The thrill of Formula One’s high-speed action
coupled with some of the most glamorous destinations in the world
have made Grand Prix travel one of the best sporting experiences
for enthusiasts and casual fans alike. Now, with the opportunity to
buy packages straight from the high street and the prospect of
tightly fought races this season, the chance to jet away for a
weekend is becoming more and more attractive.
Several operators, including Crystal and Kuoni and specialists
BAC Sport and Airtrack, offer a range of tours to suit all comers.
Whether your client wants to be in the thick of the action on the
banks of the Autodromo at Imola, be wined and dined in style beside
Monaco’s sparking harbour or get back to basics in
Belgium’s Ardennes forests at Spa, Formula One has something
for everyone.
Crystal set up a Grand Prix Tours division last year, and
marketing manager Sharon Bradbury said it hasn’t looked back.
“F1 is a massive spectator sport and people want to travel, so we
thought ‘why not combine the two?’
“We get lots of first-timers because Crystal Holidays is known
for different products, so we do have a cross-over when people
fancy a city break and see the Grand Prix brochure. It’s a
common misconception that F1 tours are expensive.”
Grand Prix tours allow the opportunity to mix in a bit of local
culture with all the action. They generally come as three-night
packages that allow some late Friday sightseeing, transfer to and
from the track for Saturday practise and qualifying sessions or,
alternatively, more time in town for exploring before the must-see
main event on Sunday, as the top drivers in the world battle it out
in final qualifying and the race.
The best European destinations for combining cars with culture
are Spain, where the Circuit de Catalunya is within an hour of
Barcelona and its spectacular Gaudi architecture and gothic
quarter, and Hungary, where a 30-minute drive from the Hungaroring
circuit puts you in the imposing Heroes Square, right in the centre
of the city. It’s a kind of split personality break which
will please both the enthusiast and the non-F1 fan in any
couple.
Even if your client is a Grand Prix sceptic, one experience of
the sport that puts itself on a par with the Olympic Games and
football’s World Cup will turn them into an instant fan. The
roar of the engines, the speed of the cars, the rarity of the races
(there are just 19 each year) and the glamour of the sport give it
a buzz unlike no other. For the true F1 motorhead, there are two
definite must-go venues.
Monaco is the epitome of the sport and it gives fans the best
chance to get close to the action. Within easy reach of Nice, where
most operators accommodate their clients, the circuit has
grandstands literally a couple of metres from the track, as well as
a stunning view from the general admission hill. Then there is Spa,
in Belgium, which allows close access as well as views of Eau
Rouge, the most fearsome corner in F1, as it snakes through the
forests.
BAC Sport managing director David Pearson said: “While Monaco is
the jewel in the crown many of the other races are very popular.
Regulars book early and we also get a boost through the media
interest at the start of the season in March and the start of the
European season in April. We take at least 50% of bookings from the
high street and offer 10% commission.”
With grandstand tickets typically costing upwards of £200
per person (before travel and accommodation), that 10% could be a
good earner for an enterprising agent. BAC Sport’s four-day
package for the Monaco Grand Prix includes Friday to Monday at the
Marriott Riviera Cap D’Ail, flights, transfers and access to
the full hospitality with hotel race viewing area and costs
£4,995 per person, twin-share.
This year, as has become tradition, the season began with three
fly-away races in Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur and one of the
championship’s newest race destinations – Bahrain
– in the Middle East.
All these are possible to visit, but the most popular tours tend
to be in Europe, the first of which this year will be the San
Marino Grand Prix on Sunday April 24. So, get in gear and start
selling.
