GP value for money?
Discussion
I've only ever been to one Formula 1 GP, it was in 1979 and I thought it was, frankly, a bit rubbish, so I never went to another.
However, I found my ticket from the race today and noticed the face value was £7.50 (we bought them on the gate!).
A bit of research suggests that is about £40 today and for that we got a round of the BTCC and the Grand Prix (and some other support races).
After the race, I wandered through the paddock and came across Alan Jones and (as I recall) Jackie Stewart having a chat. If I'd been so disposed I could have asked them for an autograph, although Jones may not have felt too keen having retired. His time was about to come!
So, I thought I'd see what a GP ticket costs today, assuming it would be about double in real terms.
Nope, it's £240 for a General Admission ticket.
I guess that as they're sold out, most people consider that good value, but it made me wonder why people would pay that kind of money.
I was a student then, with just part time jobs, but I could afford it - Not sure I could afford £240 today in that situation.
Le Mans back then, for example, cost us about 100 Francs (£10) and today is 82 Euros, so about double (a little less) in real terms, as I pretty much expected.
To be honest £40 is about what a day at a BTCC meeting costs today, but at least you get 3 races!
Do people really feel attending a GP is worth that kind of money or do people begrudgingly pay it? Maybe it's a rhetorical question, but it rather shocked me!
M
However, I found my ticket from the race today and noticed the face value was £7.50 (we bought them on the gate!).
A bit of research suggests that is about £40 today and for that we got a round of the BTCC and the Grand Prix (and some other support races).
After the race, I wandered through the paddock and came across Alan Jones and (as I recall) Jackie Stewart having a chat. If I'd been so disposed I could have asked them for an autograph, although Jones may not have felt too keen having retired. His time was about to come!
So, I thought I'd see what a GP ticket costs today, assuming it would be about double in real terms.
Nope, it's £240 for a General Admission ticket.
I guess that as they're sold out, most people consider that good value, but it made me wonder why people would pay that kind of money.
I was a student then, with just part time jobs, but I could afford it - Not sure I could afford £240 today in that situation.
Le Mans back then, for example, cost us about 100 Francs (£10) and today is 82 Euros, so about double (a little less) in real terms, as I pretty much expected.
To be honest £40 is about what a day at a BTCC meeting costs today, but at least you get 3 races!
Do people really feel attending a GP is worth that kind of money or do people begrudgingly pay it? Maybe it's a rhetorical question, but it rather shocked me!
M
Edited by marcosgt on Sunday 27th February 16:39
Answered your own question I think. People pay it, it's worth it.
Everything is worth exactly what someone will pay for it.
I suppose F1 is bigger in terms of reach and celebrity these days, so perhaps people attach extra value to 'being there'. Although personally I'd prefer to pay double the cost today to go back in time to see a 70's GP live
Everything is worth exactly what someone will pay for it.
I suppose F1 is bigger in terms of reach and celebrity these days, so perhaps people attach extra value to 'being there'. Although personally I'd prefer to pay double the cost today to go back in time to see a 70's GP live
F1 is obviously not even close to being value for money at Silverstone, but for whatever reason people in this country seem hell bent on spending astronomic amounts to stand/sit on aggregate and watch a sometimes good, usually bad motor race and a few support races, pay a ton to park and for everything else and queue for hours to get in.
I don't get it, never have and never will, but I am in the minority. The only time I went on race day I had free tickets as an employee of Haymarket and was bored witless after about 30 laps so went home to avoid the rush as I did on qualifying day, it was about as dull as motorsport gets I am afraid and this was Hill/Schumacher era. I paid up until about 93 and have never been since and don't miss it one iota. I don't attend any big sporting events, they are vastly overpriced, often full of pretentious twerps, (especially true at Silverstone but not always) and the down sides are obvious.
I can't really get into the head of someone desperate to spend 230 quid to be there, as it simply does not compute, but it must work as Silverstone make millions a year charging people this much and it always seems to sell out, and also early meaning you are earning the place vast sums in interest.
One question, can anyone justify the price? Not just because it is what it is, and not compared to other sports, I mean for what it is, it's entertainment, it's value?
I don't get it, never have and never will, but I am in the minority. The only time I went on race day I had free tickets as an employee of Haymarket and was bored witless after about 30 laps so went home to avoid the rush as I did on qualifying day, it was about as dull as motorsport gets I am afraid and this was Hill/Schumacher era. I paid up until about 93 and have never been since and don't miss it one iota. I don't attend any big sporting events, they are vastly overpriced, often full of pretentious twerps, (especially true at Silverstone but not always) and the down sides are obvious.
