Attending the British GP

[Farzad]

So if I were to attend the British GP this year were should I sit?

I know several people here have been to the track and a few have been to the race so assuming for a moment that I could get any seat I wanted which seats do you recommend?

[Mark F1]

From my trips to Silverstone so far, I'd say Bridge was my favourite viewing place. To see one or two cars going flat-out through it is great, but I imagine it would be bloody awesome (and deafening) with 22 cars on the first lap of the GP Plus, you get to see the rest of the complex as well.

And although I've not sat there yet myself, Copse has got to be one of the best viewing spots at the circuit. Hopefully I'll be sitting there if I go to the test next week!

[Farzad]

From my trips to Silverstone so far, I'd say Bridge was my favourite viewing place. To see one or two cars going flat-out through it is great, but I imagine it would be bloody awesome (and deafening) with 22 cars on the first lap of the GP Plus, you get to see the rest of the complex as well.

And although I've not sat there yet myself, Copse has got to be one of the best viewing spots at the circuit. Hopefully I'll be sitting there if I go to the test next week!

If you go let me know how the view is.

[RyDocF1]

I'd love to go to it but theres no chance of it happening this year unfortunately! When I go, I want to be sitting on the pit straight though. Although I'd also like to sit at the Bridge. You can see down to priory from the bridge, cant you?

[NooDle]

from what Ive seen on TV, Bridge does seem to be THE place to sit, when at Silverstone

IIRC you get to see quite a big part of the circuit from there
dunno about prices though...might hurt a bit in the wallet department

[TomDA]

My friend sits at Bridge, she swears by it.

It's where I stood last year for testing. Seeing them come out from under the bridge flat out and go flying around the corner glued to the track is pretty amazing.

And loud.

Very loud!

[jls]

And loud.

Very loud!

Too bad Jermey isn't going to be there. That would be dangerous Loud levels.

[the_full_monty]

I doubt that'd be a-loud.

*cringe*

Was supposed to be booking my tickets this week. But unforseen costs (the rent of my house) means I can't.

We were just going for general admission, so our prime viewing position will probably end up being in the car park. Not goo.

[RyDocF1]

what exactly is general admission? what do you get for it? do you even get the chance to see any of the track? It says roving seat for friday and saturday but sunday it doesnt allow you into the terraces. Its as cheap as chips but sounds terrible!

[the_full_monty]

what exactly is general admission? what do you get for it? do you even get the chance to see any of the track? It says roving seat for friday and saturday but sunday it doesnt allow you into the terraces. Its as cheap as chips but sounds terrible!

It basically means they'll let you in at the gate. But thats it.

We did general admission for Spa a couple of years ago and had no problem *ahem* getting *ahem* into the grandstands on Friday and Saturday, seeing as they were half empty.

For Sunday, you just have to get up early and grab a decent spot of grass somewhere. I actually think we saw a lot more of the track on Sunday than we did in the grandstands, but its more the luck of the draw.

[GVMaranello]

Bridge is the best. Mind your ears. Ill be in the paddock swatting reporters.But I usually end up down there some time during the weekend its by far the best place on track

[NooDle]

yeah General admission at Spa can even mean you see more than with a gold ticket worth 3 times as much
all depends on where you want to sit and how soon you can get there


if I had a grandstand seat I would turn up incredibly late because the seats are numbered anyway, so you cant "lose" your place

but when I went to Spa, I was there at 9 in the morning, and that was actually quite late if you wanted to be able to get a good spot in the gras( ie mud)

jumping over the gates is goo!

[GVMaranello]

:) yeah General admission at Spa can even mean you see more than with a gold ticket worth 3 times as much
all depends on where you want to sit and how soon you can get there


if I had a grandstand seat I would turn up incredibly late because the seats are numbered anyway, so you cant "lose" your place

but when I went to Spa, I was there at 9 in the morning, and that was actually quite late if you wanted to be able to get a good spot in the gras( ie mud)

jumping over the gates is goo!

What Grass??? They Have Grass ???? Funny Grass Looks like mud to me!

Jumping over gates can cause injury

"Will someone please tell me why its always raining at Spa"

And what the hell has spa gotta do with the British GP???????

[MiÑardi]

General admission for Silverstone isn't bad if you get in early enough to get a good spot. The grass bank at Stowe was pretty good. Could see down half the hanger straight, through stowe, vale, club and down towards abbey. Also been in the grandstand at Luffield which was good. Saw most of the complex and the start finish straight. I've never been in the grandstand by Bridge but i've stood by the bridge and it was awesome. Even if you only saw them for 2 seconds

[bigfoot]

Club is a good spot, you can see the cars exit hanger straight through Stowe and towards you through Vale, then accelerate through Club itself.

If you want to pick and choose a spot on general admittance you need to be there early (6:00am)

[TomDA]

And loud.

