Visiting the European GPs in 2017

[Stewart]

This is a belated report on my going to all the Gps in Europe last year.
First of all, it was brilliant! I started at Jerez in April and finished at Valencia in November. Most of the races were separated by two weeks or more and there was plenty of time to get from one to the next. Mugello and Barcelona were only a week apart, and I had to make progress to get to Barcelona by thursday; and Brno and Spielberg were a week apart and they are very close to each other.
Because I had never done this before, I got quite paranoid about entry tickets and camp sites, and I bought all the tickets and camp site accesses before leaving the UK. I now know this is not needed. Provided I could be at the next circuit by the thursday morning, campsites were easily available and there were always tickets for sale at the circuit. They may not have been the best seats, but it was always possible to get a ticket.
The most expensive circuit was Speilberg. The camping was 200 euros and the entry tickets were expensive. It is not possible to get a general entrance ticket for the whole circuit, One had to buy a ticket for- I think - half the circuit and then leave the circuit and walk round the other half. The spectator facilities were not wonderful and it was important to be able to see a big screen. Coupled with the lunatic who had bolted a CBR600 engine to a dexion frame and made an open megaphone that ended about a foot in diamater, which he ran on the rev limiter 25 hours a day on my campsite, this was probably the one I would be least keen to return to. The up side was the quite magical drive away from the circuit on the Monday morning. I could wax quite lyrically about it for hours. Sometimes things happen in my life that are indelibly etched into my brain, and this journey through the Austrian mountains at dawn will remain with me forever.
The other end of the spectrum was Brno. I stayed on a campsite about a mile from the circuit. There was electricity, breakfast, evening meal, hot showers, decent toilets and a strip show every evening. I arrived on the Wednesday and left on Monday for the princely sum of 100 euros. The strippers were that good that people were bribing them to put their clothes back on again, Because I am over 65, I simply had to show my passport to get in to the circuit for free. The open spectating areas were really good, and the enormous crowd was full of joy and happiness.
This is already turning into a bore, and I could go on forever. Anyone into Motogp should do this once in their life. Because it was a bucket list project, it cost what it cost and I did not monitor the expenditure. I do know that between November 2016 and November 2017, I added 21000 miles to the van, although not all of it was on the Motogp trail. If any of you want more information, let me know.
The new season is now underway and the only meeting I will definitely attend is Valencia. Looking more long term, I am putting a plan together to do to Austin in 2019. You all have to go and see Marquez in real life. This man is rewriting the way to ride a bike, and he is simply astounding to watch. I have goose bumps thinking about it!

 

[Nasher]

Carry on with waxing lyrical - I'm interested & am sure there are others

Give us (me) the full circuit by circuit breakdown

The ones that aren't interested don't have to read it

 

[hilldweller]

The new season is now underway and the only meeting I will definitely attend is Valencia.

For your information and anyone else, I got tickets for Aragon, good seats, for £41 for the meeting, they give a 50% discount for olde fartes. Going by bike.

We experienced the dexion/megaphone lunatic in Le Mans. We were so shattered we left Sunday morning and watched the racing later in a nice quiet campsite with good WiFi. We moved on to Mugello........

Mugello had multiple lunatics, wandering round with chain saws, less chain and silencer all night, I guess they were there last year too.

It's certainly shaping up for a good season this year, I'd love to see Dovi get it, he races with his head, Marquez with his heart.

 

[Stewart]

I had a camping pass to stay in the circuit at Mugello, and when I arrived on the Thursday and talked to a number of fans, I chickened out and stayed at a proper campsite about 5 miles from the circuit. I had to pick my tickets up at the collection point and several guys were desperate to obtain circuit camping passes. They bid against each other and I sold my camping pass for twice what I paid for it! I still think that not staying at the circuit was the right call. I stayed away from the circuit at Le Mans as well - I cycled into both Mugello and Le Mans on my e-bike. I am quite sure that the stories I heard of no sleep for three days were true.
My heart wants Dovi to win (well, Rossi actually) but I really think Marquez is on a different planet. He is going to break all the records. Honda have had a good pre season this year and until Marquez has the inevitable injury, he is the man.

 

[PORKSTER]

Wow sounds a great trip and good info you should tell more people are interested.

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[Busman]

Only just seen this, great write up thanks
Loved Jerez last year and got tickets for this year in two weeks

 

[sonny]

I thought you was visiting all the doctors.

 

[hilldweller]

I really think Marquez is on a different planet. .

You never spoke a truer word !!

 

[Vanman]

The new season is now underway and the only meeting I will definitely attend is Valencia.