I can't really get into the head of someone desperate to spend 230 quid to be there, as it simply does not compute, but it must work as Silverstone make millions a year charging people this much and it always seems to sell out, and also early meaning you are earning the place vast sums in interest.
One question, can anyone justify the price? Not just because it is what it is, and not compared to other sports, I mean for what it is, it's entertainment, it's value?
LukeBrown66 said:
F1 is obviously not even close to being value for money at Silverstone, but for whatever reason people in this country seem hell bent on spending astronomic amounts to stand/sit on aggregate and watch a sometimes good, usually bad motor race and a few support races, pay a ton to park and for everything else and queue for hours to get in.
I don't get it, never have and never will, but I am in the minority. The only time I went on race day I had free tickets as an employee of Haymarket and was bored witless after about 30 laps so went home to avoid the rush as I did on qualifying day, it was about as dull as motorsport gets I am afraid and this was Hill/Schumacher era. I paid up until about 93 and have never been since and don't miss it one iota. I don't attend any big sporting events, they are vastly overpriced, often full of pretentious twerps, (especially true at Silverstone but not always) and the down sides are obvious.
I can't really get into the head of someone desperate to spend 230 quid to be there, as it simply does not compute, but it must work as Silverstone make millions a year charging people this much and it always seems to sell out, and also early meaning you are earning the place vast sums in interest.
One question, can anyone justify the price? Not just because it is what it is, and not compared to other sports, I mean for what it is, it's entertainment, it's value?
I was wondering when you would be along Luke.I don't get it, never have and never will, but I am in the minority. The only time I went on race day I had free tickets as an employee of Haymarket and was bored witless after about 30 laps so went home to avoid the rush as I did on qualifying day, it was about as dull as motorsport gets I am afraid and this was Hill/Schumacher era. I paid up until about 93 and have never been since and don't miss it one iota. I don't attend any big sporting events, they are vastly overpriced, often full of pretentious twerps, (especially true at Silverstone but not always) and the down sides are obvious.
I can't really get into the head of someone desperate to spend 230 quid to be there, as it simply does not compute, but it must work as Silverstone make millions a year charging people this much and it always seems to sell out, and also early meaning you are earning the place vast sums in interest.
One question, can anyone justify the price? Not just because it is what it is, and not compared to other sports, I mean for what it is, it's entertainment, it's value?
Each to their own, but the fundamental problem for me with any circuit racing is you normally only see a bit of the track so can’t follow the race without relying on the screens that mean big chunks of it are the same as being at home. My limited experience:
- Silverstone 92. GA. £65. Couldn’t see much and watched most of it on the screens
- Monza 2014. Gifted hospitality tickets. About £2k each over pit Lane exit right in line with start/finish. Watching the start build up was amazing, but still spent a lot of the race itself watching the screens. Was a great experience but (for me) there’s other things I’d spend the money on (such as a driving experience)
While I much prefer F1 to football, I’ve enjoyed being at a match (again, only twice) more than going to F1. I think the best VFM for watching an F1 car is going to Goodwood FoS.
Not been to Le Mans but think I’d enjoy it. If I was going to do another F1 race I think I’d make it Monaco as it’s the surroundings rather than the race that make it what it is.
- Silverstone 92. GA. £65. Couldn’t see much and watched most of it on the screens
- Monza 2014. Gifted hospitality tickets. About £2k each over pit Lane exit right in line with start/finish. Watching the start build up was amazing, but still spent a lot of the race itself watching the screens. Was a great experience but (for me) there’s other things I’d spend the money on (such as a driving experience)
While I much prefer F1 to football, I’ve enjoyed being at a match (again, only twice) more than going to F1. I think the best VFM for watching an F1 car is going to Goodwood FoS.
Not been to Le Mans but think I’d enjoy it. If I was going to do another F1 race I think I’d make it Monaco as it’s the surroundings rather than the race that make it what it is.
marcosgt said:
Le Mans back then, for example, cost us about 100 Francs (£10) and today is 82 Euros, so about double (a little less) in real terms, as I pretty much expected.
To be honest £40 is about what a day at a BTCC meeting costs today, but at least you get 3 races!
LeMans (in fact all WEC events) and BTCC are two of the best value tickets in Motor Sport IMO. Last WEC round I went to at Silverstone cost £30 - free grandstands and the only place you couldn't go was the actual pitlane. And you get a whole lot more than 3 races at BTCC with the support races. To be honest £40 is about what a day at a BTCC meeting costs today, but at least you get 3 races!
