Cost of spectating at a Grand Prix

[wolfhound]

I was reading an article in Autosport.com about the cost of attending a GP.
http://plus.autosport.com/premium/fe...of-the-market/

I was wondering if fans regard the addmission prices to a GP as value for money.
The above article puts the cost of attending a GP outside easy commuting distance at about £750 per person. This cost includes tickets (mid level grandstand), travel, hotel (3*) and an allowance for other costs.

Looking at ticket prices on some web sites I found that weekend general admission can be as low as £10 ( Malaysia average about £120) and the most expensive grandstand about £ £1299 (Brazil, USA is very close behind).
For comparison purposes general admission to Le Mans 24h is about £70 with granstands up to about £200. I was not able to find prices for the Indy 500

One also has to allow for scalping over GP weekends when it comes to hotel prices as some seem to charge 10 times normal prices.

If one has to pay for two people or more then it can become a very expensive short break.

[bella]

personally... not in the slightest. for me, le mans is excellent value for money nowadays - £60ish for a general admission ticket, then pay for your grandstand - a view of the pit straight and podium is as little as £60 again. i know the capacity of a f1 event is lower than le mans and they have to limit it somehow but come on...

it's not f1's fault that the hotel costs are high - that's something the local area needs to address with the support of the sport. at many of the european events camping is a massive part of the experience so it's not as if spectators are forced into buying a hotel room unless they're venturing to monaco or further afield.

[QnickFTW]

Call me a cheapskate, but I found the best value for money is the Friday General Admission ticket.

As a younger kid I attended two GP's (San Marino and Hungary) with what I believe were Silver Grand Stand 3 day tickets, Im not sure how much my dad paid for those (most likely around 300 euros each in today's money), but if Im being honest I didnt really see all that much of what was going on, 90% of the information were coming from the screen and not from what I could see on track (there's been amazing moments tho, like one car crashing out in the front of us, or another, from a lower category doing doughnuts just there). Also by Sunday it became a bit of a been there done that If Im being perfectly honest and 3 days straight under the sun kinda took the toll on me as well.

Eversince I visited Istambul (as a part of a holiday in Turkey) and again Hungary with General Admission tickets for Friday. Both occasion set me back by less than 30 euro (closer to 20 actually) and I really made the most out of it. I could freely walk around the track (you can walk thru large sections, then you might need to leave and re-enter another gate, but your ticket will work at most gates anyway) you find your best spots for most every corner. You get all the "audio experience" which is a huge part of it, to hear these cars roaring past you. You can make some awesome pictures, and with a telescope you'll be always able to see what the standings are on the screen. HUSH-HUSH Usually Fridays are so laid back and with such low attendance that once the 2nd F1 practice is over, all it takes to make your way to a Silver or Bronze grand stand is to ask them nicely, and then you can watch the rest of the program (usually some GP2 and Porsche sessions) from a stand with screens. All that for a bag of peanuts. Then go home and watch the rest of the weekend on your big-screen tele, in an air-com room, with some ice-cold soda, and sometimes go: Oh, thats exactly where we were sitting on Friday.

[Kai]

I've yet to go to a grand prix, but I've been looking at going to Austin with my father this year as it falls on my birthday. The 3-day GA for $159 doesn't seem too bad, about three times what I would pay for a one day GA for ALMS at Long Beach or Laguna Seca. Unfortunately with it being a new circuit, I have no idea how good the GA viewing areas are, or if the grandstands are worth the extra $140...

The $400 plane ticket though, that's another story... ouch.

[wolfhound]

You can attend a 2013 Gp from £13 and the lowest price for a European GP is Monaco at £30 . I assume that is up on the hill somewhere near the French border.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21561123

[Knowlesy]

I stopped going to GP when I actually started to consider what it was actually costing me each year.

So I started going to testing instead, but they don't really do that very much these days.

[Down F0rce]

Attending races is an expensive hobby, but there is nothing on this Earth I like to do more than to go to a big race. The prices can be eye watering, but I just suck it up and get on with it. To keep costs down I usually stay in campsites or hostels.

Silverstone F1 is getting kinda ridiculous now though - £160 for a weekend general admission! It was £99 when I went back in '07... I think that's more of a UK thing though. F1 races tend to be cheaper in Europe, as well as other races. It costs £30 at the gate for the BTCC at Knockhill (Sunday only), but I paid about £20 for a weekend ticket for the DTM at Zandvoort. My Indy 500 race day ticket was £57.

