2014 marks the 65th year of the FIA Formula One season, expected to be a thrilling series of Grand Prix. Here is Cheapflights.co.uk’s look ahead at the races and our tips on the best – in terms of view and value – places to see the action.
Australia (13-16 March)
If you’re timing your flights to Australia for March, pencil in the Melbourne Grand Prix. It’s effectively a street circuit (5.3km and 58 laps) and General Admission tickets offer the best value – children under the age of 12 are free with paying adults. In the GA area, the best vantage point is Brocky’s Hill, where you can see three bends in one view. Get there early though, it’s a very popular spot.
Malaysia (21-23 March)
The Malaysia track in Sepang, Kuala Lumpur, goes for 5.5km with 56 laps and tends to have some of the cheapest race tickets. F and K1 stands are probably the best on the track. The Hermann Tilke-designed course is noted for its sweeping corners and wide straights. The local weather – hot and humid – makes it physically demanding for the drivers and rain can be a race-ender.
Bahrain (4-6 April)
The Bahrain circuit is the only desert track, located in Sakhir in the south of the Kingdom of Bahrain, running 5.4km with 23 turns (13 right, 10 left), four straights, a change in elevation of 18m and a variation in width from 14m to 22m. Once you net good value flights to Bahrain, the track is reasonable too, compared to pricier European races. Booking tickets early will net you discounts of about 20 per cent. One of the best places to see the race is from the Turn 1 Grandstand. In the early stages of the race, the cars are bunched together and Turn 1 is a fantastic overtaking point.
China (11-13 April)
The Chinese Grand Prix takes place in Shanghai, a track running 5.4km with 56 laps. It’s one of the cheaper tracks to visit. The rain that falls almost daily in April in Shanghai gives it an extra dash of excitement. The K stand is rated most highly for value. It’s covered and you get to see most of the track, including the long back straight and the hairpin.
Spain (9-11 May)
Sixty-six laps over 4.7km, the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona is extremely challenging, turn 9 in particular. Shop around to secure cheap flights to Barcelona; ticket prices are among the highest. There are good discounts for booking ahead. One of the best views of the circuit is from Stand G – you’ll see the cars as they make their way through the “stadium” complex, entering the chicane and the final turn/pit entry. Bring your own food and beer to avoid the high, some say extortionate, prices.
Monaco (22-25 May)
The glamorous grandmother of them all. The race has been run since 1929 and is one of the shortest – 3.3km and 78 laps – but has lots of elevation changes, tight corners and a narrow course. Some consider it the most demanding track of all. Monaco is the highlight of the F1 calendar. It’s one of the most expensive races to attend so finding good-value flights to Monaco is a must. Grandstand K (between €250 and €500) offers a fantastic view of the harbour from the tunnel exit to the first “piscine” chicane. It gives one of the widest views of the circuit from a stand.
Canada (6-8 June)
Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve (named after the father of Jacques Villeneuve, who died in 1982) is located on an island in Montreal. Its 4.4km and 70 laps, not considered as challenging as other tracks, but the wall outside the exit to the final chicane is known as the Wall of Champions. If the driver gets that wrong, it can mark the end of his race. Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve have all come a cropper here. Budget for grandstand tickets. Section 15, which faces the hairpin, is highly rated for seeing overtaking.
Austria (20-22 June)
The Austrian circuit is over 4km long with 71 laps and dates back to 1970. It is back to hosting Formula 1 races after extensive redevelopment and improvements. Renamed the Red Bull Ring, the circuit is the former F1 driver and current non-executive chairman of Mercedes, Niki Lauda’s home grand prix with Michael Schumacher’s record lap of 1’08.337 still unbeaten since 2003.
England (Silverstone) (4-6 July)
Silverstone is the oldest continuously staged F1 race; its first Grand Prix was in 1948. It’s a pricey day out (even if you eschew flights to Northampton for public transport), but it’s worth it for the sheer excitement and glamour. Stretches such as the “Becketts” are thrilling to watch, the track calls for several changes of direction. There are early-bird offers, saving 20 per cent if you book soon. From Becketts you can see the track nearby and the cars coming back into the Arena section.
