What F1 Race should i go to next year in Europe?

All of the above !!!
Seriously, how much time do you have?
If you are going to Monaco as a given, the others will probably fall in to place around the time you are there - Imola is well before Monaco, but Monza doesn't happen until September.
As Bernie says, timing is everything!
Enjoy!
John

 

Well, I think we can discount Austria as there isn't scheduled to be an Austrian GP next year!

I have actually been to all the tracks you list, although I haven't actually been to Nurburgring when the GP is on. Been round the old 14-mile track in my 348, though! My personal favourite is Monza. I stay on Lake Como (stunningly beautiful and only a 30 odd minute train ride from the circuit). The track has so much history. The weather is pretty much guaranteed (there has never been a wet Italian GP) and the place is jammed with fellow Ferraristi. Plus there's a whole lot to see in the surrounding area (Monza is a suburb of Milan as you probably know)

Nurburgring is a pretty bland track.
Hockenheim is too, after the recent revisions. I used to really like it with the long blasts through the forest but went to the first race after it was re-jigged (2002) and hated what had been done to it. However, it has the advantage over Nurburgring in being close to some interesting places like Heidelberg.
Monaco is great, but unfortunately you can no longer really get in the paddock and get up close to the cars being prepared in the way you could a few years back. I imagine that's even more the case with the new pitlane.
Magny Cours is a bit dull and in the middle of nowhere.
Silverstone is a dump.
Spa is absolutely stunning. Probably the best circuit in the world, but if you go there you know you're going to get soaked. I've never been so miserable at a race track as I was at the '89 GP - at the race itself was pretty exciting.
Imola is enjoyable, but the track is not what it was and is also, in theory, not on next year's calendar (though Ferrari for one are pushing Ecclestone to keep it). It is the closest to Maranello - somewhere else you might want to visit whilst in Europe!

 

Oops. Forgot Spain. Good track and quite easy to get to. Barcelona is a great city and only a few minutes away. I was there for the '91 race with Mansell and Senna inches apart down the main straight. Fab. Worth considering.

 

i'm thinking spain too. it's early enough in the season so it gives you something to look forward to right away. it's very accessable from town. there's lots to do at night. but best of all it's affordable to the point of still leaving enough budget to go to indy.

 

Mmm, difficult question...
I would say Monaco for the special experience..., Monza or Imola for the Italian atmosphere and off course Spa-Francorchamps simply because it's a great track!!! Nürburgring is nice too...

Monaco, Monza, Imola, Spa,... can't you do them all? They're all different and special in their own way...

Ok, my final vote goes to... Spa!

Off course if you go to Monaco or one of the Italian GP's you can also visit Maranello on the way and the weather will most likely be a lot better.
But, as you probably know, in Monaco you will pay...

Good luck in making the right choice... let us know...

Greets, Alexander

 

Monaco is an expensive place, but you can watch the race for nothing! Up by the Palace is a good place if you're there early enough. Last time I went to the Monaco GP the grandstand I was in was much cheaper than a grandstand at Spa. Nevertheless, Spa is a great track (drove round it in my 348 at the Spa Ferrari days last year) just remember to take your umbrella and waterproof clothing!

 

Rob, here my 0.02 Euros on this and I'm repeating some of the comments made:

- Nuerburgring has the advantage, that you can drive your rental car on the old Schleife and it is relatively close to Spa.

- Spa is stunning as a track, but hard to find a place to sleep, big traffic jam. If you just visit off the race weekend, you can drive about half the track with your rental car as it is partly on public streets.

- Monaco, yes expensive, but ah what a cool place. Best to take it all in. Drive the track when it is open. Oogle all the exotics in streets over the weekend. And drive a "rental" F1 after the race (if interested let me know).

- Hockenheim's motodrom is a really cool place to watch the race, similar to the Indy stadium.

- Monza has its name and tradition going for it, but not much else. It is an ok place.

- Imola is a race soon to be cancelled. So hurry up if you want to see a piece of history. But that's about all that speaks for it. Not an exiting place to watch a race. I won't cry once it is no longer on the calendar.

