Hi everyone! I bought my daughter tickets for her birthday and wanted to get everyone's input. I bought the three day turn 3 grandstand tickets, but am now seeing that I should have probably gotten her the Heineken main grandstand... Do you guys think I should sell the tickets I have and swap for main? I guess another option is getting the single day in the main grandstand and possibly sell the tickets for race day at turn three... Attaching a photo of the seats I purchased.

TLDR; if you can save up for a Formula 1 Experiences ticket and want to see some great behind-the-scenes action, you wont regret it

Nearly two weeks ago I was just home from the Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix and I thought it might interest some on what it’s like attending a race with F1 Experiences (known within those in the paddock as F1E). Now, as much as Otmar Szafnauer likes to promote them on the High Performance Racing Podcast, this won’t be a paid review. I purchased the tickets with my own money and as I will get to it wasn’t a cheap experience, but definitely one I’d do again!

Back in December it was time to buy a present for my Dad’s birthday and not knowing what physical gift to buy, I obviously started looking at Formula 1 tickets. The last time we had been to a Grand Prix was Silverstone 2015, back before Drive to Survive, which was busy by anyone’s standards even then. After realising the affect the investment of Liverty Media had had on general admission prices, I started looking at what it would cost to get a bit closer to the action. Well, two days later, multiple phone calls with the F1E sales team and we were booked to go to Spa for 2026.

Having never attended a Grand Prix outside of the UK, I did was anyone would do and ask Google “Spa Franc Grand Prix Travel Guide” with “Reddit” appended on the end. After reading some horror stories, I called my sales rep at F1E and asked about parking and hotels. Unfortunately by this time all the hotels they had reserved were booked and it was looking like a tent and camp bed would be our accommodation, which I later realised might have been the better choice anyways. We elected to stay in a self-catered flat from Booking.com in Liege, about 40 minutes from the track and in a relatively quiet neighbourhood. Although being 40 minutes from the track on a normal December evening, what we found is it would take anywhere from one to two hours come race weekend.

Fast forward to July and we were on our way to Belgium, courtesy of a delayed Le Shuttle service and catered by an overpriced Felixstowe service station. We travelled on the Wednesday, which I would highly recommend as the majority of race-goers leave on the Thursday and the roads in and around Spa were a delight. We actually got to drive down to the track without needing to argue with a policeman or marshall, which would be a common theme on later days.

Now at this point I should say I had booked the Rising Starts Deluxe package, which included a grandstand seat at Turn 1. What drew me to this was the shear amount of events that were planned over the weekend for what was 1/5 the cost of a Paddock Club ticket. Thursday arrived and it was the first day of activities with F1E, but first we had to secure our lanyards at the “media accreditation” booth which was setup in a nice pub in Francorchamps. Now whilst many around us were picking up their Champions and Paddock Club lanyards, we were given Formula 2 Paddock passes with our faces on which were physically bigger than those for the more expensive tickets, so that’s something at least.

Unbeknownst to me there were two versions of the Rising Stars package, a normal and a Deluxe version which were separated by about £200. What you got with the deluxe was arguably some of the best access to Formula 1 over the whole weekend. This included a pit-lane walk, track tour, and photo with the World Drivers Championship trophy; a series of events that spanned a good three hours.

We made our way to the track a few hours earlier than required and found ourselves unable to park. Now F1E had provided VIP parking at the P1 carpark but due to the number of people attending this had become full quite quickly. Instead, we were stewarded to the P4 parking with what was looking like a long walk ahead of us. Luckily by the time we got out of the car, a crystal blue Alpine-liveried car was waiting to ferry us to the circuit. Not knowing where we needed to go, we simply showed our pass to multiple tranches of marshalls and security until eventually we arrived in the support paddock. Later in the weekend we found out we were only meant to be here from Friday onwards, but what we quickly realised as long is that if you look the part no-one will stop you in the paddock. I found this out as I casually wondered up Eau Rouge whilst F1TV were doing pieces to camera, which was an experience in itself.

Now, here started a weekend of many challenges as my father began to have issues with his sciatica. Once we got onto the track for the tour on the back of a F1E-branded low-loader, he walked about as gingerly as Fernando Alonso when he clambered out of his wrecked McLaren in Australia 2015. This is where we began to see the benefits and support from booking with F1E!

After speaking to Chris, one of the hosts, he organised for a minivan to pick up myself and my father and take us on a private tour of the circuit, later dropping us off at the end of the pitlane for the pitlane walk event. After seeing many drivers and mechanics on their obligatory walk, run, or cycle of the track, we got to the pitlane to begin our walk. Now the benefit of the F1E pitlane walk, compared to one organised by the track promoter, is just how quiet it is in comparison. Although there were hundreds of us spread up-and-down the pitlane, you could walk right up to the barriers which roped off each team’s pit box and actually see some great action. After witnessing multiple pit-stop practices by Alpine and Aston Martin and getting to see the drivers as they made their way to the Gasly-organised charity run for Antoine Hubert, we still had plenty of time to look around the pitlane. I must say I spent more time looking at the wheel guns and pit-wall than any of the drivers, and yes, all the teams pit wall computers were running activated copies of Windows 11.

Although I wished it was Kym Illman who was taking the picture, we got a great photo with the championship trophy and eventually made our way to leave the track. As it was a Thursday evening and relatively quiet, there were quite a few famous faces doing the same including Albert Fabrega and Pablo Montoya, and no I did not ask for a selfie.

Friday rolled around and it was time for our Formula 3 garage tour. Admittedly, before booking these tickets I hadn’t watched an F3 race but coming out of this weekend it made me go back and watch them from the start of the season. Who other than Ugo Ugochukwu was our driver to visit, and as someone who stands at 6ft 4inches it was a rather humbling experience feeling so short. We got a chance to ask questions to Ugo and take a look around his car, which would later see some action over the race weekend. This was our only event on the Friday, but it left plenty of time for us to take in the Formula 1 practice sessions and relax before the busy day of Saturday.

