[MickP]

Hi taking the children to the Hungarian GP next year. Tickets are free for 13 and under. Anyone experience of whether the kids get ID’ed – either here or at other GPs. My youngest turns 14 years old 10 days before the GP in 2019. Because we are taking the kids we are going in a grandstand so the cost saving is pretty large. Risk?

[Alianora La Canta]

I’m not sure if a child would be ID’d or not, or if so how frequently it happens. It might depend if they look like they might be 14 (so if your teenager is 6 feet tall, it’s more likely than if they’re still 4 feet. Unfair but that’s IDs for you). What I will say is:

1) they’re allowed to do so.

2) the security staff at Hungary are zealous and keen – in general. They will politely but firmly refuse admission if they find out someone is the wrong age. For the avoidance of doubt, a child’s 14th birthday must be on or after 4th August to get child’s rates on the weekend (and, if it happens, the free post-race test). They also don’t change their mind in the face of arguments about their decisions, so negotiation is pointless.

Also, a grandstand ticket that is invalid for the grandstand is invalid for general admission also (although general admission, at least, tends to be available on the day).

No such check is likely to happen for the pitwalk (when one simply needs a valid ticket for admittance), so do not take acceptance of the situation on Thursday as evidence that everything will be OK for the rest of the weekend. Please note that if you decide to resolve the situation by getting the to-be-14-year-old a general admission ticket, you’ll still all be able to sit in the grandstand together for the post-race test (assuming it happens) because everyone can sit where they please for that and, again, it’s free for anyone with a race ticket.

Checks also happen when entering any area not permitted by general admission. I cannot guarantee that the security guards on the grandstand will make the same decision as those on the gates. I also think that there would be more chance of ID requests there than at the gate, because at the gate they also worry about water and bulky bags – for everyone entering the track in that direction. Grandstand staff have time to check every ticket, so I can believe they also have time to check IDs if they believe it appropriate.

I would recommend finding some way to get an adult ticket for the 14-year-old before December 31st, even if that means they are fending for themselves in General Admission while the rest of you are in the grandstand. (General Admission is cheap, safe and has several places where good views are obtainable. As emergency plans go, it’s not a bad one). Why December 31st? Because tickets are 20% off until then.

[MickP]

Excellent advice – much apreciated

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