that was Alonso testing in Abu Dhabi 2020 - behind closed doors at my ‘local’ race, so no crowd to hear it. One of few times I’d missed it.

[paulguitar]

Sandpit Steve said:

paulguitar said:

I miss that sound so much.

Somewhat annoyingly, that was Alonso testing in Abu Dhabi 2020 - behind closed doors at my ‘local’ race, so no crowd to hear it.

Yep, I remember that well, and Lewis's reaction.


We have to go to Goodwood now to hear the real sound of F1. It was a huge part of it all for me, and it will never be the same with the cars we have now that sound like Hoovers.