- French GP is a dopey track and very hard to find accomodation as they put it squarely into rural country (in order to get that region going, but that didn't happen). GP Tours offers a river cruise with it, handy for accomodation, but about 100% overpriced.

- Barcelona is one of the coolest cities on the planet (IMHO) and track is fantastic too. You won't see much passing, but sitting in turn one stand you'll be able to see a lot of parts of the track. Similar to Brands Hatch.

- Austria is gone

- Silverstone has the ambiance of the British racefans going for it. Hard to find accomodation or accept you'll end up in traffic. If you have some $$$ to spare, you can helicopter in. Timewise you can combine that with Goodwood's Festival of speed (normally a week ahead).

You didn't mention Hungaroring and Istanbul. One of which is going to be likely my next GP for 2005. Hungaroring is not much of a track, but Budapest is nearby. Istanbul, well, what can I say, how cool would that be?!!!

Anyway as far as your choices go, here my top 3 list:

1) Monaco
2) Barcelona
3) Silverstone
And use your travel time to take your rental to Spa and Nuerburgring in the off time.

 

True... but overal I think Monaco will be the more expensive event if you include costs of food, hotel, drinks,... and a visit to the casino Still, Monaco is a great experience, even without the F1 event...

About Spa, great track indeed! Off course prices depend on which grandstand you choose. And you never know what the weather will be like...
Like you said, last year the Spa Ferrari Days were soaked in rain! Most recent Spa Ferrari Days on the other hand were hot and sunny

Correct about the accomodation, you have to book in time and you'll probably get stuck in traffic...
But Francorchamps isn't partly public street anymore... it became a closed track a few years ago... You only can drive it on certain events...
Driving the long-track Nürburgring is still possible.

Greets, Alexander

 

Spa is a great track, if you're driving on it. But it's so diverse that I'd rather watch on television than sit at only one corner. (How can you pick just one good corner at Spa?)

At Monza, when the cars are on the other side of the circuit, you still have tifosi around you.

Monaco has the atmosphere ... oh, and a race happens in there somewhere. More for watching the specators than watching the race.

The only down-side to the Italian GP is that, the way things are, the championship will probably already be decided before the circus comes to Monza.

- just my tuppance

 

I watched a GP sitting in the grand stands at the s/f line in Monza and found it not much of a spectacle. True the fans were there (to my left all in red, to my right all in silver, it was at the height of the MS/Hakkinen days), but watching the race itself was a bit of a bore: They just pass by right to left. No elevation changes, no turns.


Alexander, you're saying that Spa is now off limits? Surprised to hear that, but you're from Belgium, so I'm sure you know better. I guess I consider myself lucky then when I was there (about 5 years ago) we drove all the way from the lowest point of the track to the bus stop chicane, past the pits, hairpin, down to Eau Rouge, throught the chicane all the way up the hill to the highest point. All those were public streets and we had direct access to the pitlane (old and new).

 

the cheapest and best to view a GP : in my house on my big screen....you're welcome....

I have to say the GP of Imola made the most sensations when i was there, with tousands of tifosi, GREAT.

greetings, vincent

 

One of the most impressive things for me (as a former Army officer) was to visit the museum of the battle of the Belge and the war memorial. Make sure you go there if you end up in that area. Luxembourg is cute.

Monaco is relatively close to Italy, not too close though. Only interesting thing nearby would be the Pininfarina and the auto museum in Turin.

What's neat about Monaco is, that you can stay/live relatively economically in nearby Nice and take the commuter train to the race (did that for two races, works great). So "only" the ticket will cost you an arm and a leg. And the French Riviera is some stunning place to hang out, including Nice. And as I said, you could drive a real F1 in nearby Le Luc (former AGS team test track).

 

Yes, that was possible in the past... but not anymore... Like I said, Francorchamps is a full-time circuit now. Normal traffic goes over a new road curved around the circuit.
As you can see on the map in this link http://www.race-rally.be/spaeurorace/infos/maps/access.htm


Greets, Alexander

 

Wow. I feel lucky now for having done that in the past. Thanks for the update.