F1 test Jerez - What to see?
Discussion
Bit of a off the cuff thing, turned out a mate of a mate had a villa just down the road from the circuit, so we've booked some dirt cheap flights to head out when the testing is on next month.
Anyone been before? What to see, where to go, any pointers? Not expecting much, more of a 3 day lads trip/booze up but if we get a good chance to see anything it would be great.
Anyone been before? What to see, where to go, any pointers? Not expecting much, more of a 3 day lads trip/booze up but if we get a good chance to see anything it would be great.
I went last year as was living close by in Portugal.
Good:
cheap to get in (15 Euros for 1 day)
Good viewing of most of the track
The "VIP" stand opposite the pit garages gives a good view of what the mechanics are doing (but see below)
Parking easy very close to the track (2 mins walk)
Bad:
Not much catering available so take food/drink with you
Not a lot of action as Red Bull plus others kept breaking down! (might be better this year)
Lots of periods of inactivity
The teams keep closing the garage doors so you can't see what they are doing. Ferrari even put barriers around the car when stationary.
In summary, if you want a lad's trip with cheap access to F1 worth going but it is nothing like the real F1 racing as it is there for a shake down by the F1 teams.
Good:
cheap to get in (15 Euros for 1 day)
Good viewing of most of the track
The "VIP" stand opposite the pit garages gives a good view of what the mechanics are doing (but see below)
Parking easy very close to the track (2 mins walk)
Bad:
Not much catering available so take food/drink with you
Not a lot of action as Red Bull plus others kept breaking down! (might be better this year)
Lots of periods of inactivity
The teams keep closing the garage doors so you can't see what they are doing. Ferrari even put barriers around the car when stationary.
In summary, if you want a lad's trip with cheap access to F1 worth going but it is nothing like the real F1 racing as it is there for a shake down by the F1 teams.
The long range forecast is for 18 deg and sunny.
Last year everyone said ( including me) that most cars would not finish Australiam GP, based on what happened at Jerez, but most of them did - so I do not see reliability being the same issue this year.
I go every year and do not recall not finding something to eat from Bacon sandwich to Paella - you could just rely on drinking beers.
No, it is not a race and without a stopwatch, it can be difficult to understand what the teams are testing. Wet track testing will be arranged for one day.
Last year everyone said ( including me) that most cars would not finish Australiam GP, based on what happened at Jerez, but most of them did - so I do not see reliability being the same issue this year.
I go every year and do not recall not finding something to eat from Bacon sandwich to Paella - you could just rely on drinking beers.
No, it is not a race and without a stopwatch, it can be difficult to understand what the teams are testing. Wet track testing will be arranged for one day.
from my experience of testing you can't see much looking at the pits as the teams all put screens up when working on the cars.
personally i wouldn't worry about getting there early as the cars will typically do a single install lap, and then come back in and get torn down and rebuilt for the next hour or before coming out again.
the main building at Jerez is at the centre of the track, so you get a pretty good view if they let you go up on top.
A lot of the drivers stay at the Montecastillo which is just outside the circuit. If you go for dinner there you'll probably see a few of them. (the Tournedos beef is pretty good)
personally i wouldn't worry about getting there early as the cars will typically do a single install lap, and then come back in and get torn down and rebuilt for the next hour or before coming out again.
the main building at Jerez is at the centre of the track, so you get a pretty good view if they let you go up on top.
A lot of the drivers stay at the Montecastillo which is just outside the circuit. If you go for dinner there you'll probably see a few of them. (the Tournedos beef is pretty good)
Thanks, good info. We are not expecting anything like going to a race - it was just the offer of free digs, and £58 flights, we thought why the heck not. Only other cost will be a rental to whizz about in between 4 of us and food/beers.
I'll be taking some shorts (optimistic), my drinking hat, and my camera, just in case I can get 'that' crucial spy photo to sell to autosport magazine!
I'll be taking some shorts (optimistic), my drinking hat, and my camera, just in case I can get 'that' crucial spy photo to sell to autosport magazine!
I have done the Barcelona test most years recently (just down the road for me ) & Jerez last year.
Pretty much the same story for viewing, although I reckon Barcelona is better as there are more interesting sections that you can get close to for photography, and normally you can do the whole circuit (which if I remember you couldn't at Jerez. Particularly if you are going for more than 1 day you have plenty of time to go round the whole track & that is worthwhile. Entry is a bit more, think it was a Tenner rather than the Fiver at Jerez, in previous years if you had a ticket for the race you had free entry to the post race test (or in other years the pre-season tests ) but I can't find any indication of that this year.
