Advice For Visiting Spa....

[johnsayce]

Hi, long time reading first time posting.

A group of my friends are looking to visit Spa for the race this year, I'm looking for advice and I figured who else would I ask.

So to explain the sort of things I'm thinking about, I've been to Silverstone many times and I really enjoy it. However I've usually stumped up for a grandstand ticket. It's not essential, but I know that if I just had a general ticket I'd want to watch the race from the exit of Becketts and in order to get a seat I'd have to get up very early in the morning and camp out all day. And ultimately what can I say, I don't want to get up early. I've really no idea where I'd want to sit at Spa, does anyone have any advice? Do I have to be up early for a good spot? I suspect my friends will only be getting general entry tickets.

What's the camping like at Spa? I don't have a motorhome or anything but I've always been really happy with the facilities at Silverstone but then I've seen some horror stories where camp sites have washed away. Are there places to eat and more importantly drink?

Anyone got any advice on travel too? I'm guessing the ferry is best if I'm taking the car with camping stuff. But has anyone managed flying over?

Also we might make a week of it. Anyone got any thoughts on things to do in the area. If I've got the car we could maybe see some of the surrounding are or some bits on the way through Belgium.

Cheers

[bdr529]

The only advise I can give you is,
Pack... shorts and a t-shirt... pants and a sweater.. rubber boots and rain coat,
snow cap and winter jacket, that should cover Friday

[ME4ME]

If you want a good seat you'll gonna have to pay for it, otherwise you'll have to be at the track earlier than everybody else go get into position, simple as that

I recommend the bus stop chicane in case you go for general admission. I had a gold seat at Eau Rouge last time I went, but walked around and explored where to best see the action while the Porsche cup and GP2 was going on. The path and hill alongside the chicane was a great place to see the cars in action. They arrive at great speed and brakes are visibly glowing red hot going into the corner. It's also a great overtaking spot, especially for GP2 where the number of overtakes usually is a bit higher. For F1 qualifying and the race it's often very crowed though, people climb all up onto the hillside and in the trees to see the cars.

Pouhon is nice as well. Very impressive to see the cars cornering at such high speed. However the action is very limited, cars are mostly coming through one by one. You're further away from the track and get less time to see each car in action compared to the bus stop chicane.

La Source I can't say a lot about, haven't been there. Eau Rouge is obviously massively impressive and you'll have a good view of the cars exiting La Source and building up speed all the way until they pass you. Visibility onto the kemmel straight is non existent though.

Given the available space, along the Kemmel straight might actually be the place you're looking for if it has to be cheap yet broadly accessible.

Anyway, enjoy your weekend. I hope you have a blast.

[johnsayce]

Thanks

[6 of 12]

Hi John,

I live 2 hours from Spa in Germany and I visit the track basically every year around March or April. It does feel like a bot of a pilgrimage
The best view is from the top of the pit building where you can easily see 60-70% of the track, it's fantastic! Obviously, that is not an option because of the cheeky ticket prices for that... There are actually spots where you can oversee many parts of the track because of the mountainous terrain. They would be from the pit straight up to Les Combes. Lucky for you, that is where the circuit campsites are, too. There is one called Camping Les Combes and one called Camping Green F1 (The first appears to be for camper vans and the latter is just a meadow over the rest of the year). They are easily within walking distance of the Kemmel Straight. I've never been to those campsites but I guess you can expect portaloos and maybe other portable facilities. I'm not sure if there is a services house near the track. On the circuit's website they suggest two campsites that are definetly not within walking distance:
http://www.spa-francorchamps.be/en/hous ... ecuries-f1
http://www.spa-francorchamps.be/en/housing/leau-rouge-0
They do, however look like proper all-year campsites with facilities. There is a number of snack shacks on track. There are many holiday homes, too, but they charge like at least three times their normal price at the GP weekend. In terms of drinks your best bet is probably to go to the Carrefour Hypermarché in Malmedy and get your share of drinks from there. While you're in Malmedy, make sure to get a serving of chips with a nice sauce and frikandelle
I strongly advise against flying because the area is quite rural (I don't even know where the nearest train station, let alone airport is... Bruxelles? Cologne? Maastricht?!).

[Airshifter]

Good scoop 6 of 12,

I'm doing some digging into a Spa trip myself, as it's been on my bucket list for a while. My daughter may end up doing a masters program in Maastricht, so if she ends up there that will be the best time to make the trip.

Needless to say, my wife and daughter tolerate my F1 interest more than join me in it, so for them camping for the best spots would be out of the question most likely. That being said, if you had to pay for seats, what areas give you the view of more of the track? I figure if decent seats are $500-600 bucks, paying for mezzanine isn't even out of the question.

I really don't want to pay $2000 each, but I'm getting old enough that I'd rather do that than die wishing I had. I could really care less about the pampering, indoor part, food, etc. Maybe they just need to partition off a rooftop area for the fanatics that know they aren't VIPs?

[6 of 12]

Good scoop 6 of 12,
[...]
That being said, if you had to pay for seats, what areas give you the view of more of the track?
[...]

Thanks!
Best seats will be on the very top right of the grandstand on the Start/Finish-straight. You will see the exit of Blanchimont, the chicane, a good chunk of Eau Rouge/Radillon, La Source and Bruxelles. If they are taken or too dear, you'll also have a good view from the stands just after La Source, as high up on the stand as possible.
Neither of those, and in fact none of the very few stands give you a look at Les Combes

[Airshifter]

Thanks for the scoop.

Being I'm in the US, I want to make sure I at least have the right spot on the track if we get there.