Anyone going to Barcelona F1?

mrmac

I've been waiting bloody ages for this race to come, but it's finally arrived

I'm heading over with the Travel Department, on a 4 day trip, leaving Belfast International on Friday, 7am ish. Everythings organised for me, which is what I wanted, as I'm travelling alone on this one. Staying somewhere on the coast, with bus transfers.

Starting to get that buzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!

If any fellow boarders are going, let me know, otherwise I'll be flying the Tri-colour solo

Oh, if any of ye have been there before, I'd appreciate any tips or advice on where the best spots to view the race from. I hear turn 3 and 13 are good?

Dcully

Only tip i have is dont get the swine flu
Would like to be heading myself so yeah im jealous of you

mrmac

Yeah, I've been keeping a eye on the news about that!
So far I think the reports centre somewhere close to Madrid, so hopefully Barcelona should be ok. Fully expect to see some kind of health screening at the airports though. So long as it's not the "latex glove and bend over" type

Dcully

haha imagine it
Have fun anyways,the best thing about going to a GP alone is you can go and do whatever the hell you like,no need to worry about herself or anyone else getting bored after an hour of screaming F1 engines

mrmac

Been there, done that, swore never again!

(Love you Wifey, sorry you're not going too, honest )

afatbollix

who are these travel department.. do they do all the races?

mrmac

afatbollix - http://tinyurl.com/d5vkpt

keep smiling

afatbollix

i googled them long ago ...

expensive.. for spa.. all your getting extra is the coach transfers... also the cheep tickets

enzo7

ive never been to race on my own but was in monza in 03 with a friend who knew nothing about f1 so might as well be, it was a cracker of a race def the best ive been to but the thing it lacked for me was i had no one to chat to as the race progressed and at the end when schumacher won it was some italian dude who jumped around and celebrated with me!! wouldnt go to another race without a f1 fan with me.

anyway im still gelous your going to spain doe and if someone offered me a ticket id prob still go and make friends with some alonso fans:D:D

smooch71

Went to Barcelona last year, my first non-Silverstone grand prix.

The arrangements, hotel, coaches and everything with the Travel Department were great but the hotel was on the outskirts of Barcelona without anywhere to eat within miles!

The track itself is great with great views everywhere and the atmosphere is fantastic especially if you're an Alonso fan (I'm not but my nine year old son is and was in tears when Alonso retired)

But beware, if you've been to Silverstone and are expecting the same variety of food and shops etc, you'll be dissapointed. All you can eat are burgers and hot dogs and everything is ridiculously overpriced. €12.00 for a large beer (a litre I think) so needless to say I didn't have too many of those.

I enjoyed the weekend in spite of that and the fact that the race itself was boring but that's coz I could sit and watch (and listen to ) Formula 1 cars go by all day long.

Here's the sting in the tale, the night after the race, as I said there's no where to eat, I ordered a sea food paella in one of these crappy roadside cafes and got food poisioning from it. It was one of those ones that are brought in frozen and everywhere was selling them so avoid like the plague. I had to recieve an injection in the arse in the airport to sedate me for the flight home and was off work for a week!

But the good news is, it was the week GTA IV came out and I got to spend a week playing it.....

mrmac

smooch71 - Jeez, I don't know if I should thank-you for that report!
€12 a litre of beer = €6.80 a pint, ah well, so long as it's cold eh?
Paid €6 for a bottle in the new O2 Arena!!! (New Point Depot).
"Here's the sting in the tale...." very witty - but thanks for the warning!

The travel pack arrived, in the post, yesterday - wooohooooo!!!!!!!!!!
Biggest downer - have to check-in at 4.30am!!!
Had to laugh at the tiny pair of ear-plugs they included!

The hotel is not in Barcelona, it's in Calella, but I knew that before booking, and tbh, that suits me. Just gotta figure out public transport to Calella - there's a bus supplied as part of the package, but it's on right after the qualifying and race - sod that!

Sat.
11.00 - F1 practice session
12.25 - Porsche Supercup Qualifying
14.00 - F1 Qualifying
16.30 - Return to Hotel - I don't bloody think so, lol!

Sun.
10.00 - GP2 Race
11.25 - Porche Supercup Race
14.00 - F1 RACE!!!!!
17.00 - Return to Hotel - not a hope......

enzo7 - your welcome to meet up with me, if you get there......

smooch71

Avoid the paella and you'll be grand!

Don't know if you're a football fan but if you are try to check out Nou Camp stadium when you're in Barcelona. Well worth a look.