Very impressed

Could you give me any idea of the cost and time of doing Valencia? Thanks.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Nice write up.
As said maybe a write up of one circuit per week would be interesting

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[Geistguy]

What an experience ! Only ever seen the motogp in the UK and will never forget the experience.

More details of your epic trip please - it could never be boring

 

[bigtree]

This is a belated report on my going to all the Gps in Europe last year.
First of all, it was brilliant! I started at Jerez in April and finished at Valencia in November. Most of the races were separated by two weeks or more and there was plenty of time to get from one to the next. Mugello and Barcelona were only a week apart, and I had to make progress to get to Barcelona by thursday; and Brno and Spielberg were a week apart and they are very close to each other.
Because I had never done this before, I got quite paranoid about entry tickets and camp sites, and I bought all the tickets and camp site accesses before leaving the UK. I now know this is not needed. Provided I could be at the next circuit by the thursday morning, campsites were easily available and there were always tickets for sale at the circuit. They may not have been the best seats, but it was always possible to get a ticket.
The most expensive circuit was Speilberg. The camping was 200 euros and the entry tickets were expensive. It is not possible to get a general entrance ticket for the whole circuit, One had to buy a ticket for- I think - half the circuit and then leave the circuit and walk round the other half. The spectator facilities were not wonderful and it was important to be able to see a big screen. Coupled with the lunatic who had bolted a CBR600 engine to a dexion frame and made an open megaphone that ended about a foot in diamater, which he ran on the rev limiter 25 hours a day on my campsite, this was probably the one I would be least keen to return to. The up side was the quite magical drive away from the circuit on the Monday morning. I could wax quite lyrically about it for hours. Sometimes things happen in my life that are indelibly etched into my brain, and this journey through the Austrian mountains at dawn will remain with me forever.
The other end of the spectrum was Brno. I stayed on a campsite about a mile from the circuit. There was electricity, breakfast, evening meal, hot showers, decent toilets and a strip show every evening. I arrived on the Wednesday and left on Monday for the princely sum of 100 euros. The strippers were that good that people were bribing them to put their clothes back on again, Because I am over 65, I simply had to show my passport to get in to the circuit for free. The open spectating areas were really good, and the enormous crowd was full of joy and happiness.
This is already turning into a bore, and I could go on forever. Anyone into Motogp should do this once in their life. Because it was a bucket list project, it cost what it cost and I did not monitor the expenditure. I do know that between November 2016 and November 2017, I added 21000 miles to the van, although not all of it was on the Motogp trail. If any of you want more information, let me know.
The new season is now underway and the only meeting I will definitely attend is Valencia. Looking more long term, I am putting a plan together to do to Austin in 2019. You all have to go and see Marquez in real life. This man is rewriting the way to ride a bike, and he is simply astounding to watch. I have goose bumps thinking about it!

Nice to see you posting on the forum @Stewart ,I met you at Jerez last year.
Trevor.

 

[Taran_Las]

@Stewart I'm sure I met you at Cadillac aire. You were travelling in convoy with a guy and his wife in a big Deffleffs. They inadvertently set off their Growler alarm. Aaron I think his name was.

If it wasn't you, my apologies for getting you mixed up.

 

[Stewart]

It was me, and that is his name. We met at Jerez and convoyed to Le Mans.
The cost of going to Valencia is subject to the transportation. My son is heavily into motogp and we meet up every year at Valencia. His mate - also a motogp nut - has a flat in the old part of Valencia and we stay in that. I will already be in Spain with the camper and I leave it at the ACSI site north of the city for the duration.
We, then share the costs and taxi to the circuit. This is about 30 euro and the drivers are brilliant. They know every short cut and talk to other drivers en route to find out the best way.
We now know the way to getting the best seats for the following year is to queue at the ticket office on the first day of practice. The good seats sell out very quickly.
Hence, we have our tickets on e year in advance!
Anybody thinking of going to the GP must include an evening in Cheste, the nearest town. It is bonkers! It is like Mugello and Le Mans in the middle of the town. No exhausts, bikes on the rev limiter, doughnuts, wheelies, everything. The two things that stick in my mind are a 50ccc moped doing burn outs and a man with a Fireblade standing on the seat and holding the throttle fully open with his foot. The food and drink stalls are great, and you will need earplugs. I have goose bumps thinking about it. Book the airline tickets asap and even then they won't be cheap. If you stay in Cheste you can walk to the circuit. If you stay in Valencia there are special trains that run to the station attached to the circuit. As with all the Spanish Circuits, the wild camping fills up very quickly and the trick is to arrive on the thursday. You all must do it!!! We can meet up in Cheste

 

[hilldweller]

I'm biking to Aragon, stopping about 20 miles away. Roads aren't up to much is it chaotic there ? Very generous prices for olde fartes, £41 for a good seat.

