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Questions and answers about going to a race weekend
#110057
This is my first post here!

I just registered to share my frustration while being a spectator at yesterday's Shanghai GP.

It was my second time there. The first one I attended was in 2007!

My son and I had seats booked in the Main Grand Stand Low. But, what a waste of a lot of money!

I believe that the locals, whom I respect (I have a university degree in Chinese Language and Literature) do not have the discipline to show respect for others around them.

We spent the whole race standing, trying to grab a portion of the track, while the view was being blocked by the rest of the local spectators who kept raising up every time the cars were about to pass by.

Very few were occupying their own assigned seats and they would be oblivious to any request to seat down, enjoy the race and let also everyone else "see" the rest of the track.

And that is not to mention the fact that everybody smoked cigarettes after cigarettes!

Again, I respect Chinese for what they are and what they have been. I have not only dedicated part of my life studying their culture. But, I also chose to live among them (15 years in Hong Kong). But, yesterday they disappointed me.

I just find it a shame that they have no regards for others.

The only other race I attended was the GP in 2007. During that race, my son and I also had a similar problem with people blocking the view. But it was not near as bad as it was yesterday and only limited to the beginning of the race.

So, it appears that it has got worse.

If you guys plan to go to Shanghai, think again ... I for one am done with it and I am not going to waste my money there again!

Next year, for me it's going to be either Japan or Singapore or Malaysia!

Cheers
Nick
#110061
Sounds pretty similar to what I had at the Oz Gp this year. If you wanted a clear view for the race, it meant arriving at , at least 10 in the morning and doing nothing but sitting and waiting, not being able to experience all the other off track action (mainly grid girls).

Go to Singapore, I hear it's brilliant!
#110095
Sounds pretty similar to what I had at the Oz Gp this year. If you wanted a clear view for the race, it meant arriving at , at least 10 in the morning and doing nothing but sitting and waiting, not being able to experience all the other off track action (mainly grid girls).

Go to Singapore, I hear it's brilliant!


obviously in General Admission?
#110128
In general if I'm taking kids to a race I go on a practice or qualifying day, the crowds are smaller, it's easier to get close to the cars and there's more stuff going on during the day. Anytime I've been to a practice day there was no assigned seating so if you don't like the people around you you can just move. Race days with kids, to me are bad for all the reasons you stated, and if your kids are still young they will see nothing but other peoples butts all day.
#110142
Sounds pretty similar to what I had at the Oz Gp this year. If you wanted a clear view for the race, it meant arriving at , at least 10 in the morning and doing nothing but sitting and waiting, not being able to experience all the other off track action (mainly grid girls).

Go to Singapore, I hear it's brilliant!


obviously in General Admission?


Must have been.
I had grandstand tickets at the Aus GP this year. It was on the main straight near the start/finish line. It was non-smoking, and when people would stand up Security would tell them all to sit down (to not block other people's views). We had assigned seating too (with entry to the grandstand only if your ticket was for THAT grandstand). I want to go again next year! I have just bought my ticket for Silverstone. Will have to see what the arrangements are for my grandstand and how that crowd will behave.

To the OP, sorry to hear you didn't have such a good time. Maybe you can try and catch another race this season/next year and have a better viewing experience.

Peace out.
#110150
Personally I would hate a grandstand seat. I'd personally prefer the freedom of sitting on a grassy bank, akin to Maylaysia.

But I've always had one big issue with going to F1 races, I like to wach every second of every race, and know exactly whats going on. Attending a race I can't really do. Unless I sat on front of one of the big monitors.

Actually, I'd love to watch attend the Shanghai GP. I know just where I'd sit.
Image
On top of one of those things so that I'd have a roof top veiw of the entire track. Gawd that'd be awesome.
#111086
Sounds pretty similar to what I had at the Oz Gp this year. If you wanted a clear view for the race, it meant arriving at , at least 10 in the morning and doing nothing but sitting and waiting, not being able to experience all the other off track action (mainly grid girls).

Go to Singapore, I hear it's brilliant!


obviously in General Admission?


Must have been.
I had grandstand tickets at the Aus GP this year. It was on the main straight near the start/finish line. It was non-smoking, and when people would stand up Security would tell them all to sit down (to not block other people's views). We had assigned seating too (with entry to the grandstand only if your ticket was for THAT grandstand). I want to go again next year! I have just bought my ticket for Silverstone. Will have to see what the arrangements are for my grandstand and how that crowd will behave.

To the OP, sorry to hear you didn't have such a good time. Maybe you can try and catch another race this season/next year and have a better viewing experience.

Peace out.



sorry to say this but 20 + people i know have been to silverstone, i have never been as i hate getting ripped off in the UK its cheaper and better value going to other countries ( in my opinion) they just walk in on the morning of the race with no tickets and get in a grandstand every year......its that easy.... trouble is if this is the last year for silverstone you will get ripped off even more.with over priced food and drink, hotels etc .....please let me know if i am wrong....i hope you have a good time i really do
#111104

To the OP, sorry to hear you didn't have such a good time. Maybe you can try and catch another race this season/next year and have a better viewing experience.

Peace out.



Tks!Well, it won't be for this season again. But for the next one, I am considering different options, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan are those most closer to me ... I'd assume Japan may have a most behaved crowd.
#111107
Personally I would hate a grandstand seat. I'd personally prefer the freedom of sitting on a grassy bank, akin to Maylaysia.

But I've always had one big issue with going to F1 races, I like to wach every second of every race, and know exactly whats going on. Attending a race I can't really do. Unless I sat on front of one of the big monitors.


Shanghai Main Grandstand has at least six (or perhaps eight) big screens hanging on top of the pit lanes. So, no matter where you are, you can follow the race from the screens, provided you do not have a few butts standing in your face as it happened to me.

Again, I was there in 2007 and it was a great experience, although even during that time, people would be getting up, but only in the first few laps. And, after a while they all sat down and enjoy and let others enjoy. Last Sun it was a complete different story altogether.

BTW, the guards that were supposed to look after the crowd were the first ones to stand in the way and enjoy the race themselves, standing right on the edge in front of everyone else.

Perhaps it should become a habit of the circuits commentators to broadcast a few appeals to the crowd to behave and respect others as well!?!?

Does anyone know how to lodge a formal complaint with the F1 organizers???
#111138
Sounds pretty similar to what I had at the Oz Gp this year. If you wanted a clear view for the race, it meant arriving at , at least 10 in the morning and doing nothing but sitting and waiting, not being able to experience all the other off track action (mainly grid girls).

Go to Singapore, I hear it's brilliant!


obviously in General Admission?



Yeah General admission. Can't afford Grandstand tickets just yet ($80 a week average wage). But how does the Oz GP stack up against the rest? In all honesty?
#111144
Sounds pretty similar to what I had at the Oz Gp this year. If you wanted a clear view for the race, it meant arriving at , at least 10 in the morning and doing nothing but sitting and waiting, not being able to experience all the other off track action (mainly grid girls).

Go to Singapore, I hear it's brilliant!


obviously in General Admission?



Yeah General admission. Can't afford Grandstand tickets just yet ($80 a week average wage). But how does the Oz GP stack up against the rest? In all honesty?


If you had grand stand seating you wouldnt have to worry about your complaints from General Admission.

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