British Grand Prix - Is it the Saturday worth it?

[peak1]

Hi there,

I would like to get some F1 live viewing this year but would really like to limit my spend to a ticket on Saturday. It looks like a packed day of F1 qualifying plus some GT and historic action. Can anyone with past experience say whether it is worth the £80 or to not bother and try to splash out for race day?

Cheers.

[peak1]

Should say...Is the Saturday worth it...

[Aydogflipper]

Nothing beats race day, the atmosphere is completely different.

I would try splash the extra for race day. General admission for the weekend is around £150 isnt it?

[Sir Bagalot]

Aydogflipper said:

General admission for the weekend is around £150 isnt it?

£155. And sold out about 4 weeks back.

If just going for the day then Friday is the best value for money but you see no races but plenty of practice.

Saturday you see Practice, Quali, and some races

[Richard-G]

I'm doing Friday in as many grand stands as possible, then I'm heading to the paddock club Saturday (company are paying) in all honesty the Friday is the more exciting day, you can go anywhere you want, less queues and more on track time. The race is amazing but you can always go next year...Oh parking is free on the Friday. So 3 hours of f1 track time for £60 isn't to be sniffed at.

[cosicave]

Value is of course, always relative, Peak1.
But if you've only previously seen F1 via TV, it really is worth making the extra effort for the whole weekend.

I accept that some budgets are limited, but witnessing what everything else leads up to cannot be approached if it excludes the big event.

Always go the extra mile…

[Jasandjules]

I think the atmosphere of the race is totally different to every other day. Well worth it if you can.

[LordGrover]

I've only been once and that was a while ago, company jolly. Clearly the race it what it's all about, but you get the sounds and smell ALL weekend.

[robmlufc]

Just goto the WEC in August for £35 instead!!

[peak1]

Thanks for the responses. Will check various ticket places to see what race day tickets are available/prices. Sounds like I need to work in a job that gets corporate entertainment invitations.

[rubystone]

Gaz. said:

cosicave said:

I went in 1997 and was massively dissapointed. £125 to sit on an earth bank barely any higher than the track and you cannot hear the tannoy over the cars (which do sound awesome) so we had no idea at all what was going on much after lap 10, to this day we still don't know who won. I'm sure if you have a 3 day grandstand pass (that someone else has paid for) it is a fantastic weekend but tbh I had more fun watching the in season test days from every grand stand. There is a young driver test after the GP so I may go to that.

Last time I went to a test, access and viewing was limited to the area from Bridge to Copse - hugely limiting in fact....so no guarantee that it'll be any better...and they charged for that too...

As regards your experience, it's a shame no one told you to bring along a radio and headphones to linsted to Radio Silverstone - it's as essential as Radio Le Mans is to follow the race...

I'd echo the Friday as being the best value - the FP sessions are spread out well and I have, and will again this year, walk(ed) the entire track anti-clockwise to view and hear the cars - especially awesome at Maggotts/Becketts...

There's nothing like experiencing F1 in the flesh - the noise is one thing, but the commitment of the cars and drivers through corners is another. Shame Bridge is no longer used because one could stand the Club side of the bridge and experience the power, noise and speed of the cars exiting Farm through Bridge and round into the complex.

[B16 RTT]

Gaz. said:

to this day we still don't know who won

Jacques Villeneuve.

You're welcome

[jurbie]

And Damon Hill scored his first points for Arrows which got quite a large cheer.

[brierleys]

I went to watch qualifying in 2007. I had grandstand tickets for the whole weekend. On the Saturday the tickets allow you access to all grandstands and not just the specific seat allocation that you are given for Sunday. I took my sister-in-law and during the morning we made our way round the whole circuit eventually stopping at the last corner for the end of qualifying. The weather was fantastic. In the closing few seconds, Hamilton timed his run perfectly to be the last car over the line. We watched him head towards the line and take pole. Everyone lept out of their seats to cheer. It was just incredible. Definitely the highlight of the weekend for me.

[Richard-G]

robmlufc said:

Just goto the WEC in August for £35 instead!!

Shussssssh we don't want everyone getting in on that!

[Myd]

Hi all,

I have a pair of tickets available if anyone is interested, admittably not the cheapest but good value for a 3 day experience. They are here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4011721.htm

Cheers,

Myd

[RichB]

Gaz. said:

I went in 1997 and was massively dissapointed. £125 to sit on an earth bank barely any higher than the track and you cannot hear the tannoy over the cars (which do sound awesome) so we had no idea at all what was going on much after lap 10, to this day we still don't know who won. I'm sure if you have a 3 day grandstand pass (that someone else has paid for) it is a fantastic weekend but tbh I had more fun watching the in season test days from every grand stand. There is a young driver test after the GP so I may go to that.

In contrast I went to the British GP with my wife in 2000 and thoroughly enjoyed it. We found a place to stand just past Copse so we could see the cars exiting the main straight while at the same time being able to see the exit from the pit run-out lane. Behind us was a big screen and loads of people around us had radios with ear-plugs so we were always able to keep track of who was where, so much so that I was surprised how easy it was. It was Jenson Button's first season with Williams and he had a good race finishing a respectable 6th. The only downer was getting out of the car park afterwards, not the congestion but the mud! It was back when the race was in April and it had pissed down all week prior to the race.

[sjg]

I actually prefer the Saturdays. F1 practice and qualifying sessions, lots of support races (and GP2 tends to have a lot more overtaking), and you can actually move about. Not sure if it's still the case, but a grandstand ticket for the Saturday would get you into any grandstand. We'd leisurely walk around the track and stop off to watch things as we went. It's great to see how the cars move through Maggots/Becketts, see the glowing discs at the end of Hangar Straight, see how they accelerate out of Club (visibly laying down rubber), etc.

On Sunday you're either in super early to get a good spot and staying there, or in your grandstand seat. The race is fun but ultimately you're watching cars pass you by while you strain to hear the commentary so you'll know what's going on.

[johns355]

Hi, I've been to the British grand prix Fri/Sat/Sun for the last 8 years. If your realistic budget is for Saturday it's still a cracking day- get there early, about 7ish quick look around then get to your seat and stay there until qualifying has finished! I normally sit opposite the pits on the starting grid (no closer than 15 seats to the end, because if it rains you get soaked!) Try to get a tv screen in view then you'll be able to track everything thats going on, there's still quite an atmosphere during qualifying when the british boys are on track. Obviously you can't beat race day, if you manage that one you want to get there for about 6.00am, they sort the parking by the first ones there are closer to the exits making it easier to get out at the end of the day. However I think a car park pass was £45 this year, so I don't know if you want to stretch to that for one day! good luck, John.

[Great Dane]

robmlufc said:

Just goto the WEC in August for £35 instead!!

You can go for le mans for that sort of money... WEC silverstone, spa rob I agree with you as is often the case