Anyone been to Spa?

G-Money

I just came back earlier this week from Monza having enjoyed the race. Getting to the seats was a bit of a pain due to all the walking and not a lot of sign posting, but other than that it was a good weekend.

Next year however, assuming Spa is on the calendar (there's talk of alternating it with Nuremburgring), I'm thinking of going to Spa.

I've always thought Eau Rouge would be the best place to get tickets for but I was thinking that maybe La Source could be good, or even possibly the main grandstand on the start/finish straight.

I think if I do go I'm going to try and get accomodation nearby as I don't fancy a long commute to the race etc.

So, anyone who's been to Spa, please reply with your tips etc about where to get tickets for, what type, and any other useful info.

Cheers

delta720

Went this year, had Gold tickets over looking Eau Rouge. If your planning on getting seating tickets these are the ones to go for (ask for section D by far the best). It's also covered which considering spa's history is a good idea!! Walking around the track after I wouldn't have been too pushed on Grandstand tickets, as depending on what side your on you might only see the cars straight line and take Turn 1 (La Source). Where I was sitting you could see La Source all the way down to Raidillon and Eau Rough, and a 2 min walk had you on the straight where alot of over taking happens.

This track is 7km though so get used to walking!!
Also the village of Francorchamps is tiny so alot of people have to travel for a few hours each day to the track. Parking is EVERYWHERE though which was very well managed. I was really lucky to stay here,

http://www.francorchamps-racing-hotel.be/

which was so handy. Very few places however. Alot of people camp around the track which seems like loads of craic.

Regarding getting to Francorchamps, Belgian transport is top class, I had train tickets from the airport printed before i left, there's a train station under Brussels airport. I've traveled around Belgium before for Graspop festival and never had a problem.

One thing to note however is Francorchamps is in the French speaking part of Belgium and very few speak English, I've often found Dutch speaking Belgians to be more helpful but thats only a small thing.

Thats all I can think of really, oh and there's no parade lap after the race due to the long length of the track, that pissed a few people off who were expecting one (A Force India in P2 had everyone in a good mood so was grand really!):P

Regards Delta

smooch71

I was there this year. Had a ball.

I've never bought a grandstand ticket to a grand prix and I never will. They are extortionately priced and the grandstands are usually behind the general admission areas where you're further away from the cars and the big screens.

So my advice is go for general admission or "Bronze" tickets.

I can safely say I saw the cars from almost every possible vantage point by roaming during the friday and saturday practice sessions.

One of the most impressive was at the chicane at the last corner (can't really call it the Bus stop anymore) where you're practically looking down into the cockpits.

Standing at Radillon looking at the cars coming off Eau Rouge is also not to be missed. You can't go to spa and not see Eau Rouge. The great thing is you can watch them going up the hill from the F1 village and then climb up and see them from the top. But beware, the hills are mighty steep and you need to be fit for all the walking.

For qualifying we were at Pouhon and seeing the cars through the double left hander was breathtaking.


The best place to watch the race is at the straight after Radillon (top of Eau Rouge but I can't remember the name) where there's a big screen and that's where all the action takes place. Both of Kimi's overtaking moves were right in front of me. I don't think there's even a grand stand there actually.

We stayed in a campsite (www.campingf1.com) which supplied pre-erected tents and airbeds. There was a big beer tent (more of a marquee actually) with live bands and entertainment every night. But it was bloody cold.

The package included food, coach transfers to the track Saturday and Sunday and a shuttle bus service on Friday. There were clean toilets and hot showers available all weekend.

Now the bad news.

The fans treat the place like a dump and the amount of rubbish left behind was shocking. There isn't the same atmosphere as you get at Barcelona or Silverstone (never been to Monza) probably because there's no local driver and most of the fans possibly weren't even Belgian any way. The hills are very steep and once you find your spot it's very hard to leave because of the crowds. They're not very friendly and make no attempt to get out of your way. Unless it's to rob your spot when you're gone.

I don't like to generalise about people from a particular country but I found the Belgians to be particularly unfriendly.

The campsite was English run and there were a lot of pains in the arse on the site but that said, decent folk too. The entertainment etc was very "English" too so that in itself can be annoying. Again, don't mean to generalise but just saying it as I see it.

On the Sunday night the bar had run out of most things and they weren't going to stock at that stage.

The food was crap, both on the campsite and and at the track, We ended up going to Lidl in Stavelot and buying the makings of sambos.

But all that aside, it's a great place to see in the flesh and it's Mecca for a Formula 1 fan.

After the race (as Delta says, no parade lap!) they opened the track to you can sit at the top of Eu Rouge and have a beer. Which is exactly what I did!

