How F1 ticket prices have risen over 20 years

2014 F1 season

Posted on

| Written by

In a sport where money is everything, the price of a ticket to a Formula One race is one of the most visible indicators of how costs are passed on to its fans.

Over the past 20 years, the price of attending some races has risen well above the rate of inflation.

The British Grand Prix is typical of this. A three-day general admission ticket to the 1993 race would have set you back £52. Had that risen in line with inflation a corresponding 2014 ticket would cost just under £90.

However the ordinary price of a general admission ticket to this year’s race is £170 – over three times what it cost two decades ago. This is typical of the price increase seen at tracks which were also on the calendar in 1993.

Other tracks which have tripled the prices of their cheapest weekend tickets in that time include the Circuit de Catalunya, Hungaroring and Monza. Prices are twice what they were at Spa-Francorchamps, the Hockenheimring and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Perhaps unsurprisingly Monaco has seen the steepest rise in this time, increasing its general admission pass price almost six-fold in that time. But even so it is only slightly dearer to buy the equivalent ticket for that race as it is for this year’s British Grand Prix.

Prices at Silverstone have risen particularly steeply in recent years. The cheapest three-day ticket prices has gone up by £10 per year on average since 2010, and the top-price grandstand seats have gone up even more.

F1 fans may have the chance to see the cars in action this season without spending so much. Up to four two-day tests may take place at tracks following race meetings. However it remains to be seen which venues will hold these tests, and whether they will be open to the public.

2014 ticket prices so far

[chartboot version= ‘3.0’ code= ’74E4′ border= ‘0’ width= ‘800’ height= ‘400’ attribution= ‘0’ jsondesc= ‘{“containerId”:”visualization74E4″,”dataTable”:{“cols”:xxx00xxx{“id”:””,”label”:”Circuit”,”pattern”:””,”type”:”string”,”p”:{}},{“id”:””,”label”:”Cheapest three-day”,”pattern”:””,”type”:”number”,”p”:{}},{“id”:””,”label”:”Dearest three-day”,”pattern”:””,”type”:”number”}xxx01xxx,”rows”:xxx00xxx{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Sepang”,”f”:null},{“v”:14.91,”f”:null},{“v”:329.78,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Montreal”,”f”:null},{“v”:70.7,”f”:null},{“v”:314.2,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Hungaroring”,”f”:null},{“v”:74.38,”f”:null},{“v”:411.55,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Monza”,”f”:null},{“v”:82.64,”f”:null},{“v”:528.9,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Hockenheimring”,”f”:null},{“v”:95.04,”f”:null},{“v”:425.6,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Catalunya”,”f”:null},{“v”:107.43,”f”:null},{“v”:409.07,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Spa-Francorchamps”,”f”:null},{“v”:107.43,”f”:null},{“v”:454.52,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Albert Park”,”f”:null},{“v”:153.46,”f”:null},{“v”:309.67,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Bahrain”,”f”:null},{“v”:160,”f”:null},{“v”:242.97,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Silverstone”,”f”:null},{“v”:170,”f”:null},{“v”:450,”f”:null}xxx01xxx},{“c”:xxx00xxx{“v”:”Monte-Carlo”,”f”:null},{“v”:173.83,”f”:null},{“v”:720.14,”f”:null}xxx01xxx}xxx01xxx,”p”:null},”options”:{“legend”:”bottom”,”title”:”Weekend ticket prices for 11 F1 races in 2014″,”isStacked”:false,”vAxes”:xxx00xxx{“title”:”Price (£)”,”minValue”:null,”maxValue”:null,”viewWindow”:{“max”:null,”min”:null},”useFormatFromData”:true,”titleTextStyle”:{“color”:”#222″,”fontSize”:”10″,”italic”:false,”bold”:true}},{“viewWindow”:{“max”:null,”min”:null},”minValue”:null,”maxValue”:null,”useFormatFromData”:true}xxx01xxx,”animation”:{“duration”:500},”booleanRole”:”certainty”,”hAxis”:{“minValue”:null,”maxValue”:null,”viewWindow”:null,”viewWindowMode”:null,”useFormatFromData”:true},”fontName”:”Tahoma”,”series”:{“0”:{“color”:”#3c78d8″},”1″:{“color”:”#38761d”}}},”state”:{},”isDefaultVisualization”:true,”chartType”:”ColumnChart”}’ ]

NB. All cheapest tickets are general admission except Bahrain. Albert Park is a four-day ticket.

