I guess this year is a lucky year, going to watch a GP race for the first time. Ive only mainly been to A1GP, V8 Supercars and just aussie events, but Im not 100% sure on specific details at a GP race.

Just wondering if people could fill me in on some details.

You can get Grandstand tickets or General Admission. General is alot cheaper and i can choose pretty much where i want to sit, but what i was thinking, if im in General and want to go to afew points on the track during the race for example, whats the point when walking the track would take the length of the race? Then i was thinking two pass grandstand seats so ive got a good spot in two locations around the track, but can only stick to one a day.

Just curious if im allowed to go through the general admission points when ive got grandstand tickets, or do i have to stay put in the grandstands?

And to anyone IN Melbourne that is going or knows about it, is there much transport near the track, ill have a hotel near the track but are there much trains or busses?

I went to the Belgium GP.
The food was horrible. Though they even say at some tracks there are no food stands at all.
Bring some fruit: Apples, Pears, Grapes. Or you'll become as sick as hell after the race.
Trust me I was.

Im going to this year's Australian GP aswell. It is the third GP Im going to. To get to the track I take a tram which takes you straight to the entry gates. Different trams take you to different gates, so catch one to where you will be seated. BTW, if you get general admission you get much closer to the track than a grandstand and you get to move around, but if you stay in a grandstand you get to stay at the best corners on the track. I don't know if you would be allowed to go into the general admission area with a grandstand ticket as I've never stayed in a grandstand.

1st time I went it was general admission; all stands off limits. Couple spots you can get really close to the track though; I remember being ribbed for falling asleep about 3m away from where the V8s were braking (and all their backfiring) :-) Use the 1st day to pick out good spots in between events; get there VERY early on race day to be able to grab a patch, and try to have one of the big screens in view so you can keep an eye on events around the rest of track.

If you intend on multiple days, I suggest taking a light weight foldable chair with a cover so can sling it over your shoulder, a cold pack, bring your own food (there's stacks of vendors but very $$), a big water, wear a collared shirt / good hat / sunnies, plenty of sunscreen, and buy a poncho (seriously, Melbourne's weather is very changeable). Jacket depending on overall forecast.

2nd time I went we organised stands; there was a pack with a different one each day, with race day on the corner that we preferred (Clark). Ditched the foldable chair, but brought everything else.

And invest in a good set of ear plugs; it's very cool to get up close and listen to a F1 rip past or break heavily a *few* times, but after that do your hearing a favour; I found ear putty good as it completely molds into place.

If they bring out some vintage cars (the quick stuff, not the slow pokes), get your arse to a place where you can hear them at full throttle - the variety and rawness makes a modern F1 sound tame.

Anyway, yes with a grandstand ticket you can go anywhere general admission can. There's a floating pontoon across the lake so getting around the track doesn't take as long as you think; still a decent walk though. And as Jordan indicated, transport is a non issue; stacks of trams and free when you present your track pass.

Enjoy!

You are all legends! Appreciate the information. Hope to see ya down there. =P

Quote from Vinnylegends :

I went to the Belgium GP.
The food was horrible. Though they even say at some tracks there are no food stands at all.
Bring some fruit: Apples, Pears, Grapes. Or you'll become as sick as hell after the race.
Trust me I was.

Hah reminds me of Brands Hatch, one of their fast food places gave me food poisoning once. Much nicer place now though.

Quote from aoun :

Just curious if im allowed to go through the general admission points when ive got grandstand tickets, or do i have to stay put in the grandstands?

Yeah, you should be able to get to all the GA areas with any grandstand ticket. That's how it worked when I went to the 2008 Canadian GP, and the 2000 US GP.

Quote from Vinnylegends :

I went to the Belgium GP.
The food was horrible. Though they even say at some tracks there are no food stands at all.
Bring some fruit: Apples, Pears, Grapes. Or you'll become as sick as hell after the race.
Trust me I was.

Dude, its Belgium

I went to the BTCC at Rockingham the other year and the food was pretty good, although mainly burger vans and the like, but it all looked clean and shizz

Went to Silverstone for the full weekend in 2004, and sat in the Luffield B grandstand for the qualifying and the races. Got to see a lot and there was a big screen so could see everything, and useful if it started to pish with rain! However, if you're going on the Friday then don't bother with a grandstand seat, have a wander around the whole circuit if you can - I went round to Stowe, Becketts and Copse etc.

We camped at the site right next to the circuit entrance, and on the Sunday morning I went for a single fish at like 4am and there were hoards of people with folding chairs, rucksacks, etc already making their way to the circuit - that's General Admission for you!

Quote from J@tko :

Dude, its Belgium

I went to the BTCC at Rockingham the other year and the food was pretty good, although mainly burger vans and the like, but it all looked clean and shizz

Yeah it was clean but it was as fat as hell.
It was like Goodbye Mister Sixpack!