Silverstone help needed...

Silverstone help needed...

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Discussion

HELPMEOUTHERE

Original Poster:

3 posts

83 months

Sunday 5th November 2017
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So my husband has been a good boy this year and he's getting GP tickets from Santa....

Now i need a little help from you good people....

Please bear with me ... this isn't my scene

I know i need sunday tickets. (I've lisstened to him ramble on to pick up that much info...)

Do i need stand tickets? Or general admission is ok?

Do i need parking? We're oop north... Is the park n ride a good idea?

Does he need to stay over the night before? Or is a drive in the am ok?

Am i missing anything to make this a better gift?

Help / advice much appreciated!


HELPMEOUTHERE

Original Poster:

3 posts

83 months

Sunday 5th November 2017
quotequote all
And best / cheapest place to buy tickets is the Silverstone website,no? Or am I missing a trick?

peekay74

450 posts

230 months

Sunday 5th November 2017
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All depends on what you want to spend, and Silverstone is not cheap!! I got lucky this year and got an invite that included corporate hospitality. It was based in the old paddocks but thought it was excellent. Full access to old paddock and pits where you can see all fp3 and gp2 cars along with Porsche super cup. Also free roaming from Wellington Straight all the way over to maggots. Quick walk over bridge into Fanzone. As I say, was expensive but worth the money - included as much food and booze as you can consume too. That was just for the Sunday though. HTH

99dndd

2,127 posts

95 months

Wednesday 8th November 2017
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HELPMEOUTHERE said:
So my husband has been a good boy this year and he's getting GP tickets from Santa.... I too, have been behaving myself

Now i need a little help from you good people....

Please bear with me ... this isn't my scene

I know i need sunday tickets. (I've lisstened to him ramble on to pick up that much info...) Yes

Do i need stand tickets? Or general admission is ok? GA's OK, but you'd have to get there early (8amish)

Do i need parking? We're oop north... Is the park n ride a good idea? Yes and Probably

Does he need to stay over the night before? Or is a drive in the am ok? Would be a good idea to get there early

Am i missing anything to make this a better gift?

Help / advice much appreciated!
See above

Quickmoose

4,656 posts

129 months

Wednesday 8th November 2017
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Get general admission tickets for Sunday
Give as present
Bask in after glow
Then let him sort out and pay for the rest...he'll enjoy organising it and if anything goes wrong it'll be his fault.

Anything else is other people's subjective preference right?

I mean I've done it on the cheap, driven up on the day, paid for parking, used GA tickets, wandered round peering through the crowds and then gone home
I've also gone for a weekend with grandstand seats and camped
I've also enjoyed full hospitality....

If you're not sure what to get... don't risk getting it wrong or spending on stuff he wouldn't appreciate...

PDP76

2,581 posts

156 months

Wednesday 8th November 2017
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Grandstand all day long for me.
No turning up first thing to get the best GA places.
I much prefer booked seats.
Sat in woodcote b this year, good spot, decent amount of car time and a big screen.
If you want to get on the track at the end you can. If you would prefer to get on the track for the podium celebrations I’d suggest much closer seating.

StevieBee

13,391 posts

261 months

Wednesday 8th November 2017
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HELPMEOUTHERE said:
Do i need parking? We're oop north... Is the park n ride a good idea?

Does he need to stay over the night before? Or is a drive in the am ok?
Depends on how far up north. I'd say that anywhere south of Sheffield and you could just about do it with an early start on the day. And I do mean 5.00am early. Otherwise, camping or a B&B nearby would be a good idea but don't hang around on booking either.

HELPMEOUTHERE said:
Am i missing anything to make this a better gift?
Others have covered most of what you need to take into account.

It is a little known fact beyond the racing fan community that it is tradition for male race day goers to be treated to a week long supply of favourite beer and teatime food in the evenings running up to the big event. And on the evening following the race, returning home tired but exalted, it is also tradition for the female partner to provide physical sustenance to round off a pleasant day. This should not be overlooked :-)




HardtopManual

2,520 posts

172 months

Wednesday 8th November 2017
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Are you definitely set on Silverstone?

Because, for the price of grandstand tickets at Silverstone, you could fly out to a European race and make a weekend of it with General Admission or cheaper grandstand tickets. You can sit in a grandstand seat opposite the pit exit at Monza for the price of a GA ticket at Silverstone.

rubystone

11,254 posts

265 months

Wednesday 8th November 2017
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HardtopManual said:
Are you definitely set on Silverstone?

Because, for the price of grandstand tickets at Silverstone, you could fly out to a European race and make a weekend of it with General Admission or cheaper grandstand tickets. You can sit in a grandstand seat opposite the pit exit at Monza for the price of a GA ticket at Silverstone.
Does that include the hotel stay etc too?

paulyv

1,046 posts

129 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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You'll get an almost endless range of possibilities with this question I am afraid and my own answer will not make things much clearer, but my ten pence worth anyway. I have been to a few races, like many on here.