[Aysedasi]

I must admit I gave up doing the British GP many years ago. For a few years we did practice instead. I used to go with my bro-in-law but he died back in the early 90s and my interest waned, helped by the increasing cost. I can't say that I'd be even tempted to go now unless someone else was footing the bill. I content myself with going to Le Mans each year at a fraction of the ticket cost.....

[eps]

We went to the British GP in 91 and then 92. I think the cost then was around £45 and then £55 for a General Entrance ticket. After 92, I think they just chucked another tenner on it and we baulked at that. Went to the Belgian GP in 97 and my first Le Mans that year as well. They were just way better events I've since been to F1 a couple of times, once on a freebie, as it was on the Saturday and the tix were going begging and then paid for me and my son to go, they were 'cheap' at around £200 or so for grandstand tix - late offers and as we're local to Silverstone worked well for us. My preference would be LM / LM Classic and GT stuff - so much more access and cheaper.

Saying all of that, three of us are going to the Monaco GP this year, which isn't going to be cheap (Flights, grandstand tickets and Hotel) but it is an event I am greatly looking forward to.

On top of that I'd really like to go to the States and see a NASCAR race

[bella]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

You can attend a 2013 Gp from £13 and the lowest price for a European GP is Monaco at £30 . I assume that is up on the hill somewhere near the French border.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21561123

actually it's one of the better spots in terms of all-round visibility on the calendar anywhere in f1. you just have to be there before the first train to get a good place

[werner]

I've been once to the Turkisch GP in 2010. I payed e125 for a seat on the grandstand with a view on the last corners and a large TV-screen. A great place, where Vettel and Webber had their coming together. The good thing about Turkey was the cost of the accomodation. Istanbul is such a large city, that it easily can take the visitors to the race. Therefore, rooms did not cost much more than other days. I calculated that going to Turkey for the weekend was cheaper than going to the closest GP for me, wich is the Belgian.

[mountainstar]

The cost of going to a GP has put me off for a long time. When I calculated the cost of going to Austin, it was into the 4 figures and I can think of better ways to spend the money on myself.

I became a bad spectator anyways years ago once I started getting track time myself. Once you do it yourself, paying to watch other people do it, especially for the crazy sums involved for F1 tickets, isn't really interesting. Over the past few years I have not been to many races at all.

I would go to an F1 event if I happened to be in the local area, but I don't think anymore I would travel out of my way for one because it's too expensive for what you get in return.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

I stopped going to F1 races as not only is it damn expensive but a terrible value and an overall terrible experience. 3 Days of F1 and boring spec series (GP3 and Porsche Cup=Power naps), oh, and a minute of your favourite drivers sitting on a truck generally uninterested at you on the circuit. Not to mention Silverstone is a dump, went there with free tickets in 2010 and it still sucked. Monza is an even bigger joke and Spa is primitive, although it seems the German facilities are good. Monaco is cool but a tad bit overrated IMHO. Le Mans is a much better location, facility, nicer people, atmosphere and of course a fraction of the price for an entire season of GP racing.

These days I usually go to Le Mans or an American oval in addition to a couple of ALMS races. Daytona, Indy 500, Indy at TMS, Richmond, Talladega or the Best, the Bristol Motor Speedway night race, are a much better "experience", and arguably the most amazing thing you'll ever see in your life.

For eps, go, even if ovals are often not that great on TV theres nothing like having 43 850 hp stock cars coming towards you, either at a short track in front of 150,000 fans that make the Tifosi at Monza look like wimps or big pack on the superspeedway. Or for Indy 500, another great experience. I'd personally recommend the Bristol Night race for NASCAR, I've been to the Indy 500, Daytona 500, Monaco GP, Le Mans, Silverstone, Monza, and NOTHING beats that particular race, and this is coming from more of a circuit fan.

[Armco Bender]

£1299 (Brazil)

Includes armed guards.

[OZ_HCR32]

I have been lucky enough to go to a number of OS races as well as the Australian GP and they are expensive weekends. My only complaint about the money spent is you see more track action at a state round. Whoever runs these shows needs to get mroe classes racing and ensure there is more track activity. Abu Dhabi is a joke from what a friend told me of last years race.