Transport wise, take the train to Montmelo & then 30-40 min walk. If you want a "rowdy/cultural" time stay in Barcelona, if you want a more relaxed location Girona is only 40min drive up the Motorway, the problem there being that Ryanair have a very limited flight programme until the end of March.
Jerez was a bit dreary last year, with virtually no running, very unlikely to be a problem this time around.
Better choice of grub at Jerez (in the main grandstand before last corner, which has a panoramic view over more than half the circuit ) & Beer cheaper in the circuit than Barcelona, where choice of food was very limited.
If you plan on taking your own "refreshments" be aware that you may not get by Security with anything other than plastic bottles, "no glass/no cans" rules are sometimes imposed depending on their mood & diligence.
A great way to see the cars in action from lots of different locations.
If going to Barcelona take a selection of clothes, you can alternately be getting a suntan & freezing to death at the top of a Grandstand in a stiff North wind off the mountains not so far away.
Pretty much the same story for viewing, although I reckon Barcelona is better as there are more interesting sections that you can get close to for photography, and normally you can do the whole circuit (which if I remember you couldn't at Jerez. Particularly if you are going for more than 1 day you have plenty of time to go round the whole track & that is worthwhile. Entry is a bit more, think it was a Tenner rather than the Fiver at Jerez, in previous years if you had a ticket for the race you had free entry to the post race test (or in other years the pre-season tests ) but I can't find any indication of that this year.
Transport wise, take the train to Montmelo & then 30-40 min walk. If you want a "rowdy/cultural" time stay in Barcelona, if you want a more relaxed location Girona is only 40min drive up the Motorway, the problem there being that Ryanair have a very limited flight programme until the end of March.
Jerez was a bit dreary last year, with virtually no running, very unlikely to be a problem this time around.
Better choice of grub at Jerez (in the main grandstand before last corner, which has a panoramic view over more than half the circuit ) & Beer cheaper in the circuit than Barcelona, where choice of food was very limited.
If you plan on taking your own "refreshments" be aware that you may not get by Security with anything other than plastic bottles, "no glass/no cans" rules are sometimes imposed depending on their mood & diligence.
A great way to see the cars in action from lots of different locations.
If going to Barcelona take a selection of clothes, you can alternately be getting a suntan & freezing to death at the top of a Grandstand in a stiff North wind off the mountains not so far away.
Depending on your rental car company, you can be screwed over for a lot more than a tenner. Some companies charge you for a full tank, at an inflated price & are "not so accurate" at refunding you for unused fuel (which will be most of it if staying in Barcelona ) If you are staying in the city itself I doubt I would go through the hassle of navigating through the dense traffic / finding a parking & would just probably let "the train take the strain".
Many thanks, good to know 
We've already booked the car - it's £8 when booked with a Ryanair reference for a Leon or similar, and the apartment we booked has a free parking space. Flight goes to Girona, so thought a car would save a lot of hassle not just getting to the track, but getting to and from the airport late on a Friday night and on a Monday evening.
Hopefully the traffic won't be too painful as we're there over a weekend, and we're staying at that side of the city - Google says it's a 20 minute drive to the circuit. Apartment booked through Airbnb so it seems very good value.
Good tip on the food/drink - need to make sure we're well stocked up on the Saturday then
We've already booked the car - it's £8 when booked with a Ryanair reference for a Leon or similar, and the apartment we booked has a free parking space. Flight goes to Girona, so thought a car would save a lot of hassle not just getting to the track, but getting to and from the airport late on a Friday night and on a Monday evening.
Hopefully the traffic won't be too painful as we're there over a weekend, and we're staying at that side of the city - Google says it's a 20 minute drive to the circuit. Apartment booked through Airbnb so it seems very good value.
Good tip on the food/drink - need to make sure we're well stocked up on the Saturday then
http://www.eltiempo.es/aeropuerto-jerez-la-parra-x...
It's going to be a bit cooler than the long range suggested.
It's going to be a bit cooler than the long range suggested.
rdjohn said:
http://www.eltiempo.es/aeropuerto-jerez-la-parra-x...
It's going to be a bit cooler than the long range suggested.
Perhaps shorts not a good idea unless you are brave as the stands are quite exposed. Frozen nether regions can be quite uncomfortable when sitting there all day!It's going to be a bit cooler than the long range suggested.
iandc said:
Perhaps shorts not a good idea unless you are brave as the stands are quite exposed. Frozen nether regions can be quite uncomfortable when sitting there all day!
If you pay a little extra and park inside the circuit you can watch from the comfort of your car!I did this last year, you can park round on the hairpin on the start of the lap.
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