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[Stewart]

@hilldweller. I could not find a site to book for Aragon, so I arrived on wednesday in order to search. I found a site next to the lake/resevoir about a mile from the circuit with a walk across the fields. The pitches with EHU were all reserved but there were loads of other pitches available. Lots of bikers with tents turned up and they site was very helpful at getting people in without overcrowding. One guy turned up with a huge american RV without a reservation, and they got him in and ran a supply to his RV. Admittedly he crossed their palms with silver! I would use that site again.
Because of my site location, I never had to deal with any traffic, although it did not look horrendous.
It's great being a geriatric in Spain, half price tickets to the circuits, although it did not work for my advanced tickets to Valencia. I still only paid 66 euros for good seat for three days though.

 

[hilldweller]

@hilldweller. although it did not look horrendous.

I still only paid 66 euros for good seat for three days though.

So a bit of sport getting in, adds to the fun.

I refuse to go to the Brit MotoGP because of the price. OK they pay Dorna a load of money but if Aragon and others can do it why can't we have better prices. Just looked, Luffield would cost me £100 more than Aragon, or over 3 times the price.

 

[Stewart]

I can't remember what it cost me last year to camp for four nights including the stand ticket for Silverstone , but I seem to remember it was about the same as a new campervan, or one night with a high class hooker (or so I am told). As mentioned previously, the costs for the Austrian round was ridiculous as well. As this was a bucket list job, I did not consider how much. I have been to Silverstone for many years and this year I will not be going, the cost being one of the reasons.

 

[PhilG]

I agree, certainly worth a more detailed report.

We do the same with Motocross GP's , we do Belgium, Holland and Germany most years , and have done Switzerland, France (3 times) , Italy, and Latvia. This year we are hoping to pull in 2 in one trip, as we are out there for a race of our own too, but we will have a trek back from Loket in the Czech Republic.

Met some great folk over the years, and there is a core of folk who do most of the european season.

Best one we did was Switzerland , paid for Organisers VIP camping, which got us hard standing at the back of pit lane, it rained for 2 days, we got in and out within 10 minutes, and could see half the track from the roof of the MH.

 

[Stewart]

I enjoy all types of motorcycle sport. I have taken part in road racing, trials and enduro, and I have ridden MX bikes. They all give me a high. I used to live near Farleigh Castle, and went to the GPs when they were held there. This would have been in the seventies. If it's got two wheels (actually, I should say two or three wheels to include the sidecars) and an engine, I will watch it. I was fortunate that my dad was a biker, and he used to take us to events when I was very young. This was in the days when Motocross was called Scrambling!
I will add some more reports of last year before it all disappears from my memory. I just watched Jerez qualifying and now remember last year's event. I just need a bit of prompting. Remind me to tell you about the beer in Valencia some time.

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[PhilG]

I enjoy all types of motorcycle sport. I have taken part in road racing, trials and enduro, and I have ridden MX bikes. They all give me a high. I used to live near Farleigh Castle, and went to the GPs when they were held there. This would have been in the seventies. If it's got two wheels (actually, I should say two or three wheels to include the sidecars) and an engine, I will watch it. I was fortunate that my dad was a biker, and he used to take us to events when I was very young. This was in the days when Motocross was called Scrambling!
I will add some more reports of last year before it all disappears from my memory. I just watched Jerez qualifying and now remember last year's event. I just need a bit of prompting. Remind me to tell you about the beer in Valencia some time.

Well Farleigh Castle is legendary, every year now they hold the VMX Des Nations in September, where the old riders from back in the day, do battle on the bikes that used to race round there. I thoroughly reccommend it,classes for twin shock bikes though to 1997, but the main classes are for pre 1989.. i will be dragging my 53 year old carcass round on a 29 year old 125 Suzuki, belonging to my son... because i still can.

And yes, Jerez qualifying been on here all day, who ever though there would be too much racing on TV , Today i have watched Jerez, including the Red Bull Rookies, Spa 6 Hours WEC, and now watching AMA SX, from Las Vegas on the internet. That will be on 3am till 6am ( and yes i will watch live), and then hit the sack and get up to watch Moto 3... will record BSB , but probably not watch it till monday night, cos we are riding on monday.

 

[Busman]

Fairly quiet MotoGP eve in El Puerto de Santa Maria, been going on all day