Silverstone GP General admission, where to stand?

[Fantuzzi]

Simple really, where do you lot think the best place to watch the race and qualifying is?

Ie heard that to try and watch the 'race' going to see the race isnt that good compared to TV coverage, so Id say experiencing speed and sound would be top of my wants. Unless Ive been misinformed that is!

First Silverstone GP so any advice in general would be most welcome.

Thanks!

[v1nce]

General advice... Arrive VERY early on race day with GA tickets.

Edited to be more helpful (as thisll be my 30th BGP)...

Im guessing youve got 3 day tickets? Are you planning on camping?

Edited by v1nce on Wednesday 20th February 20:21

[egor110]

Race day you need to be ready to go thru the gate at 7 otherwise you won't get anywhere good to stand.

If you want to expreience the speed stand at the end of hanger straight, i'd try and watch from stowe corner or around vale/club.

[Fantuzzi]

v1nce said:

General advice... Arrive VERY early on race day with GA tickets.

Edited to be more helpful (as thisll be my 30th BGP)...

Im guessing youve got 3 day tickets? Are you planning on camping?

Edited by v1nce on Wednesday 20th February 20:21

Im not sure yet, Im on a budget, basically hoping to hear and feel those V8s before they change next year!

Part of me thought that just a Qualifying ticket would do the job, that is feel, see, hear a F1 car at full force, if that is the race views are rather limited.

The different is around 70quid between a sun and a sat ticket. Id most likely do just one day, Im not a camping fan, nor can I afford a hotel for the nights inbetween the fri,sat,sun. I know the price difference for the 3 day and the sun ticket is about 10pounds, but the cost of everything else puts me off!

Does the early bird rule still apply for sat?

Thank you for your help!

[egor110]

Last year we had a grandstand we planned to watch qualifying from pit straight, got there about 10 and it was full so we managed to get seats in club.

Traffics a nightmare so i'd camp for 1 night, there are a few basic sites near that don't charge the earth and you won't have to get up quite so early race day.

[v1nce]

TBH if you want to experiance F1 on the cheap, go anywhere else in the world. No sorry joking

Dont be put off by the perceived expense of it all. You dont need the most expensive grandstand ticket, buy new camping equipment every year, pay through the nose to buy all you food and drink at the track/campsites and splash out on head to toe team gear to enjoy the experiance. Cost for GA compares to festival tickets. For example I reckon this years GP weekend will cost about £300. GA Tickets, camping, food, a program and a team shirt or cap if im feeling flush.

If you looking to attend a single day, FRIDAY would be your best option. Cheapish, busy but not as busy as the real weekend and allows you to "rove" the grandstands. Probably the most F1 track action too, with two 90minute sessions (180 in total compared to 120 on Saturday and 90ish on Sunday).

Also dont judge Silverstone by last years Grand Prix weekend. The by pass has pretty much resolved the traditional traffic problems under normal circumstances.

[egor110]

If you want to do it on the cheap camp at dadford road site £25 for sat night, then you can get up 6 have a bite to eat and still get to the track by 7 without rushing, then get your spot and enjoy the day.

Fingers crossed it's dry this year.

[kybo]

Location wise, I'd look at:
COPSE
BECKETTS
Between VALE and CLUB
LUFFIELD
They're all good for slightly different reasons.

I think 7am is pushing it a bit - I've seen long queues by that time before, but some gates may be quieter than others.

Try and go for the whole weekend if you can - each day brings its own merits. As mentioned before, Friday is a good day to see, hear smell and feel the cars but it carries little merit (for me); apart from GA tickets using the stands you will miss Qualy and the race.

For General admission you'll nned to carry a full days supply of food and drink if you want to stay put, as well as your chair, optional flag and airhorn

Camping, although not for you, is preferred over queuing for hours in the traffic - yes the by-pass is good but still doesn't alleviate queuing altogther. plus the atmosphere on an evening is fantastic.

Camping will also negate the need for a paid parking pass or using the Park-ride service (which is good, tho)
HTH
Scott

ETA: If you're not familiar with Silverstone, and you're not too far away, try and get down to one of the Trackdays (turn up as a spectator) so you can have a look round the circuit. Might help you decide where you'd like to sit/stand.

