Debate: Going to a race in 2008?

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It may be many months until the start of the new season, but those thinking of going to one of the early races will already be getting their tickets and hotels sorted.

What race would most like to go to in 2008? Are you planning to visit either of the new additions to the calendar in Singapore or Valencia?

I usually end up going to the British Grand Prix and for the last two years have managed to fit in an extra trip to Istanbul and Monza (you can read about my experiences below).

I’ve always wanted to go to Monaco but it’s a bit too expensive for me. And having just bought a house I might not be able to afford much next year!

What race would you most like to go to? Are you going to one next year?

If you’re thinking of going to a race but haven’t picked one you can read other people’s experiences of the different circuits.

Photo: HondaRacingF1.com

More on the 2008 F1 calendar

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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30 comments on “Debate: Going to a race in 2008?”

  1. I’ve never been to an F1 race, but I would like to go to the Montreal race next year if I could, as it is my “home” GP. From what I’ve read Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is fantastic for spectators, as the stands are postioned reasonably close to the action on the track, which is a big plus for me. I have a friend who went a couple of years back, and he said it was an amazing experience. I’m not sure which corner I’d like to sit at though. Probably the hairpin, but any recommendations would be appreciated.

  2. I have never been to an F1 race, mainly because it costs far too much, and time is limited – I have problems getting to the Renault World Series as it is, and those tickets are for free!

    However, me and my mate always say “we’ll go this year” and would’ve gone to Barcelona had we not already had another trip booked there later in the year.

    However, he is going to the Singapore race next year as he knows people there that can get him free passes and has invited me . . . I could also visit family there so it would be quite good.

    Ironically, even though I haven’t been, Silverstone doesn’t appeal to me that much. There’s been some great races there of recent I’d say, but I’d rather make a trip out of it. Besides, I know I’d be in the presense of Hamilton-mania now, so nah!

  3. I went to a practice session last year at Silverstone and I have been to a few other Renault events and to be honest I would rather stay home and watch it on TV. I had no idea what was going on the whole time I was there.

  4. If I can get the money to do it, I’d like to go to Spa next year. And then Singapore in 2009. The former because it’s a great circuit and I gather several other bloggers would like to arrange some sort of get-together, and Singapore because my best friend lives there (2008 would probably be financially impossible, though).

  5. I’ve already booked a tour to Valencia next year. Just need to wait for the tickets to go on sale. The new track looks amazing :D

  6. I’m from Belgium, so I always go to the Belgian GP, and next year I’ll be there again.. maybe Friday and Saturday only, as Sunday was pretty bad this year..I had to go alone, that might have been a reason…and the dull race (******** V8 rev limited)… and it’s so crowdy then :)… but hell I’ll be there :)

  7. I’m currently booking for Singapore 2008. I’m also waiting for the race tickets to go on sale. But my plane is definitely sorted, while I’m finalizing my hotel. Since I live a couple of hours away from Singapore (by plane), booking plane tickets now are cheap (only around US$200 or 100 pounds for a round trip).

    Any others going to SG next year?

  8. I just got back from Singapore from sort of pre race research :-) Definitelly going there for the race next, no way I will miss out on that… I also plan Melbourne and probably Shanghai. And if I manage to get to Europe over summer may check out 1 race there, not sure which one yet.

  9. I’ve never been to a race. But now since i have the money, i will try to be at Magny Cours or Spa or yet Hockenheim to see a GP since those are the nearest from the place i live now.

  10. I am considering going to the Canadian grand prix, but I live in California and for the price I might consider going to the ALMS 12hrs at sebring instead.

  11. Being in Canada getting to many races is just not in my wallet. Have been to the Canadian Grand Prix 8x and will be going this year again. That’s the only one on my calendar so far.

  12. “Being in Canada getting to many races is just not in my wallet. Have been to the Canadian Grand Prix 8x and will be going this year again. That’s the only one on my calendar so far.”

    Where would you say is the best spot to watch the race from?

  13. I would like to try to make it to Canada if funds are in my account.

    I also hear seats and parking are plentiful for Indy this year.( sorry,couldn’t help myself )

  14. I’ve been to Qualifying in Brazil this year. I live 2000km north of São Paulo, but as my sister lives there I planned to pass ten days on vacation and get to know the city…

    By august, when I bought the tickets, the race day was sold out! Brazilian bloggers commented that It was the earliest sold out ever!

    So, I got the Qualifying tickets for the ‘M’ sector (Best one, at the pit straight, and, depending on where you stay – and I stood there! -, you can see from the “junção” uphill part to the braking and the first part of Senna S)…

    It was an amazing experience, and I plan to go back there next year… The grandstands are covered, confortable, organized, clean, and have radio broadcasting live, but obviously it’s impossible to hear when the cars pass… You’d beter get your own walkman or MP3 player with FM… There’s also a big screen in front of the grandstands, close to the pits…

    I stood in front of the lower ranked teams garages (Super Aguri, Spyker, Toro Rosso, Williams), but It was the best place to see the S…

  15. AmericanTifosi
    3rd December 2007, 23:22

    If I had enough money (emphasis on “if”) I would go to Belgium or the Nurburgring. Silverstone is great too. Unfortunatly the closest race to me (I live in Minnesota) is the ALMS race at Elkhart Lake. I love ALMS and I am a huge Audi fan but I would much rather go to an F1 gp.

