Have you ever been to a Formula 1 race?

My first F-1 race was the 1967 U.S. GrandPrix at Watkins Glen. I've gone to several at the Glen, the '78 British Grand Prix and go to Montreal about every other year. They were all exciting but back in 1967 only snow fencing separated you from the cars at most spots and you could set up your tent 20 yards from the track (as long as you were on the Inside!!!!!) and just party for 3 days while guys like Gurney, Brabham, Stewart, Hill, Surtees and Clark (I think he won actually) wizzed by. The racing was great then before aero and tires took over. Opposite lock slides, braking duels, double file into turns, PASSING. Unbelievable. F1 is still phenomenal but is so different. It is still the most incredible racing technology out there and if it weren't for a half mile dirt track Sprint Car race under the lights it would be the best auto racing in the world!

 

I thinks this poll is just as biased as previous ones we had like "Do you care about F1?". People who don't care and don't go the races probably don't bother to vote here either.

So the 0% on people never having been to a race looks cool for this group, it is most likely not significant for the greater Ferrari fan/owner population. That's just based on my own sad experiences with other Ferrari owners who couldn't give a damn about F1 and the Ferrari team. Sad, but true.

 

Amazingly there are Ferrari owners that either do not driver their Ferrari or hardly ever ... that is even sader

Why own one!

Pete

 

very true Pete, there is a local guy who has 8 Ferraris (mostly late model and the only Enzo in Qld) and the only exercise they get is to the dealership for servicing.....whereas my poor beast gets about 20K kms/yr and a lot of that is at the track

Drove it 4,500 kms round trip last year to Melbourne and then another 6,000 kms round trip to Adelaide with several track days between and a lot of trips to Brisbane from the Coast.

You should do the drive to a GP at least once in your life, not many Macca drivers out there to do that

 

Interlagos 2000 and 2001
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I've been very lucky.

Silverstone twice
Malaysia twice
France, both Paul Ricard and Magny Cours
Monaco twice
Hungary
US at Indy
Canada
Zandvoort
Brand's Hatch

 

Very lucky.

 

Great post! Especially the part about Sprint Cars on dirt. I love them! My first GP was in 1971 at Mosport. It was foggy and they almost didn't start the race. Then Jackie Stewart had a great idea. He started circulating slowly in the Tyrell, gradually picking up speed, stirring up the fog. Within minutes it cleared and the race was on. I asked him about it while getting his autograph at a Ford racing function at Greenfield Village a few years back and he was surprised that anyone remembered.

A week later I was at Watkins Glen for my second Grand Prix...

 

Hehe, another spin to the question: Have you been to a F1 GP with your Ferrari?

Well, I went to last year's USGP with my 308. That was a blast. Rock star feeling when the crowds part and you enter the infield for parking.

 

'01 Monaco GP, '99 Canadian GP and '84 Dallas GP for me... bet there's not many of you who remember a GP in Dallas! It was won by Keke Rosberg... it was 104 degrees in Dallas on that July day. Ouch!

http://www.allf1.info/tracks/dallas.php

 

Dallas was a hard race. Lots of concrete walls to hit if you made one mistake.

trivia question- who was the driver who pushed his car across the finish line?

 

I was at Interlagos in 03 and at Indy in 00 and 01. Saw the Miami cart race in 03.

 

Saw my first F1 race in 1971 at Montjuich Park in Barcelona. That was, I think, the first European F1 race on slicks. (South Africa was first?) Anyway, we stood at the edge of the armco at the end of the pit straight at a sharp downhill left hander. (The OUTER armco....we were soooo stupid) The cars came flying at us so fast that we couldn't believe they could slow and make the corner, but of course they did. Jackie Stewart was unreal. He nicked within an inch of the same apex lap after lap. The Ferraris were driven by Ickx and Andretti. And there were these incredible Matras that sounded like air-raid sirens. I was hooked for life. Since then I've driven 10 hours to Watkins Glen from Chicago several times, gone to one of the ill-fated Phoenix races and done all the Indy events. I'd like to go to Europe again. Anyone gone with Grand Prix Tours?

 

That was Nigel Mansell that did the manual powered finish.

 

I only felt the need to post since no-one else seems to have been to Suzuka. I've been to a number of other GPs, but as a brit being at Suzuka in '96 seeing Damon Hill win the championship was a highlight. I still have the union flag that I waved that day

Most expensive day out I've done anywhere in the world, but awesome all the same.

 

1969 - Sth Africa, Spain, Monaco, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Britain, Holland
1970 - Spain, Monaco, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Britain, Holland
1971 - Monaco, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Britain
1986 - 90 Australia
1995 - 99 Australia
2001 - Australia, Italy

Maybe missed a couple there - age affects the memory

Late 60's early 70's were the best - you could get really close to the cars - at Montjuich (Barcelona) one year, we were leaning on the armco at the exit of a corner and you could look into the cockpit and read the tachos! Great memories!
Francorchamp was awesome until they stuffed it up - at least they kept Tetre Rouge!

John

 

I actually plan on going this year. It'll be my first race. My dad's friend went last last year and he told me it was an awesome experience. Everything I've heard seems to point in that direction too.

 

The favorite venue we've been to is Monaco. Some pics from when we went in 2002.
Gil

 

We may have passed one another crossing the track on those pedestrian bridges or seen each other waiting in line for the roller coaster at le ronde.
Montreal 84, 85, 86, and 89
What a great weekend that was. F1 all day, amusement park and international fireworks show at night. Rode the elevator with nigel mansell, talked briefly after a qualifying day where i had been at the turn before the pit straight and seen derek warwick actually fly threw the air, backwards. Turbos were the best.
T

 

Montreal 96 97 98 99 00
Spa 01

Imola 04...

 

Please post some pictures when you're back.