Running Bing

Is Liege the nearest big city to Spa?

How is transport from Liege to the circuit.

G-Money

Tickets for Spa next year are already on sale.

I was just looking at the Eau Rouge tickets, they don't seem to have a section D in the covered grandstand. There is a section D in the uncovered grandstand at Eau Rouge though.

joesoap007

i will be trying my best to get going my self. G.A ticket and a spot of camping to,,my best mates is going with me and his two brothers have been 2 or 3 time,so any info i will pass it on asap,i was at silverstone 04 had G.M ticket and got some spots to watch the race ,but it was pure recon friday and saturday for were id be on sunday watchin,,loved every min of it,,and the germans are back they no how to drink an party camp site style,,,cant wait

G-Money

Nice one. I've my ticket booked and paid for and have also booked my accomodation. I got a 3 day ticket for Eau Rouge and I'm hoping to get there early enough on the Thursday to maybe go to some sort of pit walk or autograph session if one is on. Most likely I will be going solo but hopefully it will be fun anyway.

And I'm still tempted to go to Monza again. There's something about being at the circuit that I loved. The atmosphere or something. I also want to get a picture on the old banking.

joesoap007

grandmaster wrote: »

Nice one. I've my ticket booked and paid for and have also booked my accomodation. I got a 3 day ticket for Eau Rouge and I'm hoping to get there early enough on the Thursday to maybe go to some sort of pit walk or autograph session if one is on. Most likely I will be going solo but hopefully it will be fun anyway.

And I'm still tempted to go to Monza again. There's something about being at the circuit that I loved. The atmosphere or something. I also want to get a picture on the old banking.

cool ,you stayin malmedy?herd that was a nice spot,,,monza is the best.so much history to,,heard a few good storys of fans climing walls with ropes scaling big fences to get in lol,but spa is why like f1,its that 1 track that stuck in my mind when i was a kid,,,you a ferrari fan?

G-Money

I'm staying a hotel very close to the circuit. Just need to figure out how to get to Spa now

Yeah I'd really like to go back to Monza. Although I think if I do, I might organise it a little differently this time. I went with a friend of mine and to be honest, I don't know if he enjoyed it that much. He's not mad into F1 so I felt a bit guilty about that. So if I go again I might go by myself.

Also I'm not sure, but if I went again, I might go a day earlier or something. We arrived on the Friday and left on the Monday. But by the time we got off the plane and stuff, checked in and made it to the circuit, we only seen the last 10 mins of the practise.

I stayed in Milan as well and if I were to go again, I might stay a bit closer to the circuit. Perhaps in Monza itself. We had a very long walk from the train station at the Lesmo corner to our seats at the first corner. Typically that's not a very long distance but when you come in from the Lesmo corner, you go under the track and end up on the inside of the circuit. So we had to walk all the way down to sort of behind the pits, then back underneath the track, and back down to the first corner. Took about 1hr and 30 mins from getting off the train to get to the seats. On the way back it was easier as we could walk on the track and could go straight there.

On the Friday they have a shuttle bus running to the circuit from the train station. In hindsight that might have been better for the race as it was a much shorter walk from the bus stop to where our seats would have been (about 30 mins).

joesoap007

a lot of walking,,,pitty your mate wasin in to it,have you your flight booked,charleroi airport has 1 flight to ireland 0700 hours on the monday after the race thats all they have lol ,you flying from u.k or ireland? im headin to amsterdam for a night geting train to brussels then leige find camp site see the racing and flying home from brussels,,,bit of aroad trip but i no me way round them parts,bookin me race tickets and flights in the morring,,praying for a sunny race day at lest,,

joesoap007

Running Bing wrote: »

Is Liege the nearest big city to Spa?

How is transport from Liege to the circuit.

it is liege and fervier you can get trains to,i think some camp sites run bus to and from their, you wont be stuck,but their is a few small town near by aswell but their small towns,,you going?

G-Money

I've been in contact with the Spa circuit and they've said there will be a pit lane walk and driver autograph session.

The pit lane walk will be on the Thursday from 3.30-5.30pm. I'm assuming if you have a 3 day weekend ticket that you get in for free. No word yet as to when the autograph session is.