  16. I somehow do not see this freeze to last for 10 years. Single tyre rule lasted a year, customer chassis idea not even 2 years. This 10 year engine freeze might be just an another PR exercise by Mosley and FIA. This will only be on table until they come with an answer to Keith’s question – What will happen after … But likely it will not be after 2019 but much earlier…

  17. … sorry for some reason my browser went on strike … the above comment should be for the “engine freeze” article

  18. Eric M: Where would you say is the best spot to watch the race from?

    The best seats are, of course, across from the pits but they’re usually sold out by now and a lot of it is reserved for the package tour groups. Still you might get lucky if you have the price.

    I’ve been to Canada several times and while you can never tell where the action will be I’d recommend the stands at the Senna corner (turn 3, I think). I’d try for the stands right at the corner but I think it was a gold ticket, pricey when I was there, but well worth a couple of weeks of eating ramen noodles. The second set of stands at exit of the turn aren’t bad, you can see them going into and coming out of the corner but, depending where you are in that stand the view can be a little obstructed.

    The other best spots would probably be at the hairpin, but there is a stand between turns 7& 8 that’s pretty fun. The cars are pretty much heading straight at you.

    I think almost all of the stands have a view of the vid screens now. My favourite stand (and the cheapest, actually) was after the hairpin. I noticed they don’t set one up there anymore. During quali and the race in ’96 since the stand was pretty much empty, you could move up to the top row and see them coming down towards the hairpin, then as they came down towards the straight. Not much action but, god! The sound you could hear before you saw them then every single shift and exhaust pop as they hit the hairpin and accelerated out of it!

    Montreal really is a great city for a long weekend and it is dead easy to get to the track. You can take the metro, which is crowded but cheap and they move everyone through amazingly quickly. Or you can actually walk over the bridge. I walked back after one of the races because the metro was really crowed and once you get across the river it’s a nice little scenic walk. Or, you could roller blade, as I saw several people do.

    Hope that helps

  19. If and only if i could save some dough, then it would be Spa. For one, seeing the cars at full chat through the Eau-Rougue, it is an immense thrill(wish i could have a dab at it, like many others). I know it’s like a matter of a couple of seconds, but worth it.

  20. Excellent advice, Verasaki. Thank you!

  21. Since there is no race in Norway, the races I have been to has been places with cheap flights from Oslo. I have been at Istanbul 2006, Barcelona and Hungary 2007.

    Next year me and the boys are going to Hockenheim, but plan to drive Nordschleife earlier that week. But since none of us have driven a race car, we are going to do it in a race rigged VW Polo 1.1, if it’s available and the track isn’t closed. Either way it’s going to be a great weekend.

    Also the lady and I want to go to Valencia, but I’m not sure we can afford it this year. For me it would be great to watch a street race, and the lady wants to see Valencia.

  22. I’ll be going to the Melbourne race (luckily I live there), then my wife and I are looking to go to Singapore. Two races in ’08 sounds great to me! I’ve got some unsolicited advice for anyone attending their first gp – Don’t sit at slow corners! What’s the use in going to see some of the fastest cars in the world, then watching them at 50-100 km/h?! Find a fast or fast-ish corner with views of entry and exit – you get the sense of speed, cornering and gear shifts. In Melbourne this is best achieved by going General Admission because you can get SO close to the cars between turn 5 and 6 (and at turn 6 exit)!!! I can’t wait!

  23. I have been blessed with the opportunity to have actually RACED at 9 USGPs (Watkins Glen) and 2 Canadian GPs (Montreal), support races mind you, but my
    Drivers armband had no exclusions and needless to say there’s nothing like living in the pits during the “big race”.
    Today…….TV coverage (good or bad) beats the cost and limited viewing one gets with a ticket.

  24. Living in Melbourne, I go every year ! Last year we fulfilled a dream & went to Monaco. We went GA because of the prices for grandstand, but I would not do so again. The GA area in Monaco is on the side of a granite hill for starters ! Next time (if there is one) I’ll spend the $$$ for a seat. Having said that though, the amtosphere was amazing and it was a fantastic to be there, watching the most well known race live at the track.

    We are heading off to Singapore next year for the first race there, and I can’t wait. Already booked flights, hotels etc – just waiting for the tickets to be on sale !

  25. This year I only managed to go to Budapest for the Hungarian GP, pretty hot it was! people do go GA there if you cant go Gold4. though next hear I’m absolutely going to Valencia:-)

  26. scott forsyth
    15th January 2008, 16:44

    I shall be attending the Canadian Grand Prix this year and shall be sitting in the gold seat area across from the pits…cant wait, has anyone else been to the canadian gp before or maybe going this year as i have never been to gp befoe and was wondering what the place and the atmosphere is like whiethe event is being held there.

  27. For my husband’s 40th, I am going to get him some tickets for Spa. Can someone advise what are the best tickets to go for? I have sort of narrowed it down to gold 2 or gold 3 (eau rouge). I believe that in gold 2 you can see the podium and the pits but what about gold 3?

    Grateful for any advice!

  28. Hi Joyce. You can find some more information about going to Spa-Francorchamps here: Circuit: Spa-Francorchamps

    From the little map on the official site I’m pretty sure you can’t see the F1 pits from Gold 3, which from the look of it is halfway up Eau Rouge.

    Excellent choice of race by the way. I went in 2000 and it was awesome. Enjoy the frites!

  29. I’m going to my 1st ever live race this year – and it’s at Singapore! I had to fight tooth and nail to get those race tickets, but they’re worth it!!! :)

    milos, PinkPeril, where will you guys sit? I’m sitting at the Marina Grandstand (not the Bay one with the tunnel).

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