F1.com Paddock Club - Worth it?

At the current situation, no.

 

Not much to cheer for if you want to support Ferrari!

Not done paddock club yet, have to say for many track paddock club is at a **** location anyways (straight). Great for the start and pitstops....apart from that it'll be a bad place.

Despite the race itself normally being quite boring, I really enjoyed the Spanish GP. I was sitting in T12 last time and you can see the cars for a long time (T10, 11, 12 and 13, partial T14/15 even). Also big TV's at a good location so could see the rest of the race easily. On Friday can walk all around the track and get to most locations so you really get an idea what place you'd like to stay at next time. I was happy with my seat so wouldn't change it really.

The good thing about paddock club is you do have a chance to be closer to the drivers and team members, if that's your thing (personally I wouldn't really bother them too much, apart from maybe a 'good luck' wish in passing...I'm sure they get 100s of people trying to talk to them all weekend and they're normally in a hurry).

Of course with the whole Corona thing I wouldn't bother going to a track unless it's very close to you anyways, in case it gets cancelled (or your flight etc)..

 

Surely there's some available data as to whether throwing a "good luck" to a driver actually works.

If only !

 

I have done Paddock a few times. Very pricey, no question and whether it's worth it or not depends on your preferences.

They treat you like royalty, pamper you with the best food, wines, drinks you name it. Open bar all day long. Great ambiance like a top restaurant. Many racing memorabilia on display. You get to do a pitwalk (IIRC twice daily), no drivers on sight but you see the cars much closer. Some teams bring in the drivers for a quick interview while you eat. Great view of the pitcrew in action, you basically watch straight down onto the cars as they come and go for tire changes etc. Often you get a special/easier access to the paddock than the rest of the visitors, some places chaufeur you right to the paddock.
And what is also very nice: it is not super crowded, not like the regular stands. Oh and nice toilets.

Canadian GP offered a nice alternative for paddock visits: You can buy a one day pass for Friday for about 1k. I did that and had regular stand tickets for the rest of the weekend. You get to see it all without breaking the bank.

 

Oh, one more thing: There are Paddock club tickets from F1 and then there are team paddock tickets. The difference is, that the team tickets allow you access to the suite of your team (e.g. Ferrari), which of course is situated right on top of the team's garage. F1 Paddock club ticket OTOH are more generic and "only" allow you to their suite/restaurant, which is not above a team's garage. It didn't bother me much though, I was able to snuck into the MB suite and watch Lewis and Bottas from directly above. I tried Ferrari as well, but they were more controlling at the entrance and didn't let me in. Oh well. So if you want to see a particular team in close enough pit action, you ought to buy their paddock ticket.

 

Glad the info was helpful. If you end up in the Scuderia Paddock, post some pics on here please.

Regarding the pitwalk: That's everybody's favorite but very time limited. So I recommend you line up at the gate early enough, once it opens walk all the way to the end of the pitlane (don't stop at Ferrari). Then walk slowly back. They clear the pitwalk from the far end, so you'll have a chance to see all teams as opposed to start at the beginning and then not making it all the way to the end.

 

I have done it twice. Catalunya and Silverstone. It was badass. I did have passes to main sponsor so we had private area next to all the teams. I was a guest so I didn't have to stomach the prices. But, it felt like heaven! Extremely memorable weekends for me.

 

Many years ago I was lucky to be a guest of a sponsor at one of the USGPs. I can confirm your sentiments. Back then things were a bit less orchestrated and you could basically walk into any team you wanted. Today it is more controlled.

 

I highly reccomend Paddock club tix. I've been a bunch of times - 6 over the last 7-8 years. I've been to PC in USA mostly at COTA but also at Silverstone and Belgium. I can recommend all sites ... but my access was through a team sponsor so first two were with Lotus / Renault and then with Mercedes. I have to say the Renault one were more relaxed... when you go with a team sponsor usually they take you down into the paddock besides the pit lane walk. especially after the race - you can basically get free reign in the paddock... lots of folks to meet, and see... usually you get to see the drivers up close after the race or after qualifying. Mercedes is a bit more controlling - they take you to the garage every day but not much in the paddock. one year ( raining ) they took us to the MB team lounge which was cool... friends of mine work for UPS that sponsor Ferrari - they get to the Team lounge - but not to Paddock Club... the golden ticket is a Paddock access pass... I would not recommend Paddock at Monaco..not much to see... and even with the teams you are not in the pits much... Monza is very controlled as well, great atmosphere but little access to garages and paddock.