Firstly a lovely present idea - you will have a fun time wherever you go - some of it will be hectic but enjoyable.

Silverstone. I would recommend a grandstand seat. As I have only sat in one I cannot recommend which to go for. It gives you a base, you won't lose your place when you go for a beer/food, it takes the pressure of with regards to arrival time, and as I find Silverstone's circuit to be quite far from where the crowds congregate I think being a little higher up helps. It's a pricey option though, as you are going to be looking at a minimum of 250 - 300 per seat. I did General Admission there once - I camped a 30 minute walk from the circuit and had to be at the gate by 6am after which I sat in my fold up seat until the race started at 1pm. Great fun, but when I went back a few years later I took a grandstand seat - no comparison.

Monza. An excellent circuit where you appear to be able to walk around far more easily than Silverstone and you can certainly get closer to the action. I went about 2 years ago and a grandstand ticket by the pit entrance at the end of the famous 'parabolica' corner was about 89 pounds - that was for the weekend. I recall getting to the circuit from Milan involves a 45 minute train and a 30 minute walk, but you'll be doing a lot of walking regardless of which circuit you go to. You'd have to decide for yourself if getting flights and hotels makes this a fair comparison but if I was asked which is the better F1 experience I would say Monza.

Spa in Belgium held just before Monza is also a possibility - it is not far from Brussels.

I believe the Silverstone website would provide you with a good rate for the tickets but also worth looking at places like BookF1, especially if you are interested in comparing with other circuits - the Monza tickets should be on sale in a month or so if I recall correctly.

Best of luck.

HELPMEOUTHERE

Original Poster:

3 posts

83 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
Massive thanks for the responses so far everyone. I really appreciate your feedback.

Husband will be going with his friend - and his friend has time restrictions due to family commitments - so a weekend abroad isn't an option unfortunately.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

30,502 posts

241 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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If you can stretch to it a grandstand is a brill idea. Also, a big screen opposite is great to actually know what's going on.

motco

16,179 posts

252 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
PDP76 said:
Grandstand all day long for me.
No turning up first thing to get the best GA places.
I much prefer booked seats.
Sat in woodcote b this year, good spot, decent amount of car time and a big screen.
If you want to get on the track at the end you can. If you would prefer to get on the track for the podium celebrations I’d suggest much closer seating.
I agree. We were in the Luffield stand this year with a big screen opposite and had the enormous pleasure of seeing Herr Vettel in the flesh limping along with his car's arse dragging on the track! Park and ride is good. The buses are noisy and crowded but you get to the circuit with no further hassle.


Edited by motco on Thursday 9th November 17:38

Dermot O'Logical

2,770 posts

135 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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The best grandstand seats are at the Becketts/Maggots complex - a high speed series of bends and you can really see the differences between the cars that "work" and those which don't, and how this affects the cars as they head on to the Hangar Straight.


PDP76

2,581 posts

156 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
motco said:
I agree. We were in the Luffield stand this year with a big screen opposite and had the enormous pleasure of seeing Herr Vettel in the flesh limping along with his car's arse dragging on the track! Park and ride is good. The buses are noisy and crowded but you get to the circuit with no further hassle.


Edited by motco on Thursday 9th November 17:38
Yes Vettels puncture had luffield and woodcote stands on their feet roaring lol.
Great Atmosphere Silverstone, great fans.

Op monza is good if the time can be made for it. Looking at Monza options for 2018 myself.

egor110

17,244 posts

209 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
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Have a look at the ledger coach tours to the Belgian gp.

We went for pretty much what we spent for a weekend at silverstone.

HardtopManual

2,520 posts

172 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
rubystone said:
Does that include the hotel stay etc too?
Depends how much the hotel costs really. I've done flights + ticket + AirBnB for less than £400.

sly fox

2,236 posts

225 months

Wednesday 15th November 2017
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I've done F1 @ Silverstone many times. And this year was my last time.
It's overpriced - and offers much less viewing pleasure than other European tracks.
I'm doing Hungary, Barcelona and Singapore next year.

Barcelona is one of the best value races to attend - plus you could stay in hotel for weekend and enjoy sun/beach whilst hubby is at the track.

If you do go to Silverstone - i would pay for a grandstand seat - I'd say Club, Luffield or Woodcote are good places.

Becketts has supposed 'best view' but in reality the cars go past so quickly you see them for seconds and rarely any overtakes. It's the most expensive part.
Club has a surprisingly good view - and action.

Luffield/woodcote is great if it rains. Not going to help you now when booking but FYI. tongue out

If you have an option to pay for Premier parking - do so. This year i got out of the circuit in 15 minutes after the race, others took two hours.