Spa Formula One GP

[Saltdean Seagull]

So then, me and the old man are planning to go to Spa for the F1 race next year. I`ve heard that parking is a completely nightmare and wondered if anyone has had any personal experience of the race (best place to watch, if driving when`s best to get to the circuit etc....)

Muchas Gracias Amigos

 

[JCL - the new kid in town]

I went with some friends last year. We booked a campsite for the weekend and parked the car by the tent and then it was about 15 min walk to the circuit. Are you planning to go for the day or whole weekend? I think there are three tiers of seating price, gold, silver and bronze(sitting on any bit of free ground). We went for the cheap option of taking our own chairs and finding a spt on the bank. We went for the weekend so on the saturday we went down for the practice sessions and the qualifying of the GP2 and GP3 races and walked round the track and tried to work out where our bes place to watch was. We tried the main straight after eau rouge but found that the cars just fly by so fast it's difficult to even tell who it is so we ended up between corners 11 and 12. After the race you can walk round the circuit on the tarmac and try our all the different stands and we reckoned if you were paying for great seats then the gold 1 stand by start finish but at the top side towards corners 19 and 20 so you can see them come down that straight.

If you're driving down on the day i'm afraid i can't help you but arrive as early as possible to get the best seats as even if you book the stands i don't think you get a specified seat. I can ask a F1 friend of mine who should know more about it if you like

 

[JCL - the new kid in town]

Oh and don't forget your umbrella and waterproofs. If you do go for the bronze package, those camping chairs come in very useful

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

Have considered Spa in the past. Might do it in a few years as a holiday with a few mates, go Bruges and Brussels first before heading to the Ardennes.

 

[mune ni kamome]

Used to go a lot in the 1970's. The hill after Eau Rouge was the most spectacular and iconic view. As stated above it's a difficult circuit for good viewing though.

 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

We had a great time when we went.

Travelled by car all the way. Pretty decent drive if you've got the time.

Stayed at this place which I would recommend.

http://www.compareaway.co.uk/holiday-Belgium/Wallonia/4-Bedrooms/Bellevaux-Ligneuville-HXX44392

Perfect for a group booking. We had 6 stay there. A little drive to the track but we had no problems with parking. That said we did get there very early (8am). Plenty of people open up fields and charge to park. Can imagine it might be bad if you turn up late.

We were really lucky with the weather but it is notoriously wet.

Sat on the bank and the end of the little straight after Pouhon which was a great vantage point. You get a bit of straight and a decent corner. It's pretty steep and can be entertaining watching people negotiate the slope carrying loads of beer and food. I would recommend spending some time walking around the course to find a spot that works best for you. Eau Rouge is ridiculously steep. If you get pit lane passes (they came as part of our tickets for all 3 days) and get to walk on the track you'll see what I mean.

If you havent been to F1 before you will be blown away. The noise is awesome. Maybe take some ear plugs as a whole day of the noise can take its toll.

Have fun.

 

[JCL - the new kid in town]

Sat on the bank and the end of the little straight after Pouhon which was a great vantage point. You get a bit of straight and a decent corner. It's pretty steep and can be entertaining watching people negotiate the slope carrying loads of beer and food.

Yeah thats where we sat and there was still space to squeeze on the bank quite late on but we got our seats from 10am. Definitely recommend the ear plugs. One my mates also hired the fan vision which gives you a little tv screen to watch so can help to find out what is going n elsewhere in the circuit although there are plenty of big screens too.

 

[Southern Toon]

Went in 1988 by overnight coach ( £55 including general admission ticket ) got into the circiut at 6.30am & had a wander down to eau rouge up the long straight looking for a place to watch the race. Walked back down to eau rouge & paid another £43 ( £304 this year ) to sit on a unumbered wooden bench for seven hours, great place to watch the action one of those once in a lifetime type experiences. With no sunday morning warm up nowadays i would definitley go for a minimum two days, as others have said television just does not convey the speed & noise of a formula one car in all its glory.




































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[Dr Q]

went for the 2007 race, was in the covered grandstand on Eau Rouge, great view and spectacular corner (and you can see across the valley to the chicane), but I actually enjoyed it more at Friday practice when I walked down to Pouhon corner which is also fast and you can look down on it from the hillside. If I went again, I'd probably sit at the Chicane before the start-finish straight, as theres more likely to be a bit of action there. Given the weather I'd go for the expense of the covered grandstand. I drove over and stayed in the Elephant campsite, which was fine and only about 25 minute walk. there are loads of campsites on the forest road into the circuit, some just clearings in the forest full of mad germans played sh*te Techno Music very loud!

One of the best circuits and dead easy to do from UK.