Where is the best place to spectate at Silverstone F1?

Twirlywoos · 30 Mar 2013 at 15:05

I'm going to buy a couple of tickets for me and a mate for Silverstone? Where is the best place to stand or sit to spectate?

I'm thinking the grid position but maybe this is not the best place if the action takes place at a particular part of the track.

Additionally is there any place (cheaper) to buy tickets instead of the official site?

http://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/2013-Formula-1-British-Grand-Prix/?tab=Book-now

I think it's flipping extortionate that they charge higher prices to sit in particular area though.

Anyway any help would be appreciated.

Duke · 30 Mar 2013 at 16:42

Lots of threads about this already. There aren't many good places to watch from with general admission, and you'd need to be there very very early to get a decent spot.

I watched the 2010 GP from Luffield. You can see the cars entering the complex from the end of the new arena section then back out via woodcote to the national straight.

Twirlywoos · 30 Mar 2013 at 18:02

Cool, I'll give it a miss then. Damn shame that the sport is not affordable in this Country.

arknor · 30 Mar 2013 at 18:12

In your living room sat in front of the TV

Nismo · 30 Mar 2013 at 18:43

majnu said:
Cool, I'll give it a miss then. Damn shame that the sport is not affordable in this Country.

How about Friday practice, much cheaper, you can go where you want and generally everything is a lot more accessible.

Weather permitting you get to see 3 hours of F1 cars, plus GP2, GP3 and Porsche Supercup generally,

IMO there's nothing like seeing, hearing and smelling an F1 car in person

Skeeter · 30 Mar 2013 at 19:24

Yep. 40 quid for Friday, or something like that. Worth every penny for the noise alone. You can get in all the grandstands too.

PinkFloyd · 30 Mar 2013 at 19:36

arknor said:
In your living room sat in front of the TV

If you want to watch the race, I'd agree entirely. This is coming from someone who spent the last 2 years in Becketts platinum!

I love the atmosphere at the Event, the camping is great fun and lots of good bands as entertainment. Even the mud couldn't spoil it for us.
Despite being able to see all of the Becketts complex and the first few corners of the lap you still don't really get a feel for the race unless you keep your eye glued to a bigscreen with the commentary on a radio.

Depends what you want out of it really. Had some mates go General Admission last year and they had a great time just moving spot to spot.

Duke · 30 Mar 2013 at 19:57

arknor said:
In your living room sat in front of the TV

How many F1 days/races have you been to?

Nismo said:
How about Friday practice, much cheaper, you can go where you want and generally everything is a lot more accessible.

Weather permitting you get to see 3 hours of F1 cars, plus GP2, GP3 and Porsche Supercup generally,

IMO there's nothing like seeing, hearing and smelling an F1 car in person

Yeah Friday is good - its about £50-60 and general admission allows you to sit in most grandstands (just not the sponsored ones).

Slam62 · 30 Mar 2013 at 20:02

Absolutely nothing like the real thing, beg or borrow, but do it once.
Oh, as said Friday and wander, down from copse to Beckets gets you pretty close to the cars, the arena is pretty cool.

Skeeter · 30 Mar 2013 at 21:03

Standing on the inside of the entrance to Beckett's is epic. 10m from the cars doing silly speeds.

Kangaroo TV/Fanvision used to solve those problems PinkFloyd, but unfortunately they have stopped now

.

Kevin Clark · 30 Mar 2013 at 21:27

I was at Club corner a couple of years back. You could see everything from Stowe (just about) round to turn 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEwEuyJRSt0

If you like to see the stuff on the grid, podium and pit entry it was good. The corner in to club was a passing place and the drivers slowed a lot to wave on the way to the grid.

Friday is probably your best bet for a flavour of the cars though. You've missed the early bird prices but it's about £60 or so now which isn't bad. You get to see the cars for a good chunk of time from a variety of places but you don't see the 'racing'. It's worth it for a small price to see how you like it and then pay the big money next year

Housey · 30 Mar 2013 at 22:27

Abbey Straight was where I watched the 1979 race from and all I remember seeing was helmets and roll over hoops.

RoboCod · 31 Mar 2013 at 14:33

£150 for the weekend doesn't seem bad for general admission. Might need to walk about a bit and muscle for a good spot but that is half the fun

Skeeter · 31 Mar 2013 at 16:26

GA at Silverstone is worthless now. It used to be great, but with the redevelopment all the great GA areas down the bottom of the track are now filled with grandstands.

smr · 31 Mar 2013 at 16:29

Skeeter said:
Yep. 40 quid for Friday, or something like that. Worth every penny for the noise alone. You can get in all the grandstands too.

Not all of them.

I've been in 09, 10, 11, 12 and will be going in 13...

but last year I went for just the Friday and sat in the pits straight grandstand. We missed all of P1 thanks to the traffic but luckily got to watch P2.

As for the best place to sit I would probably say the pits straight, it's ace being able to see the garages etc. and soak the atmosphere up.

The best place for seeing the cars I'd say Maggots/Becketts.

I've sat on the inside of the circuit before at the Wellington Straight bridge which was pretty cool too.

Like last year I'm going for the Friday to get my F1 fix, the noise and seeing them is enough for me, and then I'll watch Qually and the race at home. Unless you have a really good view of a TV screen and commentary (Kangaroos might help here) you really do get in a muddle with who's where in the race.

At home on TV everything makes perfect sense

smr · 31 Mar 2013 at 16:31

Skeeter said:
Standing on the inside of the entrance to Beckett's is epic. 10m from the cars doing silly speeds.

I must do this this year!

RoboCod · 31 Mar 2013 at 16:56

Skeeter said:
GA at Silverstone is worthless now. It used to be great, but with the redevelopment all the great GA areas down the bottom of the track are now filled with grandstands.

I think if it were me going personally I'd fork out for the Becketts/Club Corner anyway. If you're going to go you may as well make the most of it and save up for the better tickets

I was looking at going this year, unfortunately I'll be in Afghan at the time

arknor · 31 Mar 2013 at 17:17

Duke said:
How many F1 days/races have you been to?

Never F1 at Silverstone but I've seen other series there and I've been to a few European f1 races during my 22 years of being an F1 fan (I've watched F1 races on TV before the 90's when my dad and older brother used to watch them but I wouldn't consider myself a fan at that time)

I'd imagine a lot of people go to Silverstone once for the experience and then never again after and instead check out a few European races where you don't need to spent a fortune to get a decent vantage point.

TBH, I don't understand why you are questioning my F1 race/day experience considering a lot of people agree Silverstone is far from one of the best circuits to enjoy an F1 race at.

RoboCod · 31 Mar 2013 at 17:32

VALIDATE HIM DAMN IT!!

Out of interest, which European races are best to attend, in your opinions?

CaptainRAVE · 31 Mar 2013 at 17:35

arknor said:
In your living room sat in front of the TV

This was my first thought when I saw this thread