I was looking through a programme from the GP at Brands Hatch back in '86. There was a Formula Ford Race, Formula 3, Touring Cars a proper air display rather than a fly past.... and F1!
Done a GP weekend twice. 86 at Brands for qualifying and race day 2011. Both fine in their own way but expensive at the time. sometimes its not the numerical value but how it feels relative to other outlays at the time. Would not do it nowadays.
Brought up on club racing at Ingliston and Hillclimbs and although interest is waning, would still pay to see an equivalent event.
That said, don't bat an eyelid at £130 for a pair of running shoes!
Brought up on club racing at Ingliston and Hillclimbs and although interest is waning, would still pay to see an equivalent event.
That said, don't bat an eyelid at £130 for a pair of running shoes!
Paid a load of money to sit at Copse last year to watch VR46's last ever bike race in the UK.
Watched one corner, freezing cold miles away.
Absolute Garbage.
We usually go to Cattalunia, sit for 3 days in the Rossi stands and see 6 corners close up for €200 each bus in return from Barcelona at 15 or 20 euros.
It is a world apart and great value!
Any European GP, cars or Bikes is well worth the trouble.
Sitting on wet grass at £100+ in the UK is just b
ks.
Don't get me going about parking at Silverstone or Donnington and the 4 hour queue to get out!
Watched one corner, freezing cold miles away.
Absolute Garbage.
We usually go to Cattalunia, sit for 3 days in the Rossi stands and see 6 corners close up for €200 each bus in return from Barcelona at 15 or 20 euros.
It is a world apart and great value!
Any European GP, cars or Bikes is well worth the trouble.
Sitting on wet grass at £100+ in the UK is just b
ks.Don't get me going about parking at Silverstone or Donnington and the 4 hour queue to get out!
2 of the 3 F1 races I have been to were memorable, but it's the luck of the draw.
I paid something like £300 to sit at swimming pool complex to watch Button win Monaco.
I paid something like £500 to sit and Club corner and watch Hamilton claw his way back from last to second at the 2018 British Grand Prix.
I paid something like £50 for general access tickets to Spa 2007 which was a pretty dull race.
I saw very little action with my own eyes and nothing compared to BTCC, Porsche Cup, British GT, DTM etc. for a fraction of the price.
On that basis, F1 is very poor value for money and yet I'm so pleased to have had the experience of attending those races and to have seen a small part of F1 history being made including Silverstone with my son and Monaco with my late father.
The memory of that stays with me forever whereas the pain of paying that amount of money has faded over time.
I paid something like £300 to sit at swimming pool complex to watch Button win Monaco.
I paid something like £500 to sit and Club corner and watch Hamilton claw his way back from last to second at the 2018 British Grand Prix.
I paid something like £50 for general access tickets to Spa 2007 which was a pretty dull race.
I saw very little action with my own eyes and nothing compared to BTCC, Porsche Cup, British GT, DTM etc. for a fraction of the price.
On that basis, F1 is very poor value for money and yet I'm so pleased to have had the experience of attending those races and to have seen a small part of F1 history being made including Silverstone with my son and Monaco with my late father.
The memory of that stays with me forever whereas the pain of paying that amount of money has faded over time.
When I first went to a GP (1999 I think) the tickets were about £200 for a grandstand. This was expensive but still felt like decent value as there was a BTCC race and quite a lot of other racing so the day was pretty full of on track action.
The last time I went to Silverstone there was far less on track action through the day so it didn't really seem as good value, then again my ticket was foc so I shouldn't complain.
Ben
The last time I went to Silverstone there was far less on track action through the day so it didn't really seem as good value, then again my ticket was foc so I shouldn't complain.
Ben
Panamax said:
F1 is in my opinion grossly overpriced, not least because you get zero access to anything.
The concept of "value for money" is very far distant.
I agree, sadly. I was at the British GP and thought the on track action was very thin, lots of standing about. It made me miss the days of the warm up! The concept of "value for money" is very far distant.
Honestly, the best race I've been to is Monaco (also watched F1 at Spa and F1 and Moto GP at Silverstone).
Obviously you don't go and actually watch an F1 race live to actually watch an F1 race. You go for the atmosphere and the experience. I think Monaco delivers this in spades.