Paulco

if anyone has camped at spa ..... any suggestions?? that f1 official one sounds like a right pain. de l'eau rouge looks nice but maybe a little quiet!! prob looking for the impossible ..... i.e. close to track/good craic/decent facilities. also do people have a recommendation whether to hire a car or train it? if its anything like french gp i think a car is the best bet because that was pretty rural but my mate reckons get a train??? we fly in and out of brussels (thur-tues). many thanks!

joesoap007

Paulco wrote: »

if anyone has camped at spa ..... any suggestions?? that f1 official one sounds like a right pain. de l'eau rouge looks nice but maybe a little quiet!! prob looking for the impossible ..... i.e. close to track/good craic/decent facilities. also do people have a recommendation whether to hire a car or train it? if its anything like french gp i think a car is the best bet because that was pretty rural but my mate reckons get a train??? we fly in and out of brussels (thur-tues). many thanks!

try this out seems like a chilled out spot

http://francorchamps-camping.com/camp.htm

there seems to very good talk about this place 20 min walk 2 the track to

G-Money

Spa ticket arrived today. Also got email confirmation that my Monza ticket is also on the way. Should have it early next week.

G-Money

I know you can buy train tickets for Belgium online but does anyone know if you can buy bus tickets too ahead of time? I'm thinking not...

losthorizon

grandmaster wrote: »

I know you can buy train tickets for Belgium online but does anyone know if you can buy bus tickets too ahead of time? I'm thinking not...

As far as I know a free bus will take from the Spa train station to the race track. I went two years ago and this the way I got there. This year Im basing myself in Aachen and getting the train(s) and then the bus to the track. On race day the train was virtually empty. Those heading for Liege and other places seemed to be stuck in horrendous traffic.

mikemac

Was there in 2000.

When the commentators talk about changeable weather they aren't joking.
Sun splitting the rocks and 20 minutes later there is a torrential downpour.

Bring comfortable shoes, lots of lots of walking.
Eau Rouge is fantastic and you can't see how steep it is on TV.

I had a Bronze ticket and there are great places to watch the races.
I liked the left turn after Rivage, it's so steep it's basically a cliff and you look straight down on the drivers.

Even then you can see the different styles. Jean Alesi was fighting and sliding all over the place, great to watch.
Ah the old Fortis, remember them? They'd exit the corner, apply the power and start sliding. Just not as good as the others

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/imageBank/s/spa04_map.gif

The fans treat the place like a dump, forests covered in rubbish by Sunday evening. As said I didn't find the Belgians at all friendly.
I stayed in Brussels and got the train everyday, there is a free bus from the nearest train station.

Great race to go too.
But I'd go to Monza if I attended a race again

joesoap007

grandmaster wrote: »

I know you can buy train tickets for Belgium online but does anyone know if you can buy bus tickets too ahead of time? I'm thinking not...

you can ,,ask on this site .their very helpfull

link

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/f1-2010-season/2010-f1-calendar/2010-belgian-grand-prix-discussion/

G-Money

Cheers, I'm actually staying very close to the circuit and I have a grandstand ticket for Eau Rouge so there may not be too much walking involved. Although I've been doing some training.

joesoap007

grandmaster wrote: »

Cheers, I'm actually staying very close to the circuit and I have a grandstand ticket for Eau Rouge so there may not be too much walking involved. Although I've been doing some training.

hire a push bike if theres to much walking id say the taxi men will be out for extra few bobs..Eau Rouge is the spot to be.but with all the few f ducts there should be some good over taking in to les combes.up early to get my seat ay the top of the bank .

hope you have a good time dude

f1hornet

got a gold ticket for Eau Rouge myself... really looking forward to the weekend!! It should be good craic!

joesoap007

yes its not long now.04 silverstone was my first and last race.

for me spa is a dream come ture i just love it.its real old skool somthing f1 has lost.do yous think so??

heres something to make the hairs stand our you necks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pwq89lKFIs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co9oghHdI-k

hope ferrari do the good old 1-2

Melinn

Howdy...

I went to spa in '97

It was great.Stayed in a campsite beside the track

Wait until you see eau rouge in the flesh, its unreal!!

I watched the race just past the top of eau rouge...then walked the track.
Great experience. I'Ve been to a few gp's, Spa is right up there...Dont forget your wet gear though!

thewheel2.0

Its been a dream to go but none of my friends are petrolheads. Been looking to get into Karting but there again its hard to get into it when your group of friends have no interest.

G-Money

Hopefully it will be good, I'm heading out tomorrow morning (Thursday) on an early flight, back on Monday. I really should head to bed now seeing I need to be at the airport before 5am but I'm not that tired

lord lucan

grandmaster wrote: »

Hopefully it will be good, I'm heading out tomorrow morning (Thursday) on an early flight, back on Monday. I really should head to bed now seeing I need to be at the airport before 5am but I'm not that tired

Enjoy and take loads of pics!:D

G-Money

Torrential rain here, wish it would feck off. Hotel isn't great, can't wait to check out on Monday morning.

The sound of the cars at the top of Eau Rouge is amazing.