Motors Anyone been to the British GP?

Right, so myself and a friend are going this year, and like a muppet I didn't book a hotel for the saturday night. Now it appears anything within 50 miles of the track is completely booked out, naturally.

So I was thinking since I'm not *that* far away (only 1h20 drive anyway ) I'd just drive down on sat and sunday.

I'm thinking head down at 6am, arriving by 7:30 and moooch around until stuff starts happening, then race, then mooch around until traffic clears up a bit.

So my question is this - is 7:30 sufficiently early to get down there to avoid not sitting in traffic for hours, and how late would I have to leave?

The alternative is to book somewhere that isn't exactly close, but less of a drive than 1h20, but the same still applies (IE would drive to the circuit early and leave late on each day, just have less of a drive on sat night and sunday morning)

 

If you want a good vantage point go prepared, take seats and comfort food and get there for 3am and be prepared to run to the best parts of the track (bends etc where you might see the cars !!) and one of you will have to remain there to keep your seats !!
If you want a relaxing day out and take in all the sights and background activities follow your plan and be there for 7 30, you might not get such a great view of the race !! Its been a few years since i've been now but its a good day out !!

 

Last year me and my Dad drove from Doncaster (2 hours normally) on the Saturday morning, I can't tell you the exact times, but I can give you it roughly. Left at 6am, got parked by 9ish and into the track by 9.30am. On the Sunday we left Daventry (30 mins away normally) at 7.00am and got parked at 9.00am and probably got into the circuit another ~30 minutes later (queue).

On the Saturday it was easy peasy to find seats at that time. I'm not sure about Sunday because we were on a grandstand, but considering it took us 2 hours of queuing then I'm sure you can guess. If I ever went again I'd think about camping.

 

Last time I went, we got a lift in from this company. They take you in a Land Rover across the fields, avoiding the roads. It sounds dodgy the way I describe it, but the farmers are totally fine with it.

 

Last time I went we parked out the back where you're supposed to have a pass but they didn't check so no queues. Then Renault hospitality so it was awesome.

Why not find a camp site in the local area and take a tent?

 

Throw the seats back and kip in the car.

 

I worked there in the grandstands last year, the lufield terraces are probably some of the best places to sit (if you haven't got a gold or silver ticket - grandstand seats in other words).

We had to be on station in the grandstands by 6am to start guiding people in, it was fairly packed out by 9:00.

My advice, get somewhere close the night before and kip, then get up at about 6 and make your way there.