Edited by kybo on Thursday 21st February 12:43

[Fantuzzi]

v1nce said:

TBH if you want to experiance F1 on the cheap, go anywhere else in the world. No sorry joking

Dont be put off by the perceived expense of it all. You dont need the most expensive grandstand ticket, buy new camping equipment every year, pay through the nose to buy all you food and drink at the track/campsites and splash out on head to toe team gear to enjoy the experiance. Cost for GA compares to festival tickets. For example I reckon this years GP weekend will cost about £300. GA Tickets, camping, food, a program and a team shirt or cap if im feeling flush.

If you looking to attend a single day, FRIDAY would be your best option. Cheapish, busy but not as busy as the real weekend and allows you to "rove" the grandstands. Probably the most F1 track action too, with two 90minute sessions (180 in total compared to 120 on Saturday and 90ish on Sunday).

Also dont judge Silverstone by last years Grand Prix weekend. The by pass has pretty much resolved the traditional traffic problems under normal circumstances.

Thanks did think about friday practise, Ive looked at other races in europe, all seemed pricey, plus travel.

So should I aim to get there at 6ish for friday or is it not too bad/

All the help has been great!

[egor110]

Fantuzzi said:

Thanks did think about friday practise, Ive looked at other races in europe, all seemed pricey, plus travel.

So should I aim to get there at 6ish for friday or is it not too bad/

All the help has been great!

I'm off to Belgium with ledger costs £399 for travel, sat/sun tickets, b&b.

I wouldn't go friday as there's no atmosphere, sat qualifying was good as everyones watching the times and who gets knocked out of each session, and race day has a great buzz.

Man up camp sat night then you've cut out all the traffic problems race day morning as well as getting up mega early.

[Fantuzzi]

egor110 said:

Fantuzzi said:

Thanks did think about friday practise, Ive looked at other races in europe, all seemed pricey, plus travel.

So should I aim to get there at 6ish for friday or is it not too bad/

All the help has been great!

I'm off to Belgium with ledger costs £399 for travel, sat/sun tickets, b&b.

I wouldn't go friday as there's no atmosphere, sat qualifying was good as everyones watching the times and who gets knocked out of each session, and race day has a great buzz.

Man up camp sat night then you've cut out all the traffic problems race day morning as well as getting up mega early.

Bloody engine change, if it wasnt his year Id be doing what youre doing...

Dont suppose you need a man servant...(ok that bit sounds abit weird)

[F355GTS]

egor110 said:

Race day you need to be ready to go thru the gate at 7 otherwise you won't get anywhere good to stand.

in past years they've opened the gates as early as 5am and people had slept outside the gates all night


for speed and sound I'd go for becketts/ maggots

[F355GTS]

egor110 said:

Race day you need to be ready to go thru the gate at 7 otherwise you won't get anywhere good to stand.

in past years they've opened the gates as early as 5am and people had slept outside the gates all night


for speed and sound I'd go for becketts/ maggots

[F355GTS]

egor110 said:

Race day you need to be ready to go thru the gate at 7 otherwise you won't get anywhere good to stand.

in past years they've opened the gates as early as 5am and people had slept outside the gates all night


for speed and sound I'd go for becketts/ maggots

[kybo]

Fantuzzi said:

Thanks did think about friday practise, Ive looked at other races in europe, all seemed pricey, plus travel.

So should I aim to get there at 6ish for friday or is it not too bad

IIRC, you won't need to be there that early on the Friday, the other 2 days I would, yes.

This is your 1st time so you need to see more than Friday practice. Get down to Silverstone for Saturday afternoon, here them qualify if nothing else, camp over, enjoy the atomosphere, then get any early night for that early start

Alternatively, do Friday and Saturday and watch the race at home??

Scott

[Fantuzzi]

Thank for all the help, as per usaul the advice was awsome.

[carlams1984]

hi,

iv just bought my ticket (l8 i know) and was wondering about the GA section between club and pit str8. are they still letting fans on2 the track at the end of the race from there or was that just a 1 / 2 off?

[RichB]

When I went rather than watching on TV we stood at Copse. Excellent view in my opinion and I was surprised how easily we could follow the race.

[Dr Murdoch]

When I went in 96 people were at the gates at 11pm on Saturday, I assume its still the same now?

Friday is a good shout, more on track action, you'll get the feel for a GP, and it won't be too busy to be a pain in the ass. As another poster said, you'll also be able to roam around the grandstands and see the circuit from lots of different vantage points.

I normally go for the 3 days and tbh prefer the Fridays...

[A9XXC]

There is no beating the atmosphere of race day.

Go Saturday, wander round - it is a very long walk round - catch quali and decide on your spot for the race.