Saudi GP

[TheHighlander]

Hello All

Planning the Saudi GP and I am looking for feedback.

Planning flying from the UAE and planning a 3 day ticket. Going to be taking my wife, 4 and 5 year old.

Looking to see is there any parts we should avoid at the track?

Planning general admission tickets so the kids don’t have to be stuck in one place.

Thanks

[mike80]

I've been to the circuit - for clarity I went for GT World Challenge Europe rather than F1 - and I'm not sure you will be able to see much just with general admission tickets. The circuit is flat, with high walls, and I'm not sure how much is accessible to the public. I would get grandstand tickets if you can.

[TheHighlander]

mike80 said:

I've been to the circuit - for clarity I went for GT World Challenge Europe rather than F1 - and I'm not sure you will be able to see much just with general admission tickets. The circuit is flat, with high walls, and I'm not sure how much is accessible to the public. I would get grandstand tickets if you can.

The reason we never went Grandstand was my daughters are 4+5 so having GA would allow them to roam about and not have to sit still haha.

Trying to make it the best of both worlds.

Surprisingly cheap for tickets and a hotel close to the circuit.

[mike80]

I found a few Reddit threads about GA, and it seems you can't see a lot of the track from the GA area, but there are big screens, and obviously you will be able to hear what's going on. Another thing I saw which might be worth checking is the grandstands don't have allocated seats, so you may be able to come and go from various seats.

[Sandpit Steve]

I’m thinking of going to Jaddah as well, flying from DXB where I’m based. If I do go it will be a last minute decision, so will follow this thread with interest.

[TheHighlander]

mike80 said:

I found a few Reddit threads about GA, and it seems you can't see a lot of the track from the GA area, but there are big screens, and obviously you will be able to hear what's going on. Another thing I saw which might be worth checking is the grandstands don't have allocated seats, so you may be able to come and go from various seats.

Yep I have had a look on there.

We are also flying from DXB to Saudi on the Friday.

[PD9]

Get to the track early, the traffic is brutal and the Police block many of the slip roads on the motorway beside the circuit to control the flow of traffic around and into the event. I was 45mins to 1 hour waiting in the traffic. Our local Saudi uber was very good at trying to get us the best routes in, but Police kept directing him to the traffic queue.

Yes, get Grandstand tickets. Last thing you want is kids (and a wife) that can t see anything and become bored / frustrated. Do it right and you ll have the peace of mind before you go that you ll see the cars flying round.

Edited by PD9 on Sunday 15th February 23:43

[TheHighlander]

PD9 said:

Get to the track early, the traffic is brutal and the Police block many of the slip roads on the motorway beside the circuit to control the flow of traffic around and into the event. I was 45mins to 1 hour waiting in the traffic. Our local Saudi uber was very good at trying to get us the best routes in, but Police kept directing him to the traffic queue.

Yes, get Grandstand tickets. Last thing you want is kids (and a wife) that can t see anything and become bored / frustrated. Do it right and you ll have the peace of mind before you go that you ll see the cars flying round.

Edited by PD9 on Sunday 15th February 23:43

You’re dead right.

Can you upgrade on the day? As I’m having a nightmare getting anyone to respond to me via the F1 website?

Thanks mate

[TheHighlander]

All sorted.

I’m In the UAE at the moment but managed to upgrade the tickets via the F1 chat support.

£349 to upgrade all 4 to Grandstand for the Friday to Sunday.

[Sandpit Steve]

TheHighlander said:

All sorted.

I m In the UAE at the moment but managed to upgrade the tickets via the F1 chat support.

£349 to upgrade all 4 to Grandstand for the Friday to Sunday.

What’s your price/head looking like at the moment, for flight and ticket?

[TheHighlander]

We’re flying from Dubai as going there before the race.

Flights from Dubai were pennies (my wife owns a Travel Agents) so travel is very cheap for us.

The F1 tickets for the 4 of us - 3 days Grandstand in total were £750 I think

We got a hotel 3km from the circuit for £250 for 3 nights again via my wife’s agent rates. She books all that stuff haha. I just give her my requests haha.

[Sandpit Steve]

TheHighlander said:

We re flying from Dubai as going there before the race.

Flights from Dubai were pennies (my wife owns a Travel Agents) so travel is very cheap for us.

The F1 tickets for the 4 of us - 3 days Grandstand in total were £750 I think

We got a hotel 3km from the circuit for £250 for 3 nights again via my wife s agent rates. She books all that stuff haha. I just give her my requests haha.

Haha. If I go I ll DM you for your wife s details! Always good to know a travel agent.

I live in Dubai.

[TheHighlander]

Sandpit Steve said:

Haha. If I go I ll DM you for your wife s details! Always good to know a travel agent.

I live in Dubai.

Ah nice.

What is it you do?

We about to relocate there believe it or not.

Yep she’s fully insured and all of that jazz, we set it up about 7 years ago now and it’s fantastic.

She can run it from anywhere in the world 🙂

[reisskhan]

Perfect thread

Thinking of doing a last minute dash from the UK

Again was thinking of the GA Tickets

Who has been in the last few years does it be sell out full capacity grandstands full type of atmosphere here or quite dull?

Can’t ever beat the likes of SPA or Silverstone or is it worth making the trip for the experience as am sure it does have the fast straight on the calendar

Thanks

[TheHighlander]

reisskhan said:

Perfect thread

Thinking of doing a last minute dash from the UK

Again was thinking of the GA Tickets

Who has been in the last few years does it be sell out full capacity grandstands full type of atmosphere here or quite dull?

Can t ever beat the likes of SPA or Silverstone or is it worth making the trip for the experience as am sure it does have the fast straight on the calendar

Thanks

The women on the F1 chat said it doesn’t usually sell out and with current Middle Eastern tensions whether real or not she doubts it will.

We didn’t want to chance it as it’s my
Birthday present, and what the chap above said about GA being poor visibility was also confirmed by the women on the F1 chat site.

The price difference isn’t much to be honest.

[Sandpit Steve]

TheHighlander said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Haha. If I go I ll DM you for your wife s details! Always good to know a travel agent.

I live in Dubai.

Ah nice.

What is it you do?

We about to relocate there believe it or not.

Yep she s fully insured and all of that jazz, we set it up about 7 years ago now and it s fantastic.

She can run it from anywhere in the world ?

Sounds good. I’m an IT consultant, have lived out here in the sandpit for most of the last 20 years. DM me if you have any questions on moving here and how things work.