Hotels are dependent on country. Hungarian GP was a steal for the digs I had in Budapest, ditto Malaysian. People will crap their dacks when they look at what crap hotels in Melbourne cost any week of the year let alone over GP weekend. Many countries also put on free shuttle buses etc like Monza and Hungary whilst in Aus you are still expected to pay for trams.

So they are expensive but its all relative and the joke is my home GP in Aus is about the most expensive GP I have attended

[Sodemo]

I dont go anymore to Silverstone for the F1. I go to DTM, Touring car events. Much cheaper and better racing. I last went in 2004 and it cost £90 for all 3 days I think.

[The Happy Track Fan]

The cost of attending a Grand Prix is just pure insane, especially when the race lasts 90 minutes.

Going to Montreal with my wife would easily cost me $1,500.00 for a weekend. That is simply not worth the money. I absolutely can't justify it. Anywhere else would involve flights, and that drives the price up even more. Plus, Montreal is not a very good circuit, neither competition wise or for spectators, so my interest is even less.

I can go to about 4-5 other races for that much.

Besides. The thought of giving Bernie Ecclestone my money just gives me indigestion in the worst way. The worst thing that ever happened to Formula One racing was letting that man have control of the sport. Complete Greedy Moron.

[Spritle]

Stuff like this doesn't help:

http://en.espnf1.com/usa/motorsport/story/101631.html

That aside...Indy, loathed as it was by many was a bargain aside from the hotel gouging which is really a shame it is allowed.

I went every year to both quali & the race and paid about $150 for a grandstand seat, under the overhang out of the sun & rain on the start finish line on race day, EXCELLENT seats!

With what Austin wants for a grandstand seat & a hotel room I will never go. General admission at more than what I paid at Indy to sit on a hill was OK for me when I was 18, not today.

I will look at Jersey if it happens but if they want $600 for a grandstand they can soak some other moron.

[JamesH]

Do any of you go to club events? Entry £10-20, perhaps 15 varied races in a day, ability to walk round the paddock and pit garages?

Racing tends to be a bit more exciting too....not as fast, but closer.

Give it a go. The circuits need your income.

[wnut]

You're right JamesH, the local events have a far more open and friendly atmosphere, you don't get beaten up by security goons or subject to hooligan behaviour, and it is always good to go through the pits!

Better on track action too, with as you say up to 15 races of different categories, way way better value.

Grand Prix race meetings used to be as good!

1st meeting I ever attended had:

Production cars 2 races
Modified Production 2 races
Formula Vee
Production Motorcylces
Racing Motorcycles
Grand Prix

With a 30 min practice (some mixed) for each category in the early morning.

In later years FF was added to the program.

Then came Bernie ....

[peckstar]

I live 160km from the melb GP track. caught the train on thurs which cost me $40 return. it was free entry to the track, i had packed my lunch, bought a couple of cokes. cost for the day $52.

to do the same thing today would cost me about $100 for the day.

to get to an event at my local race track for a state level race would cost me a bout $60 for the saturday.

Reckon F1 is great value

[formerf1champ]

LOL! Who goes to the GP??? It's only worth going to the GP, as a spectator, if you're a professional driver competing in the supports.

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

So I started going to testing instead, but they don't really do that very much these days.

That's not a bad alternative. You Euro folk are a lucky bunch.

Originally Posted by Kai

I've yet to go to a grand prix, .

You're not missing much. You, being on the West Coast, would have more fun at that big historic meeting at Laguna Seca.

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

Includes armed guards.

Hehehe

[formerf1champ]

quote JamesH

Do any of you go to club events? Entry £10-20, perhaps 15 varied races in a day, ability to walk round the paddock and pit garages?

Yes I do! Often!

Racing tends to be a bit more exciting too..

Not always. some cars a clearly better (or more money has been spent on them) or some drivers are much more confident. Even if a race is processional (as far as a race for the front is concerned), you can always find a point of interest, like a particular car to take a photo of or observe.

..not as fast, but closer.

I will admit. Regardless of where I am at Phillip Island, I always make the effort to get to the start/finish line in a fvee/fford race.

The circuits need your income.

PI does not need my income.

[Dixie Flatline]

I think the Australian Grand Prix race organisers have recognised that prices are skyrocketing (not helped by Bernie's demands to keep the race in Melbourne) so they are varying the types of tickets that can be purchased by spectators. Not sure if it's helping the affordability issues, as I haven't been to a grand prix for a while (three children tends to stop me from going these days), but at least they're trying something.

[peckstar]

Kids are free dixie, you should take them