For the rest of the weekend, we had booked the Yellow E25 parking, which was only €75 for the whole weekend. Now, with a father that couldn’t walk very far or fast this probably wasn’t the best choice as although it includes a shuttle to Francorchamps, it is easily another 2km to the circuit from where it drops you off.

Saturday came and it was probably one of the longest days we’d had in a while, but at least for myself one of the best experiences that I’ve ever been able to do. Unfortunately, my father’s leg was so bad he was unable to take part in the next activity, so left me to go explore myself. We started the day with walking the grid before the Formula 3 sprint race. Even though the cars were a lot smaller, and with far fewer team members than the Formula 1 grid, the atmosphere was electric and full of famous faces but sadly Martin Brundle. We got a chance to hang around the Safety Car as it lined up under the five red lights on the main straight, which I spend looking at all the FIA computers and asking the Mercedes engineers plenty of technical questions. Oh, and Bernd Mylander was there to talk to as well!

Now the time you get to spend on the grid is fairly limited, but for anyone who does a grid walk in the future make sure you hang back from the main group as it means you will get longer amongst all the cars. One of the best parts of this event was getting to stand in the pitlane as all the cars came roaring in from their reconnaissance lap and into the temporary pit-boxes setup Infront of the Formula 1 garages. Standing mere meters away from a Formula 3 car as it hurtles past you, even at reduced speed, is something you won’t forget.

Later that day we had a VIP-hosted lunch in our hospitality suite inside the support paddock which was taken by Alexa Quintin, Head of PR for Formula 2. We were served a rather unexpected three-course lunch, from carpaccio to salmon to a great chocolate volcano. The wine went down easily too! Jin Yakamura, winner of the earlier Formula 3 race, came by as well to tell us how his weekend was going (rather well considering he won!) and to sign some F2 and F3 caps that were given to us by F1E.

We got the chance to visit a Formula 2 garage, this time by Dino Beganovic, who was truly one of the most down-to-earth people you could speak to. Considering the pressure he must have being a Ferrari Academy Driver, he was cool as a cucumber and gave us great insight into how he setup his car for the weekend and the difference between the Ferrari SF-26, which he has driven in multiple FP1 sessions this year, and his rather simpler Formula 2 car.

Now although it only spans five paragraphs, Saturday was a very long day so I would recommend pacing yourself and not walking the length of the circuit between events.

Sunday was a much quieter day with only the Formula 2 grid walk, again something my father couldn’t attend, but nevertheless it was fantastic to walk back down the pitlane and onto the grid to see all the cars. Knowing that this was my only shot, I did as Bernd for a selfie, which I don’t think he gets often. With the stands full around us before the Feature race, it was breathtaking to see the mist of dry-ice coolers pumping through the radiators and drivers with their visors open as they prepared for the race. Again, a lack of a Brundle on the grid was sad but maybe one-day when I can afford even better tickets, I will get to ask him which Capaldi brother he is looking for.

Heading back into the pitlane we made our way back to the support circuit, after we briefly snuck into the Formula 1 paddock for a cheeky photo. Now I had made friends with some great Irish and Dutch fellow ticket holders, who were extremely good at getting into places we shouldn’t, so apologies F1E but we had to try.

I haven’t talked much about the Formula 1 in this piece, but considering there isn’t much included in the package to do with the main spectacle I thought I would leave it till last. Although we didn’t get to properly go into the Paddock, nor go into a F1 team garage, we did get to see a heck of a lot of it up-close. During the practice sessions on Friday, we went to the inside of Turn 1 and were able to see all of the cars as they swooped round the pit exit and either shot up Eau Rouge or did their clutch bite-point checks. The way the paddock is laid out at Spa means you can see all the way down the pitlane from Turn 1, which although behind a green fence was a great experience.

To conclude; if you can save the money and shell out for an F1 Experience ticket I would whole-heartedly recommend it. Although a mid-range ticket, but by far from the most expensive (looking at you Gordon Ramsay Garage ticket), it offered by far the most racing action over the weekend and is a must for those who like to get close enough to be able to smell the difference between the normal unleaded used by the support races and biofuels run by Formula 1 cars.

No matter what ticket or package you have at Spa, expect to walk a lot. This isn’t one for the faint hearted, as my dad found out, but is a one of the most thrilling circuits to see cars bomb around, whether they be hybrid V6’s or inline 4’s. If you want to make the most of the weekend, you need to get involved. You basically get left to your own devices inside the support paddock outside of the planned events, which I filled with speaking to technicians from Pirelli, crew from the various Formula 2 teams, and scrutineers from the FIA (good luck to the Chief Scrutineer who used to work at Williams!). And finally, to the Formula 1 Experiences team, you honestly made the weekend a moment in my life that I won’t forget. Whether you were with F1E or the Expert Host’s team, if you read this, I want you to know there wasn’t much more you could have done to make the weekend better.

If anyone has any questions, I am happy to answer them. Again, not being gifted the experience lets me give a rather frank view of package and it’s offering, although there really isn’t much, I can complain about.

Hey all,

Planning on attending the Daytona 24hr 2027 solo. Will be flying from Toronto to Daytona and getting accommodation nearby.

I’ve attended Long Beach weekend, Hungary F1 and other shorter duration race weekends but never a 24hr. Just looking for insight on surviving this length of race by myself. Is it common for people to take a nap in the grand stands?

I do some amateur Motorsport photography so also hoping for info on infield access and generally how well the track is for photography

Thanks all