I design liveries, walling - garage structures for teams / drivers. I have done a small amount in F1 a few years back, but the whole circus thing wasn’t for me!!
Not an intended knob question, I promise. Have people been to a live F1 race? I’m asking as I went to a BSB race at Donnington and it was amazing. The second race we watched whilst walking around, under, then under again the track. I’m not saying people need to go, just asking if it’s better when you are there?
I’ve been to Silverstone and Monza, yes it’s better, more atmospheric if you’re there. For me it’ll never compare with LeMans though.
Yes, most sport is atmospheric when your there and involved.. (snooker..?) I've done 14 F1 races and seen them close up running and charging up hillclimbs,.. The sound gets your pulse racing. Used to love the v12 Ferrari and v10 Honda close up.. Or a v8 nascar... With open headers.. Now not so keen with electric stuff, Cant really abide footy on tv.. But love the whole atmosphere around a game, pub, stadium stroll, songs, half time meet ups etc I presume most people who hate football.. haven't ever been to a live match..? My brother is in that category..
Yep it's 100% better, like most live sport to be honest. Been to a number of GPs at Silverstone and once to Monza and it's a completely different thing to watching on telly. I just wish it wasn't so damn expensive these days
Yes, went to Silverstone 10 or more years ago. We've not bothered since. Apparently it's over £400 this year just for standing. That's a silly amount of money imho. I prefer to watch it on tv because I can tell what on earth is going on, and don't have to queue for over an hour just to get out of Silverstone village
This is my experience too. Don’t get me wrong, the weekend as a whole was good but it is easier to consume an F1 race, imo, on the TV…. That said, we didn’t pay for the FM radio thinking we could listen to BBC 5L on the phone… not a chance!! The weekend was about £270 plus, food and drink and an engine rebuild on the van.
No school like the old school! I remember trying to listen to the Wimbledon final on the Radio 5 AM signal driving through London long before Dib Dab radios were a thing… terrible signal!! I have now got a couple of Goodwood ones in the cupboard somewhere… doubt the batteries have lasted!
Yes its way better. Completely different experience. I've done Monza (x3) Monaco (x4) Silverstone (x can't remember but lots), France (magny cours), Barcelona and Brazil. Want to do Spa this year if poss. Planning Monaco again for 2025 with some buddies. Although i'm only 20 mins away from Silverstone its just ridiculously overpriced. Back in the day you could get in on a general entry ticket and sit on a hill and watch some racing for sensible money. As the years progressed every grass spectator area had a grandstand built on it and there is literally nowhere you can see the race now on a general entry ticket - only way to actually see something is by going into a grandstand, cheapest is c500 quid. So if i go with my boy its over a grand on the tickets even before you start adding on food/ drink etc. Totally out of the price range of your average fan. Monaco is great atmosphere - the whole town is taken over by the race and its the best party ever, and not as expensive as you'd expect. Monza is definitely one i'd recommend - cheap flight and a general entry ticket is all you need - plenty of places to watch / sit and see stuff without needing to fork out for a granstand.
Your descriptions are first class! I used to work at GEC Caswell, you could hear the cars on Silverstone in the mid 1990’s. I then lived maybe 6 miles from Donnington, but the airport competes for noise with there!
I’ve been to several of the tracks, but only seen F1 live at Silverstone, several times, however I’ve watched almost every race since they started televising it. I won’t go now because stuff it, I’m not paying that, I’d rather go to the Classic now. The first time I went (not sure which year but Schumacher won in a Ferrari), what got me the most wasn’t the speed, but the deceleration. I was watching at Vale, probably around 50mph corner, when the first F1 car approached doing 150 or so. I was convinced that something had gone horribly wrong and that it was going straight on. When it slowed in just a few yards and sailed around the corner I was astonished! You get no impression of that on TV, and when the big lenses look down the straights they can look like they’re doing 70, when they’re really doing over 200. Also the row, they’re quieter now but the TV commentators are in a thick glass box for a reason.
Me Too - but I watched it from outside the course at Blue Anchor Bridge on Melling Road - I lived just 3 miles away and rode there on my bike. I could hear when practice started and got over there as quick as I could .
I was lucky enough to get to see f1 in person when Ferrari were still running v12 engines. ‘94 I think? Earsplitting visceral shriek howl that made your hairs stand on end (when I actually had any) and you felt it through your whole body as they screamed past.
From Ayr in Scotland. I was a year old so don't remember much about it, though I'm pretty sure Fangio won.
