The race part of the event, like with any motorsport, is better on TV. Being there isn't about that. It's not like you can't follow the race, you can, but you're not there to get a better view of the whole race. You're there to see the cars. The speed, when you're up close, is unbelievable and totally lost on TV. The noise is unbelievable. The stopping distances and the skill to get those bloody things round those corners at that pace is unbelievable. I don't know if I'd definitely recommend it these days with the cost, I was fortunate enough to go a few times in the 80s and early 90s when it was affordable, but it is awesome in the truest sense of that word.
I was chatting to a mate about it yesterday, and he said pretty much the same thing. He only ever went to practice at Silverstone, but said it was off the scale incredible. The speed of the cars, the fact that you could hear every gear change from a kilometre away, the whole sense of event. Between you, you'd sold it to me, until I saw that the cheapest tickets even for practice are £99.
No doubt being built by migrant labourers who are effectively slaves and considered entirely disposable. Horrible place.
Been to the f1 at Silverstone for the last three years with my lad. Amazing experience, love every part of it including the support races etc. The sounds up close are incredible, the acceleration viewed up close is breathtaking, and you are always aware of what is happening on the rest of the track with the screens and loudspeaker system. The scale of the event, the number of people, the buzz building up to the race on Sunday. Love it. I can even cope with the queues and prices of food and drink, I expect that. But I’m not going next year (and I doubt I will again). It has always been very expensive but the prices when they released the tickets for next year last month have climbed - massively - from what was already a very high bar. It is true that I could get flights, accommodation and transfers to the circuit, as well as admission tickets, for probably half the races on the calendar for the same or less than a three day grandstand ticket at Silverstone, where I stay for free with family in mk and get the park and ride from Northampton daily. Proper F1 fans are being priced out I fear. Realistically I could still probably afford it if I chose to; a lot couldn’t. I’m not paying their greedy prices.
That's why we have combined the event with a holiday. General admission tickets for both of us for the weekend £260. Taxi from where we are to the circuit is roughly £28 round trip. If we use the metro the round trip would be roughly £2 for both of us. The temperature was 39 degrees when we got to the track yesterday luckily they give you free bottled water to help, will be pretty much the same today it is windy tho and sand blowing on the track
The worst places I have been for feeling uneasy and generally sketchy was New York and the Bahamas and Texas. Also a couple of areas Miami, and other areas of the Caribbean. One suburb of Melbourne Australia was a bit uneasy feeling also
Has the sea still got a film of oil on it; it had when I was there in 2010? I still went in though just to say I 've been in the " oily arab-ian sea".
Been to a few on work related jaunts. An awesome spectacle the first couple of times now I’m always last in the queue for that day out
Just come back from Champions Sports Bar pints slightly more expensive than back home 6 pints £52. Taxi back to hotel was way cheaper than the equivalent back home it was just over £2 and that was from the state taxi app which is kawara uber is supposed to be cheaper state also run the metro and buses.
Wondered why hadn't t seen any building work actually been carried out, just been speaking to state taxi driver he has been the most chatty one since we have been here. I didn't ask but he said that the government ban any working outside from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon because of the heat. The sun starts setting from 4 and is fully down at about 5.30. He was from India and has been in Qatar for 14 years as a taxi driver.