Why pay for seats at Monza??

[Scott]

I went to Monza 3 times over the last 6 years (I live in Switzerland, so it's the nearest race to me).  Each time, I planned the trip well in advance, paid good money for good seats - each time ensuring that I was on an aisle seat looking up track towards where the cars were coming from (once at the Parabolica and twice at the fist chicaine). 

Minutes before each race, the Italian security guys guarding the grandstand opened the gates and let in all their friends/countrymen/anyone to fill up the stairs.  Throughout the race, there was absolutely no control, so the stairs became basically another few hundred seats.

Result being that my carefully planned seating plan, booked months in advance and costing me over 400Euro's a shot ended up being a seat blocked by some a#%*wipe that only paid 40Euro's for a GA ticket and had a better seat than me (thanks to the stair design that actually gave them a half head above everyone in the seats). 

To top it off, 8Euro's for a 3dl can of Pepsi, filthy facilities and half-a$$ed setup for those of us too poor to enjoy the Paddock Club ensure that I will never again visit Monza. 

Before I book another race and pay airfare on top of that sort of budget, can anyone tell me of similar situations at other European races?


Needless to say, I will never return to Monza.  Too bad because I did love the historic aspects of the old track. 

[Alianora La Canta]

Silverstone's a decent track; the toilets were all right when I went there 5 years ago for a qualifying session and even General Admission allows you some really good views. It's best if you bring your own food and drink (food in particular costs a fortune), though at least at Silverstone the authorities don't tip all outside food and drink out like they do in, say, Malaysia.

[rmassart]

So how come Silverstone is under so much pressure from Bernie, but Monza isn't. Is that the Ferrari effect?

[Ian]

You got it right first time rmassart, Ferrari !

[Alianora La Canta]

Also, the British GP is the only circuit in the world that may be breaking even - and due to the track being owned by the BRDC (not a government or a huge business, you should note) the track has to at least break even, else it cannot be held. Bernie chases every last penny to the ground, and this is why he thinks he can get more money out of the BRDC than is in fact possible.

[johnbull]

Bernie, like his friend Max, has ulterior motives.

If the owners of Silverstone gave him the circuit tomorrow, Silverstone and the British GP would suddenly become the best in the World.

You wonder why he wants it so badly when he keeps saying it's so lousy.

[cosworth151]

The USGP at Indy was the best run sporting event I've ever been to. Problems like you had at Monza are quickly handled. I had great seats, right by the grid, for $67 each. That ticket was also good for the Thursday pit walk about, which included autograph sessions with all of the drivers, live Speed TV broadcasts and other good stuff. I also had the $25 pass for the rest of the week-end. It was an in-and-out pass that allows unlimited entrance and exit from the track both days. Parking right across the street from the track for the week-end was $50. The track also held a free party the Sunday before the race with the Canadian GP on the big screens.

By the way, the track turns a profit without govenment money. No wonder Bernie was liking his chops. As much as I'm going to miss the race, I think Tony George was right to tell him to shove off.

[CrazyHorse]

Scotty its the same at the belgium GP. Last time i went i had gold 1 tickets, great view, until the race started, then the teenage girls checking tickets go home and anyone and everyone stands in the stair ways and even in front of the 1st row seats so you cant see nothing

in the end the police turned up and threw them all out, but thats only because a riot was about 30 seconds away from breaking out and about 30 mins from the end of the race. Its enough to put you off going to race day. You can sit where you want for free practice and qually at spa

france and monaco had good security so no-one without tickets got anywhere near the stands. Isnt monaco handy for you living in switzerland?

[romephius]

I know it's not F1, but, at the Indy 300 on the Gold Coast, absolutely everything is controlled by your pass, there are sooooo many volunteers checking tickets, if you don't have access you don't get in....... and at any point you can be removed from the track if you don't follow the rules or have your pass showing.  I was under one of the grand stands escaping from the sun when someone tried to gain access to the grandstand without the correct pass they were asked to move along, he begged to be let up to take a couple of pics from the top of the entrance stairs, he was told to move along or he would be moved along.  So it's TOP marks to the organisers for avoiding the problems you guys are talking about.  Hopefully I will be able to goto the F1 in Melbourne one year.

Rom

[Scott]

Scotty its the same at the belgium GP. Last time i went i had gold 1 tickets, great view, until the race started, then the teenage girls checking tickets go home and anyone and everyone stands in the stair ways and even in front of the 1st row seats so you cant see nothing

in the end the police turned up and threw them all out, but thats only because a riot was about 30 seconds away from breaking out and about 30 mins from the end of the race. Its enough to put you off going to race day. You can sit where you want for free practice and qually at spa

france and monaco had good security so no-one without tickets got anywhere near the stands. Isnt monaco handy for you living in switzerland?

I'd like to go to Monaco (a bit further, but the glamour!), but I had heard that unless you luck out on someone's yacht or the swimming pool seats, your chances of seeing more than a blur between the buildings is limited.  Have any of you guys been to Monaco?  Business-wise it would be easier for me to got to Monaco than Monza (early Sept we're busy as heck).  Let me know good stands to go for etc...

[CrazyHorse]

scotty u great great views at monaco, i was going to take the yaught but ...u know how it is 

i sat at the swimming pool for qualifying and rascasse opposite the pits for the race so maybe thats why i had good views

if i go again i'll probably watch for free on the hillside at rascasse.  you get  a good view from the swimming pool down to the rascasse corner and then back up the start / finish straight. you even see the pit stops.

 

[masudkarim]

i have two autotecnica bucket seats for sale which are in excellent .... 1 User(
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