Germany (18-20 July)
Hockenheim and the Nurburgring share the German Grand Prix; 2013 is Nurburgring’s turn. It runs to just over 5.1km with 60 laps. Michael Schumacher is a local boy, hailing from Kerpen, just 65km to the north, and has been so successful at the track that a corner has been named after him – the Schumacher S. Grandstands are named Gold, Silver and Bronze. While Gold T4 is one of the best places to sit, Bronze sections offer good-quality views for the price. There are discount of 50 per cent for up to 17-year-olds.
Hungary (25-27 July)
Hungaroring in Mogyorod, near Budapest, is considered to be one of the trickiest and toughest races for drivers, but that makes it all the more exciting for the rest of us. A little over 4.4km long and with 70 laps, it is not one of the fastest tracks, but, good news for spectators, nearly 80 per cent of the track is visible from all the viewing areas. If you’re taking flights to Budapest for the race, pack lightly. Temperatures of 43 degrees on the track are not unheard of.
Belgium (22-24 August)
Seven kilometres long but just 44 laps – unsurprisingly, Spa-Francorchamps has the longest lap length of all. A scenic track, it twists and turns through the Ardennes. Sitting in Gold 1 will give you views of the exit of La Source and pit lane, long downhill towards the legendary Eau Rouge, Raidillon and a bit of Kemmel. If you’re thinking of going General Admission, several race-goers find Blanchimont (overlooking the Bus Stop chicane) to be the best, but arrive early to claim your spot. When you’re packing for your flights to Belgium, pack plenty of layers. The weather has been described as changeable.
Italy (5-7 September)
Fast, fast, fast, Monza is one of the best tracks to watch F1. The speed on the track will make even the quickest flights to Italy seem treacley in comparison. Monza is one of the most demanding of all tracks, and, as it’s just a ten-minute train ride from Milan, one of the most sophisticated and stylish. Prima variante (first corner) gets the vote of many spectators. There’s always lots of action during the race and afterwards, if you’re quick, you can run down the main straight and catch the podium. For General Admission, go for the inside of Parabolica (entry or exit), but be early to claim your spot.
Singapore (19-21 September)
This race whizzes for 61 laps along 5.1km of Singapore’s city streets. The fact that it’s held at night makes it even more spectacular. Seats at Padang Grandstand are worth the money. You’ll get a fantastic view of the cars as they exit Turn 9 and fly along St Andrew’s Road, past some of the city’s landmarks. Stamford Grandstand offers views of the cars negotiating more than one turn, where drivers will often try to overtake. A free spot in previous years was the Helix Bridge, the new steel-and-glass bridge. Most of the bridge is in the Singapore F1 Circuit Park but it is possible to see the action (views are of Turn 18 and 20) from a distance. The entrance is close to Marina Bay Sands, 10 Marina Bayfront Avenue.
Japan (3-5 October)
Suzuka Circuit, in Mie Prefecture, 50km south of Nagoya, is one of the fastest F1 circuits. It’s challenging – the only track with a figure-of-eight layout. Drivers respect it and fans love it. The M or N block of the B2 stand offers the best views: the main straight end, 1st, 2nd, S-curve and Anti-bank corner.
Russia (10-12 October)
The Sochi circuit is the first purpose-built Formula 1 facility in Russia. This year’s Grand Prix will be the first ever for the circuit which is 5.853 km long with 53 laps. The track varies from 13 to 15 metres in width and the the F1 cars are expected to reach a max. speed of 320 km/h with an average of 215 km/h. Be ready for some (very) fast action here.
United States (31 October-2 November)
The Circuit of the Americas is still under construction in Austin, Texas, but organisers are confident that it will host the Grand Prix in mid-November. The 20-turn, counter-clockwise track will have an exciting mix of straights, hairpins, esses, and do-or-die corners with plenty of vroom-vroom elevation changes.
Brazil (7-9 November)
One of the big guns of F1, Interlagos is run anti-clockwise, making it very challenging for the drivers (they test and race on clockwise tracks for the most part so racing here can be a strain). The 4km and 71-lap circuit is small, in comparison with other tracks, holding just 80,000 spectators. There are no general admission tickets, and the grandstands are mostly located on the outside of the track at the start of the lap. A seat in Grandstand A will give you fabulous views of the “grid” formation. It’s uncovered though.