Very loud!

Too bad Jermey isn't going to be there. That would be dangerous Loud levels.

It is dangerous anyway. Having Jermey there would cause a chain reaction that would see the world as we know it implode.

But...

Standing where I did to take that photo in the Silverstone testing thread, the noise is absolutely unbelievable. It makes your teeth ache and the hairs on your arms and legs stand on end. Err, yeh.

There was that bloke who shoots the photos for the F1 website, sitting on the OTHER side of the fence, just after the bridge. The cars were passing about 2 foot from him at a squillionty miles an hour. He wasn't even wearing ear phones. I stood near him and when the first car came out I almost dived onto the floor as I thought it was going to crash.

But it's all good though .

[Alex]

In 2004 I sat at Abbey, anticipating non-stop overtaking like in 2003. Unfortunately, pretty much all we got was Button passing Sato on the first lap but it was still a good view...

http://www.farzadsf1gallery.com/image_u ... 004-ABBEY-[2].jpg

Last year I was in the Hangar Straight grandstand, which is located right about where the cars start braking and turning into Stowe: awesome! It was particularly good for studying the drivers' different styles - Ralf and Michael, for example, were like chalk and cheese. Ralf braked earlier, but blended his brakes and throttle substantially, changing down through all his gears very quickly; Michael braked suddenly and so, so late, shifting down more evenly. Unfortunately last year was actually a bit of a boring race, we only saw one overtaking move (Kimi on Alonso, and that wasn't even a proper pass). Still it was a great spectacle and thoroughly recommended!

[old stop-pit]

First year i went to Silverstone (2000) I sat in the grandstand on Pits Straight, that was great for the start, seeing all the drivers and celebs on the grid and pitstops, but generally quit inactive during the race.
When I went in 2001 I sat at Copse (1st corner) in the grandstand - that was great, good for 1st corner trouble and close racing (Hakkinen-Schumacher was awesome).
I went in 2003 and watched from Vale, just before Club - great for overtaking and good for getting to see quite a lot of the track (right up to Stowe and right round Club and along Farm Straight, up to Abbey and Bridge), you need to arrive very early (as soon as the track opens) on rca eday to be guaranteed a good spot if you don't have grandstand seats.
When i went in 2004 we watched from Bridge (exit). This was good but was very popular and not much space to sit. We saw Jarno Trulli flip his Renault here in 2004.
Other recommended viewing spots are Becketts (direction-change is wow), Luffield (breaking is illustrated best here). The entrance to bridge is good too, just as you come out the spectator tunnel. I remember you used to be able to get within 8 feet of the F1 cars going through bridge at 150mph, but then they went and put a fence up further from the track

Hope this helps....

[Max2147]

I watched from the grass bank outside the exit of Copse in 2003. We couldn't see much, but we were about as close to the cars as we could get, which was very cool. You could just feel the power and speed of the cars!

For the vintage race afterwards we got into the Copse grandstands, which are a great place to watch. You can see the cars from the exit of Woodcote all the way to the entrance of the Becketts curves. Plus, you see the race start and pit stops.

A quick look at the Silverstone site says that the 2 best stands (Copse E and D) are sold out, and Copse C looks to be the only good one left. Certainly not cheap though!

They are having an interesting promotion though this year. They're showing England's first World Cup game at the track after Saturday's qualifying session....

[GVMaranello]

The Grandstands near the pits always have the best veiws but they cost an arm and a leg

[Mark F1]

And loud.

Very loud!

Have you ever walked through the spectator tunnel at Bridge whilst a car has gone past?

That's an experience within itself!

[bigfoot]

What I always used to do 1996-2000 on a general admitance ticket was to walk the circuit on Saturday, watching the action from just about everywhere possible , feeling the atmosphere through both practice sessions and then qualifying. Then choose my spot for sunday race and make a beeline for that spot early on Sunday morning armed with deckchair, drinks umbrellas etc.

Travel light and check out the spectacular spots on Saturday (Eau Rouge, Copse etc) but find a good general viewing spot and bed down for Sunday raceday!

To enjoy the race you need a radio, a chair (deckchair) plenty of drinks and snacks, a good general view and an air blaster to parp at Jenson on his victory lap!!

Enjoy!!

[MonteCristo]

To enjoy the race you need [...] an air blaster

So you're one of those people I yell at over the television during races...

[Mark F1]

My friend sits at Bridge, she swears by it.

It's where I stood last year for testing. Seeing them come out from under the bridge flat out and go flying around the corner glued to the track is pretty amazing.

And loud.

Very loud!

For those that have never been to Silverstone, enjoy this short clip I took from Bridge during testing last September

[NooDle]

To enjoy the race you need [...] an air blaster

So you're one of those people I yell at over the television during races...

yes! airhorns are for football fans!
that and Germans...