F1 Fanatic

Noticeable gaps in the crowd at Barcelona last year

The cost of holding F1 races is increasingly being passed on to fans as the price of the cheapest race tickets has risen quickest since 2010.

General Admission ticket prices rose 9.52% at ten circuits between 2010 and 2012. However the price for admission to seated areas remained stable at several venues, and average prices for those rose by only 1.84%.

Sepang International Circuit is a notable exception to the rise in prices. At the home of the Malaysian Grand Prix, general admission tickets are 37% cheaper than they were two years ago as the race organisers try to attract fans in the face of increased competition from nearby Singapore and its glamorous night race.

However several other race organisers have had to put prices up: General Admission tickets for the Belgian, Canadian, Monaco, British and Italian Grands Prix have gone up between 18 and 30 percent.

Here is a breakdown of the lowest and highest prices for the 2012 F1 race tickets currently available, and comparisons to the same prices two years ago:

Three-day General Admission tickets

Sepang

£13.18

Shanghai

£50.36

Hungaroring

£74.71

Montreal

£77.73

Monza

£78.86

Hockenheimring

£82.18

Catalunya

£99.61

Valencia

£99.61

Singapore

£100.3

Spa-Francorchamps

£107.91

Albert Park

£125.17

Monte-Carlo

£150

Silverstone

£155

Availability of General Admission tickets varies considerably from track to track. Inevitably, it’s the expensive seats that have the best views.

Of the 13 tracks surveyed, Silverstone had the most expensive three-day general admission ticket. However this has not stopped the circuit attracting crowds other circuits would envy: last year’s race attracted a three-day attendance of 315,000.

Cheapest three-day tickets with seats

Shanghai

£85.5

Sepang

£92.68

Hungaroring

£98.78

Hockenheimring

£123.69

Monza

£124.52

Catalunya

£149.42

Singapore

£150.95

Valencia

£157.72

Montreal

£167.17

Albert Park

£209.74

Silverstone

£225

Spa-Francorchamps

£290.54

Monte-Carlo

£460

Inevitably the Monaco Grand Prix is consistently among the dearest races to attend.

But it’s striking how expensive tickets are for seats at the Belgian Grand Prix, although the long Spa-Francorchamps circuit boasts ample room for spectators with General Admission tickets.

Dearest three-day tickets

Montreal

£352.13

Shanghai

£360.14

Sepang

£368.84

Albert Park

£372.12

Catalunya

£373.55

Valencia

£373.55

Hungaroring

£373.55

Hockenheimring

£414.22

Silverstone

£420

Spa-Francorchamps

£456.56

Monza

£481.46

Singapore

£652.44

Monte-Carlo

£750

At the top end of the price range the costs are similar between most circuits, with Singapore and Monaco attracting the top spenders.

2010 and 2012 ticket prices compared

F1 race organisers face significant economic pressure at the moment. Foremost among which are the rising cost of race hosting fees charged by Formula One Management and economic uncertainly leading fans to spend less on attending races.

On top of that, F1′s move away from free-to-air broadcasting to paid channels in some areas is likely to have a direct effect on the purchasing power of F1 fans. A year’s subscription to Sky in order to watch the ten races not being shown for free in the UK costs £363 – more than a weekend ticket to the British Grand Prix.

As one British fan put it to me recently, why pay money to see one of the races that’s being shown on TV for free anyway, when that money could be spent on going to a different race, or put towards the cost of a Sky subscription?

Given the costs race organisers face, it’s perhaps surprising that ticket prices aren’t being driven higher at an even faster rate, despite already being quite high.

As race organisers feel the pinch of falling attendance there have been rumours more will move to share races with other circuits.

Spanish Grand Prix boss Salvador Servia said earlier this week: “The main thing is for the fans to come to the circuit. If the fans come, then there is no problem. But with the crisis, attendance has decreased in all circuits.”

Here are how the ticket prices have changed between 2010 and 2012 at the venues for which the data was available:

Are you going to an F1 race this year? Have you stopped going to races because of the cost?

And how does the price of going to an F1 race compare to other sporting events and leisure activities? Have your say in the comments.

Plan your 2012 race visit

Going to an F1 race in 2012? Find other F1 fans who are and share tips on ticket prices and more in the dedicated race forums:

• Going to the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne
• Going to the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang
• Going to the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai
• Going to the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit
• Going to the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya
• Going to the Monaco Grand Prix at Monte-Carlo
• Going to the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
• Going to the European Grand Prix at Valencia Street Circuit
• Going to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone
• Going to the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring
• Going to the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring
• Going to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps
• Going to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza
• Going to the Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay
• Going to the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka
• Going to the Korean Grand Prix at Korea International Circuit
• Going to the Indian Grand Prix at Buddh International Circuit
• Going to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina
• Going to the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas
• Going to the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos

Notes on the research

All prices were obtained either from the official website for the Grand Prix or F1.com. Prices were not available for the Bahrain, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Brazilian, United States and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. Prices not quoted in pounds sterling were converted on February 2nd 2012. No conversions were undertaken when comparing between tickets for the same circuits in different years.

All prices quoted exclude early purchase discounts. Prices do not include booking fees, car parking charges or other costs. Corporate hospitality not included. Some prices quoted may be for tickets that are no longer available. In a small number of cases, ticket prices were unavailable because they had sold out. ‘Seated’ tickets include bleachers, folding seats or grandstands but not grass areas. ‘General admission’ tickets do not include a seat and may restrict spectators to viewing in certain areas.

Thanks to Guilherme for researching the data on 2012 ticket prices. If you’re interested in contributing to F1 Fanatic. See here for details on how you can:

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