The method, although, just isn’t so easy. With a calendar that zigzags throughout 5 continents, and just a few races within the U.S. — the collection will head to Austin for the U.S. Grand Prix on Oct. 23, along with races in Miami and Las Vegas subsequent yr — seeing a stay Method One race might require an in depth journey plan. For Individuals who’ve by no means attended a race, the entire weekend might be complicated to navigate, to not point out costly.
If you happen to’re desperate to catch your first F1 race however don’t know the place to start out, worry not: The following pointers will provide help to plan your journey — and hopefully save a couple of bucks within the course of.
E-book forward, particularly for inns
Very first thing’s first: You’ll need to determine which race you’d prefer to attend and the place you’ll keep. The sooner you intend the higher, since discovering a lodge might be one of many trickiest components of a Method One journey.
Shortly after the official Method One calendar is revealed (the 2023 schedule was launched final month), downtown inns in host cities start filling up quick. Their costs enhance because the race attracts close to — most inns in Austin are north of $400 per evening in the course of the upcoming U.S. Grand Prix — so that you’ll need to begin investigating your lodge choices early, nearly a full yr prematurely for those who’d like to search out the most effective offers.
If downtown inns exceed your funds, there are different choices: You might be able to discover a whole lot on an Airbnb from a bunch who might not notice there’s a Method One race on the town. Or you’ll be able to look to remain in a neighboring metropolis. For instance: If downtown Austin appears restricted, you could find some extra inexpensive inns in close by San Marcos, solely a half-hour drive from the racetrack.
If you happen to’re touring with a gaggle of associates, splitting the prices will help your pockets.
Don’t sleep on Friday follow
An F1 weekend is far more than simply the two-hour race on Sunday. Every grand prix is a three-day competition crammed with a wide range of racing collection and a bunch of sideshows and points of interest, from hot-air balloons to motocross stunt reveals to rock concert events. Every racetrack creates a carnival ambiance.
Most new followers really feel compelled to attend Sunday’s race, however that’s not essentially your only option: These tickets are extremely costly (grandstand seats usually exceed $500 per ticket), and the viewing expertise might be lackluster. Many sections at every racetrack wouldn’t have video screens, so that you’ll usually be counting on Twitter to determine what occurred to your favourite driver.
Suffice to say, it’s very totally different from watching on tv.
Sometimes for a fraction of the worth (assume $50 as a substitute of $500) you’ll be able to attend Friday’s Method One follow day and catch a wide range of on-track motion whereas nonetheless soaking within the venue’s ambiance.
The marginally lowered crowds imply you will get round far more simply and never have to attend on obnoxiously lengthy traces, and you’ll usually choose and select the place you need to sit, because the grandstands usually are not as packed as the remainder of the weekend. If you happen to’re attending your first race and are uncertain the way you’ll prefer it, it is a nice check. It’s a terrific expertise that always will get missed.
Get tickets from the house monitor
Method One just isn’t like an MLB or NBA recreation, the place you’ll be able to simply hop on StubHub a number of days earlier than and choose up low-cost nosebleed seats.
Face-value race tickets bought by Method One’s web site promote out in a short time, however don’t lose hope: It’s also possible to discover tickets on the impartial web site for every host racetrack (Circuit of the Americas for the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin; Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve for the Canadian Grand Prix slated for June in Montreal).
A few of these websites additionally characteristic verified resale portals, which is useful, since resale websites like StubHub, Viagogo or Vivid Seats don’t at all times have many choices.
And be warned: Ticket costs for newer races — like Miami, which debuted this yr — are usually very costly, notably on the resale market.
Do your homework for every grand prix metropolis
Since Method One is such a world collection, every race varies wildly in safety procedures, ticket costs, the right way to get to the racetrack, meals choices and accessibility.
F1 Experiences, a journey group that provides all-encompassing ticket packages, contains a free weblog that gives useful guides to every monitor and host metropolis, as does the web site F1 Locations. Ensure that to learn up on the race you’d prefer to attend, particularly if it’s a global one, so you understand precisely what to anticipate.
Moreover, it’s a good suggestion to go looking on social media, notably the Method One subreddit, to get a way of what followers have been saying finally yr’s grand prix. You would possibly achieve some ideas and catch wind of any main issues that cropped up: Have been there not sufficient water refill stations? Must you keep away from the shuttle buses by taking the subway or driving?
