Spanish Grand Prix

Lovetotravel

We are going to the Spanish Grand Prix in a couple of weeks and I'm SO EXCITED :j. Has anyone been before that can offer advice? We have 3 adults, a 6 year old and a baby and have a car and parking booked and bought general admission tickets so we can wander round.

I'd be grateful for any tips.

Thanks

mcfisco

Buy earplugs before you go, you'll probably need proper cans for the youngsters though as they tend not to like the in-ear plug type.

Don't be put off by the location, it's in the middle of a vast industrial estate

Lovetotravel

My sister-in-law has got ear defenders for the kids. What's the drink situation like? I read elsewhere that beers are hideously expensive at the track?

mcfisco

Lovetotravel wrote: »

My sister-in-law has got ear defenders for the kids. What's the drink situation like? I read elsewhere that beers are hideously expensive at the track?

Not really sure on the beer as I was racing rather than watching but I can't see it being cheap, what with the Bernie tax and all.

Any drink and food we had came in with us.

blindman

Look at the F1 Fanatic thread for info

trailingspouse

How old's the baby? I wouldn't recommend F1 for little ones - it's painfully noisy, possibly frightening and frankly boring if you're very little. Do you really want to spend all your time making sure they have their ear defenders on? And I mean ALL the time. What will you do if they just decide they don't want to wear them? Also it's likely to be hot and having a baby in the sun for a whole day is foolhardy.
The 6 year old should be fine, if they're in to cars. At least you can explain that they need to have the ear defenders on all the time. We took our 4 year old grandaughter to Monza, and she was fine - found it a bit boring, and we wandered away from the track a couple of times, just to give her a break from the noise and let her play. We also bought her a toy F1 car to play with, which helped.
Are you going for the full three days, or just race day? I honestly think even the 6 year old will find three days a bit much. You say you will be able to wander round. Once the race starts, there is no way you will be able to see the race unless you have found a spot and stayed there. Every vantage point will be staked out, and if you move away you won't get back in.
Food is crazy expensive - take as much water as you can carry, plus lunch, with you - unless you think €30 for two pork sandwiches, a plate of chips and three bottles of water is a bargain.
My gut feeling (having seen F1 at Spa, Monza, Monaco and Shanghai) - don't go with a baby. Not very helpful, I know.

peachyprice

I think you mis-understand what general admission tickets are, they don't mean you can wander around the track, they mean you can only go into designated no seating, limited view enclosures, once the race starts no-one goes anywhere, you can't just wander around infront of people who are trying to watch the race.

It is going to be very, very noisy, I'm not sure how you're going to protect the babies ears, hopefully the 6yo will keep his plugs/defenders on.

I envisage that one of the adults is going to be spending a lot of time away fron the track entertaining the 6yo and a grizzly baby, and I bet it won't be dad!

andygb

Absolute torture for a baby - heat, noise, duration of event - in all, a very unpleasant place for a baby to be.

Delree

Don't cheer for Hamilton, they're hate him because he bested Alonso in his rookie year and the Spanish are very racist so would probably hate him anyway.

Lincoln_Imp

You will not believe the noise levels at the start of the race ,each F1 car produces something like 130+ decibels which in laymans terms is bloody loud
Everything relating to F1 is very expensive and once inside the circuit you will pay through the nose for food and drink so take as much with you as you can

Hope you enjoy the day ,it will be a great experience

Oh and expect to be bored at certain times waiting for something to happen

DCFC79

peachyprice wrote: »

I think you mis-understand what general admission tickets are, they don't mean you can wander around the track, they mean you can only go into designated no seating, limited view enclosures, once the race starts no-one goes anywhere, you can't just wander around infront of people who are trying to watch the race.

It is going to be very, very noisy, I'm not sure how you're going to protect the babies ears, hopefully the 6yo will keep his plugs/defenders on.

I envisage that one of the adults is going to be spending a lot of time away fron the track entertaining the 6yo and a grizzly baby, and I bet it won't be dad!

Would it not be hot as well ? ok maybe not hot if it were the summer but hotter than here.