Plus points for Monaco
- You are very close to the cars (sit an Antony Nogues and you can almost reach out and touch them)
- They sound louder because of the buildings
- Always a large screen facing the grandstands
- Plenty of cafes/bars and places to soak up some F1 history
- Celebs and pundits milling around with the common folk, if that's your thing
- People watching is fun, if that's your thing
- Looking at Yachts and some amazing cars knocking around is fun. Think Ferrari F40s parked in the street.
- Weather is usually good and lots of crashes if it isn't.
- Close to Nice and other towns/beaches so you can make a nice extended holiday out of it
Negatives
- Tickets are expensive, but if you buy quali and race days tickets, you get open access on the Thursday and you can wander down the pit lane to watch the teams set up, do practice pit stops and might even grab a few selfies/autographs if you're cheeky.
- Monaco is a bit of a concrete jungle and many streets are closed due to the track.
- Getting there on race day can be a pain, especially from Nice direction.
- Really busy but no worse than being confined to a race track.
But for the very best Monaco experience, forget the F1. Go and watch the Historic Grand Prix in Monaco instead. The cars will hurt your ears and look amazing, cafes/restaurants are quiet and the people are more friendly, and best of all, grandstand entry is free of charge.
Obviously you don't go and actually watch an F1 race live to actually watch an F1 race. You go for the atmosphere and the experience. I think Monaco delivers this in spades.
Plus points for Monaco
- You are very close to the cars (sit an Antony Nogues and you can almost reach out and touch them)
- They sound louder because of the buildings
- Always a large screen facing the grandstands
- Plenty of cafes/bars and places to soak up some F1 history
- Celebs and pundits milling around with the common folk, if that's your thing
- People watching is fun, if that's your thing
- Looking at Yachts and some amazing cars knocking around is fun. Think Ferrari F40s parked in the street.
- Weather is usually good and lots of crashes if it isn't.
- Close to Nice and other towns/beaches so you can make a nice extended holiday out of it
Negatives
- Tickets are expensive, but if you buy quali and race days tickets, you get open access on the Thursday and you can wander down the pit lane to watch the teams set up, do practice pit stops and might even grab a few selfies/autographs if you're cheeky.
- Monaco is a bit of a concrete jungle and many streets are closed due to the track.
- Getting there on race day can be a pain, especially from Nice direction.
- Really busy but no worse than being confined to a race track.
But for the very best Monaco experience, forget the F1. Go and watch the Historic Grand Prix in Monaco instead. The cars will hurt your ears and look amazing, cafes/restaurants are quiet and the people are more friendly, and best of all, grandstand entry is free of charge.
The main point is, as with a lot of big events, the organisers will and do get away with doing as little as possible to maximise profit, if people will pay hundreds of pounds to watch 4 races and a few other things, why would you make it cheaper or make more effort to provide more races, better fan access, more entertainment, cheaper parking, .
People are their own worst enemy, but the paradox will be, they will return and return and return and say it's fine. So why change, if 150k punters are happy why should you?
So as an organiser you can only win, if you fail you lose a few quid and make changes the next year to recoup your losses or make it better, but so far all they do is make it more dear and offer less for fans.
ONly way it changes is for a larger majority of fans to not attend, which shows little sign of happening
People are their own worst enemy, but the paradox will be, they will return and return and return and say it's fine. So why change, if 150k punters are happy why should you?
So as an organiser you can only win, if you fail you lose a few quid and make changes the next year to recoup your losses or make it better, but so far all they do is make it more dear and offer less for fans.
ONly way it changes is for a larger majority of fans to not attend, which shows little sign of happening
My only f1 experiences have been at Silverstone and it's a truly dreadful viewing circuit in the main.
I've never had to pay, but after many years of going, I decided that it wasn't even worth the effort.
However I always went to the fia test days there.
Back in the day it was free to get in, there were very few people there and you could (with a bit of blagging)
get wherever you liked. I took my mountain bike and cycled round to various viewing places
but nothing beat standing up against the fencing at Maggots/Becketts experiencing the best in the world
changing direction at 190 mph a few yards away from you.
That WAS value for money!
I've never had to pay, but after many years of going, I decided that it wasn't even worth the effort.
However I always went to the fia test days there.
Back in the day it was free to get in, there were very few people there and you could (with a bit of blagging)
get wherever you liked. I took my mountain bike and cycled round to various viewing places
but nothing beat standing up against the fencing at Maggots/Becketts experiencing the best in the world
changing direction at 190 mph a few yards away from you.
That WAS value for money!
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