when you by F-1 paddock tix you get to sit in the Lounge area and have access to their buffet / dinner sections. when you are with a team you access to all that as well. At COTA its a great place to watch the start as you have open access to the hill side, two floors of viewing - one year they let you go on the roof as well. they also have a video game / simulator area, a Teams SWAG area and also a high end models, and signed items area ... like a $30k Inconel exhaust signed by Schumacher. Senna helmet $75K etc... you usually get a swag bag every day - hat, shirt program etc... I think in the general Paddock club area they bring up driver and team member to talk about the race. Its a very euro trashy feel sometimes with all the eastern European security guys in black. don't even think about trying to Sneak into the paddock... each pass has an electronic magnetic signal that you have to put up to the gate to get entry and you also get a cloth wrist band that you have to have as well... different colors for each day, and team.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

Few more Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

As someone mentioned earlier - there are the generic paddock club and then there are team issued tickets for sponsors and such. We are one of the main sponsors of Mclaren so we get the latter / they are absolutely incredible.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I have done the Ferrari paddock four times (Hockenheim, Montreal, Silverstone & Monza). It’s worth it if you take full advantage of all days and are with someone that appreciates it as much as you do. It’s expensive and some circuits are really fun to be out with the fans, so I found myself out of venue sometimes more than inside, especially Silverstone and Monza. So it’s a really expensive way to relax in the air conditioning every hour or so and have lunch

F1 Paddock Club less expensive than team venues by about 25% if I recall correctly. You’ll be able to walk past the team clubs but strict no admittance policy without proper credentials. They won’t even permit a bit of loitering by the entrance when their drivers are speaking during the luncheon. In Hockenheim, Porsche did let me in their venue with my Ferrari badge to look at the brand new 918 Spyder that was on display.

 

ferrari-formula-1-club

If you are going to push the boat out you might as push it the whole way out.
Ferrari are indeed fantastic hosts, and very good at hospitality. It is the same for factory visits or Corso Pilota weekends.

But, the top of the pits location isn't alway the best for track views though it has obvious advantages.

The main thing of course, especially now, is that you can't guarantee team performance and you might be paying a kings ransom to watch us being trashed my Mercedes (again).

 

I have to say that since my passes usually are associated with Mercedes, its a downer to be a Ferrari owner and be in the "enemy" camp. there is not even any Mercedes that I would want... so i feel a bit ( tiny bit ) like an enemy. So when my Ferrari connection saw me- and said come on in to the Ferrari pit ... I had to hide my Mercedes Credential..... they don't take kindly to "non" Ferrari folks... thankfully my connection know's I'm an owner - and how I get my passes... so they get it.

I agree, the Paddock Club is uber expensive ... and honestly not a great use of money... but it's an amazing experience, and you are in an "exclusive" area. Its very much like Europe with all the "classes" .... the ultimate is to have an FIA VIP Pass. that way if you wanted to, you can go to any corner and watch from the barriers, and then get back into the Hot pits, and paddock... I had one for a day at Spa- usually when you do, you are assigned a FIA host... it is literally like Royalty, you get to go anywhere you like, at any time. only TV center and FIA command and FOM command are off limits, you have to be invited into that.

my first Paddock Club experience was in 1991 at the Canadian GP as guest of Allsport mgmt. Run By Paddy McNally. ... on race day I got to stand next to and talk to Isabella Rosselini, and Bernie Ecclestone ... and we got to walk the grid before the race... nowadays that is limited to FIA / FOM guests.

 

It sounds like the best way to do this is know someone who can gain you access. Like sponsors or friends.
For those who have those connections.. bravo! What an incredible experience!!
If you ever feel up to sharing that experience I am a message away

 

Yeah, my USGP Williams team paddock ticket was given to me by a work colleague who couldn't make it. Another friend of mine was a personal friend of one of the Ferrari F1 team aerodynamicists and he got team tickets to paddock that way. In fact, they even let him into the pits during practice, a very rare thing.

 

wow! That’s pretty incredible