Going to Montreal GP - any advice?

My advice is always "Go to Montreal." You've already done that part, so the rest is a no-brainer! You'll LOVE it

 

it's a wonderful drive up there. if you do a search here you'll find all the info you need. there is so much to see and do your head will spin.

 

Three buddies and I are going to attend from Oregon. We'll be there all three days, with seats in Stand 24. Here are prices you can get by going to the official Canadian GP website, www.grandprix.ca (Note that the grandstand seats at the Canadian GP website are over $100 cheaper than what I saw on the official Formula 1 website, while the General Admission tickets were the same for Sunday only, a little cheaper on the F1 site for Saturday only, and a little more expensive there for Friday only. Also, the links weren't working this week on the grandprix.ca website for purchasing online, so I had to call the number listed there, (514) 350-0000--which actually went to a ticketing agency. And curiously, they asked me if I knew the price, which made me wonder if they might have tried to charge a higher figure had I not. )

PRICE CHART

GRANDSTAND PRICE $ CAN
1-2 3 days $495
11-12-15-21-24 3 days $395
22-31-33-34 3 days $225
_____________________________________________

GENERAL ADMISSION
Price may change
without notice
All 3 days $100
Sunday $75
Saturday $50
Friday $25


HTH,

dn

PS The official Formula 1 website I referred to is not the site referenced in the original post, which does not list one-day tickets. If you go to www.formula1.com and click on the "Tickets & Travel" banner, you can then click your way to their ticket-purchasing page, which does offer single-day General Admission tickets.

 

Definitely drive up there, the roads and sceneries are not bad at all... i've driven up from Jersey City to the GP back in 2005.

You have definitely picked the right place to go, it was an experience of a lifetime for me. Great thing about Montreal is that since its a rather old track, you can simply climb off the stands and get onto the track right after the race; whereas places like Shanghai or Sepang, thats simply impossible.

I am planning on going to Singapore this year, should be interesting

 

Tickets - get seats at the hairpin (L'Epingle) corner, by far the best there. You get to see the cars decelerate, attempt passes, accelerate again. It's where Kubica had his massive shunt last year, but hopefully nothing like that happens again. Plus, there's a nice big screen. Trust me. It's also closest to the subway station, which is the only way to get to the track. The track is massive- walking from the far side to the subway station takes forever. After the race is over, there is a mad scramble to get on the subway. If you are at the hairpin, you'll be fine. If you are at the other end, you are waiting probably 2 hours in line to get off the island.

Don't bother with the Loges Elites (the box seats along the start/finish straight). They are super-expensive and you really can't see jack, unless you are all the way down towards turns 1 and 2. Last year, I left my Loge Elite seats to go watch from the hairpin!

Have fun- Montrealers know how to party for Grand Prix- it's a very Euro atmosphere downtown. You'll love it. I'd be going again this year but I have a wedding to attend

p.s. If you bring the TR, you'll want to find the Ville Marie tunnel for some flat-12 Italian opera. Again, trust me!

 

There are buses too i believe... we took the subway most of the time... but we did try the bus back out to the city one day when we decided to stay a bit longer to check the casino out..

As for english version of the site, go bottom left.

 

Based on a dozen trips there (though last in 2001): Consider staying on the south shore (cheaper and less crowded) and take the Metro from Longueuil to the island. Get your ticket for stand 15 or 24 at the hairpin, but spend some time Saturday walking around the infield and checking out the vendors. Go to Crescent Street (Guy/Concordia stop on the Metro) after racing activities on Saturday for good dining/people watching/car watching. Go to a nicer restaurant on Sunday after the race; my pick is Le Latini.

 

make sure you've got the necessary docs for the border crossings

 

Actually, the site is also available in English (click the little "English" link in the lower left hand corner from the landing page).

