[ajshanny]

My wife and I are thinking about going to the F1 race in Spa this year and it would be great to hear from others who have attended in the past or who have been to Spa. In particular, I'm interested in knowing what the area is like, what area of the track is best for viewing, where to stay, how bad is traffic to and from the race, are all the restaurants and places to stay packed, is there a shuttle service to the track, etc.

[mapezzul]

Originally Posted by ajshanny

My wife and I are thinking about going to the F1 race in Spa this year and it would be great to hear from others who have attended in the past or who have been to Spa. In particular, I'm interested in knowing what the area is like, what area of the track is best for viewing, where to stay, how bad is traffic to and from the race, are all the restaurants and places to stay packed, is there a shuttle service to the track, etc.

I haven't been to SPA for the F1 but everything is packed for other races so F1 would be 100 times worse and prices will be raised significantly I am sure. If you stay at a four/five star hotel in Brussels (about an hour away or Liège 30 min) they can take care of the shuttle (restaurants etc.). Spa the region is fairly rural so when 100k plus fans converge it gets a bit crazy and things get booked up fast.

With just over 2 months until the race I am not sure what will be available- have you looked at tickets?

[MFGJR]

I was there 10 years ago, so this is maybe a little dated...

As mentioned above, if you haven't booked a room nearish to the track, it ain't happening now. We were eight months out and still had to stay in Brussels and drive in each day. (This wa sback when it was a three day affair.) We had parking with out ticket, but got mixed up and ended up on the wrong road every day; we'd come to a barricade manned by two guys speaking, I guess, Flemish, and they'd say something to us, we'd reply "English?", and they'd shrug and move the barricade. Reat about three more times and we parked right at the trackside fence every day! Traffic wasn't horrible until leaving the track after the race--arrival times are spread out, whereas everyone leaves at the same time. My wife almost got me arrested for going around a barricade blocking a rest stop entrance so she could pee, after sitting in traffic for an hour and going nowhere following the race.

The area is gorgeous--think mountains and Dr. Seuss trees-- and has lots of WWII history... Battle of the Bulge was here, there are a number of museums and such.

We had seats at Malmedy, but I enjoyed walking around; if I went again, I'd get a GA ticket. The hill overlooking the braking zone at the end of Kemmel is seriously cool--top speed, massive, incomprehensible braking. Rivage and the downhill to Pouhon are neat. TV doesn't do Eau Rouge justice--it's STRAIGHT FREAKING UP!--but it's crowded around there and seats are very expensive. Gettinhg through the pedestrian tunnel to the paddock arae is a full contact sport, so prepare you wife for that.

No matter what, GO! This and Monza are the last of the legendary circuits.

[ajshanny]

Thanks for these responses. I appreciate it. We don't have tickets yet or a place to stay. We are still thinking it over.

[MFGJR]

Originally Posted by ajshanny

Thanks for these responses. I appreciate it. We don't have tickets yet or a place to stay. We are still thinking it over.

It's about an hour and a half drive from Brussels, which is a reaaly neat city. Don't miss the Grand Place at 10:30 PM, plus chocolate!. Liege is 45 minutes, but less chnace of finding a room there. Check VRBO, too, for private rentals (http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/europe/belgium). We've found really cool places in Europe using that and other similar sites.

Pack clothes for all four seasons--you're likely to experience all of them in a weekend at Spa!

[douwe22]

Originally Posted by MFGJR

It's about an hour and a half drive from Brussels, which is a reaaly neat city. Don't miss the Grand Place at 10:30 PM, plus chocolate!. Liege is 45 minutes, but less chnace of finding a room there. Check VRBO, too, for private rentals (http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/europe/belgium). We've found really cool places in Europe using that and other similar sites.

Pack clothes for all four seasons--you're likely to experience all of them in a weekend at Spa!

+1 and don't forget your raincoats, lol