2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bull!!

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I found out I may have an opportunity to attend the Spanish Grand Prix in May. Anyone, by chance, been to Circuit de Catalunya and can provide some tips?

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I found out I may have an opportunity to attend the Spanish Grand Prix in May. Anyone, by chance, been to Circuit de Catalunya and can provide some tips?

I wish we could join you- it's probably the only non-classic circuit that we want to go to. Have to still check off Silverstone and Monaco.

Love the area, and would normally stay in Barcelona.... But with the normal crowds, not sure if that's the place to stay. For sure, if there's rail that you can take- better than the pain of parking.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I wish we could join you- it's probably the only non-classic circuit that we want to go to. Have to still check off Silverstone and Monaco.

Love the area, and would normally stay in Barcelona.... But with the normal crowds, not sure if that's the place to stay. For sure, if there's rail that you can take- better than the pain of parking.

Certainly, other tracks would be my preferred choices, but circumstances may put me in Spain at that time, so obviously...

I definitely plan on public transportion of some sort (bus or train) and will probably stay in Barcelona. Right now, the biggest question I have is where to buy tickets. I'm thinking only getting a grandstand ticket for Sunday with general admission the first two days (though, you can only get a three-day ticket), since it looks like a track you want to walk around and explore the first two days. I just have no clue which are the best grandstands, and if it's even worth doing any grandstand ticket at all.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I read this morning that Marussia has

ceased trading and all employees will be made redundant

due to the unsuccessful location of new investors.

I admit I have no clue what "ceased trading" officially means but my take is that unless someone buys the team in the offseason, it's over for them.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Right now, the biggest question I have is where to buy tickets. I'm thinking only getting a grandstand ticket for Sunday with general admission the first two days (though, you can only get a three-day ticket), since it looks like a track you want to walk around and explore the first two days. I just have no clue which are the best grandstands, and if it's even worth doing any grandstand ticket at all.

Go to the official F1 website (www.formula1.com) and there is a link for tickets. That is how I purchased Canadian GP tickets in the past.

[alfablue]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Certainly, other tracks would be my preferred choices, but circumstances may put me in Spain at that time, so obviously...

I definitely plan on public transportion of some sort (bus or train) and will probably stay in Barcelona. Right now, the biggest question I have is where to buy tickets. I'm thinking only getting a grandstand ticket for Sunday with general admission the first two days, since it looks like a track you want to walk around and explore the first two days (though, you can only get a three-day ticket). I just have no clue which are the best grandstands, and if it's even worth doing any grandstand ticket at all.

When we went to Spa and Monza, we bought the tickets directly from the track. And since the race is on the schedule, they should have them. Both tickets were mailed to our US address.

Other than that, hard to suggest a location. One thing I will tell you- for the weekend tickets, be aware of your travel time. You should be able to fly directly to Barcelona, but if Madrid-Barcelona- you'll arrive sometime in the early afternoon. For Spa- the drive from Brussels to the track put us there right at practice 3. For Monza, between the track and the delay from Rome to Milan- we didn't get to Monza (the town) until 2 pm or so, and even then, it took a LONG time to get to the hotel. Both weekends, we bought a weekend pass- but only could use Friday's on one event. We liked having real seats in a grandstand, but that's us- we walked both tracks more on Saturday, including all of the support races.

Also, there are Thursday events that are free- and from what I hear, the drivers tend to be more available. So if you can arrive Thursday, maybe you can see more stuff. The racing days end early enough that you should have no problem enjoying Barcelona, that's for sure.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I read this morning that Marussia has

due to the unsuccessful location of new investors.

I admit I have no clue what "ceased trading" officially means but my take is that unless someone buys the team in the offseason, it's over for them.

"She's dead, Jim."

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Go to the official F1 website (www.formula1.com) and there is a link for tickets. That is how I purchased Canadian GP tickets in the past.

I always buy them directly from the track (or StubHub...). I don't like going through intermediaries. You raise the risk of snafus.

But buying the tickets is not my concern. It's which tickets to buy. (When I said "where" I meant grandstand location.)

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Other than that, hard to suggest a location. One thing I will tell you- for the weekend tickets, be aware of your travel time. You should be able to fly directly to Barcelona, but if Madrid-Barcelona- you'll arrive sometime in the early afternoon. For Spa- the drive from Brussels to the track put us there right at practice 3. For Monza, between the track and the delay from Rome to Milan- we didn't get to Monza (the town) until 2 pm or so, and even then, it took a LONG time to get to the hotel. Both weekends, we bought a weekend pass- but only could use Friday's on one event. We liked having real seats in a grandstand, but that's us- we walked both tracks more on Saturday, including all of the support races.

The way it's probably going to work for me, I'll be arriving in Barcelona on Thursday. So, I will have plenty of time to enjoy all three days.

When I went to Abu Dhabi, due to costs and the fact you can't walk around that track (your tickets limit you to the area by your grandstand, no exceptions), I only bothered with the two-day pass.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I don't know if anyone saw FP2, but that was one heck of a flame thrower Alonso's exhaust pipe turned into...

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I always buy them directly from the track (or StubHub...). I don't like going through intermediaries. You raise the risk of snafus.

But buying the tickets is not my concern. It's which tickets to buy. (When I said "where" I meant grandstand location.)

Gotcha. I obvisously misunderstood. Although it was really easy buying tickets through the F1 site. I trust that better than stubhub but that's another story.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

A good race yesterday. There was definitely some intrigue. I can't help but wonder what might have been if Hamilton hadn't made that blunder and Massa hadn't made his pit speeding error. Then I think the top might have been even more exciting. I've said it before and I will say it again, but Ferrari are fools if they let Alonso walk. There is not a better driver on the grid right now. It's amazing he can get that pig to do as much as he does. Especially now as I suspect that the upgrades coming are better suited for Kimi's driving style than that of Alonso.

If you want to help Caterham out they have a crowdfunding project to raise the money to run at Abu Dhabi. Heres the linky: Caterham Crowdfunding

I sent them $9.86 just for the heck of it.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

Gotcha. I obvisously misunderstood. Although it was really easy buying tickets through the F1 site. I trust that better than stubhub but that's another story.

StubHub guarantees the integrity of any ticket purchased through them. I've used them a ton of times for baseball, hockey, and even the USGP. I've never had any problem with them. (And they have now eliminated all buyer fees.) They have essentially eliminated the shady scalping outside of stadiums. Sort of like how the Internet has "legitimized" the prostitution industry.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

If you want to help Caterham out they have a crowdfunding project to raise the money to run at Abu Dhabi. Heres the linky: Caterham Crowdfunding

I sent them $9.86 just for the heck of it.

I think I will, too. Especially after the latest ridiculous Bernie quote, just to stick it to him.

[MattS]

Re: 2014 Open Wheel Racing - if it's white smoke, it's not a good sign & that's no bu

I think I will, too. Especially after the latest ridiculous Bernie quote, just to stick it to him.

I did it because of Christian Horner's whining about it.