Dunno if you're the same guy from the P/J region that emailed me last week re the 70+ tifosi that the I'm taking up from the New England Region, but if not, a couple of hints: you can indeed drive to the island, but it's a mad house and parking is a zoo (and often sold out), though do-able on Fri/Sat, otherwise get there EARLY or make other arrangements. Most folks take the Metro, as it's easy and convenient, though leaving the track on Sun after the race makes Tokyo trains feel like Amtrak in North Dakota. Another alternative is to take a cab, but the taxi line can be long and it's not cheap and with all the walking and traffic, it's probably slower than taking the Metro.

Try to stay downtown. Staying on the South shore or near the airport is cheaper, but then you're always commuting to get to the fun. And unless you're a diehard enthusiast, you're not going to miss a whole lot by skipping Friday and enjoying the fun downtown. Thu is usually Ferrari day, with a police-escorted parade to Peel st and reserved Ferrari parking (like sardines) deep into the night. A couple of blocks over is the Crescent St F1 zoo, the entire weekend.

You can indeed drive, there are some FUN roads through New England, or save 20-30 minutes and bomb up I-87 through NY (make sure you plot out ahead of time the border crossing secret short-cuts!).

We're taking over much of a hotel, having a couple of group dinners, and all sitting together in the hairpin. Woo-hoo!

vty,

--Dennis

 

Hi - I live in Montreal and these are my tips for what it's worth: Metro is by far the best way to get/from to the track. I park my car at any lot near the Berri Metro station and then have only one metro (no transferring) to take to the track. Grandstand 15 is the best one on the track. Jumbotron screen directly in front of you, and you see the cars for a long period of time as they decelerate, negotiate the hairpin, and accelerate like hell up the longest straight. Montreal is a tight track, and 90% of the passing is done on deceleration into the hairpin. Grandstand 24 is not bad, but 15 is best. Easier & faster in and out over Cosmos Bridge to the Metro from there too.
Stay downtown - you'll get a better feel for the pulse of the city during F1 GP week and have more fun. Crescent street is the center of all the action. The Little Italy area (cab ride up St-Laurent blvd) is full of great restaurants and lots of action. There will be lots of Ferraris around, I drive mine every day that week and it's a hoot. Old Montreal area rocks pretty good during GP week as well. If you want to go to specific restaurants, always reserve, and reserve very early. Just my $.02 Hope it helps. Send me a PM if you have any specific questions that I could help with, or that you can't find answers to online. I'll do my best.
Enjoy Montreal.

Richard

 

I'll be there Thursday to Monday, thanks for the info.

 

I'll be there from Wednesday to Sunday. Where are you sitting?

 

section 1 row 10. I might be working Practice and Qualifying in the Pits.

 

BTW, bring clothing for just about any weather condition. It could be 90 degrees and beautifully sunny, or 60 degrees, overcast and humid, with a chill wind. Believe me, I've experienced both extremes.....

 

Hi,

anyone receive the tickets yet? The race is in less than two months, it sux to still not have the tickets in hands.

K

 

We're planning on staying by the airport. I'm assuming it is safe to leave my car parked there for most of the weekend?

 

I received my tickets last week.

 

I was getting nervous about not having my tickets in hand, so I called them this weekend. They will be shipped out in the next 2 weeks. I got re-confirmation of my seats, so now I just wait.

 

Went last year, lots of parties around town every night. Went to a spot with 2 friends, got a table & ordered massive amounts of Liquor (the place didn't hold a credit card), 2 hours in and the DJ blows the fusebox, power goes out, followed by ole' ole' ole' chanting then a riot starts, we stumble out without paying... Good times!

 

I was at the USGP last year and there were Formula BMW's, Porsche's, and some kind of Indy cars that raced in addition to Formula 1. I was wondering if anyone knows what additional events are going on at the Canadian GP this year?

 

I know that the Formula Ford series (Ontario and Quebec I think) will be there. A friend of mine, Matt White (defending Ontario FF1600 champion) will be in it.

 

Are you only able to buy 3 day passes for section 15 and 24?