Are you going to an F1 race in 2014?

Do you have a regular race you go to every year? Are you going to one of the new additions to the 2014 F1 calendar?

Find other fans who are heading to the same race via the discussion forums below.

2014 F1 season


Browse all 2014 F1 season articles

Image © Ebrey

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

44 comments on “How F1 ticket prices have risen over 20 years”

  1. The cost just doesn’t warrant the time, effort and planning required to go to these things any more. Not in my opinion anyway.

    1. Especially when 3 days of WEC action, with better access than an F1 race, goes for around £40.

      1. …with free parking, and hotels or camping at normal rates, not the ridiculously hiked prices you get around Grand Prix time.

        I hope these things remain, and the paddock/pit-walk access, as the series becomes more popular.

    2. Steph (@stephanief1990)
      17th January 2014, 16:39

      It is just a complete waste of money esp when other (motor) sports events are much cheaper. Given how much people are financially struggling these days as well it is a slap in the face to fans.

  2. And this is why every year I go to Le Mans, and the idea of going to a GP never even crosses my mind.

    Let’s not forget, that increase in cost is not because the show has got better, but simply because an enormous amount has to be added on top so you can pay for the privilege of knowing you’ve helped a bunch of millionaires get even richer.

    1. “Millionaires” is the understatement of the decade! Hi two daughters just spend $150M on new homes but still need to expand them. They are 23 and 27. Seems very appropriate – or necessary might be a better word!

      1. Indeed. Well hopefully at least one of those billionaires will soon have to become accustomed to accommodation considerably smaller than that which he’s used to..

      2. *Hi = his, as in Bernie’s

      3. I believe the news that both of them are/were getting married was the low point of my existance.

        Destroyed my primary aim in life. Unless they get divorced, in which case it’s back to their gym and game on again…

        1. Trust me – they will not stay married long. But even if you managed to stay married to one of them for a full year, I am certain your daddy-in-law would have his league-of-extraordinary-lawyers ready to prevent you from ever seeing a dime.

          But it would be a fun year… or at least the first half!

          1. Don’t forget, if you stick around you get double cash for the last month.

    2. Indeed. I will get round to doing that one day. In the meantime, on any given weekend, I drive for an hour or two, rock up at Silverstone/Brands Hatch/Rockingham/Snetterton/Donington/Thruxton’s front gates, pay 20 quid or so and watch a day of GT or touring cars or whatever with unobstructed views, minimal crowding, near-infinite paddock access.

      Why take 2 days off work to spend hours in a traffic jam, even longer in a muddy wet field putting up a fabric house, and drudging round for 3 days not being able to see anything or get to anywhere because you don’t have the right kind of wristband?

      1. And of course if you are one of the chosen few who does have the right kind of wristband, all it means is that you get to watch your little bit of track from on top of a rickety piece of scaffolding. Of course, you’ll have an excellent view of the extremely expensive paddock and hospitality area, where you can catch a glimpse of one of the millionaires out on a jolly to the sport which they have absolute zero interest in, but somehow make masses of money from. Truly, sitting in the gutter, looking up at the stars..

      2. Why?? Do you have a better idea for how to accommodate the dear 23 year old? She wan’t her home to look exactly like the Versailles so that’s how it’s gonna be!

        Geez… did you really expect her to go live in some crummy regular sized mansion?

        1. Sorry for my spelling today – wan’t = wanted

  3. Although I love to go and I’ve only been to one of the more expensive venues that Spa is, after many years I don’t feel the need anymore.

    Last year I saw Button drive away with it and no race unfolding behind him. This year it was another leader but the same boring train behind him.

    It is however a life-goal to go to Monza and Silverstone one day. But whether that is for a F1 race or for example the 6h race at Silverstone doesn’t really matter like it used to.

  4. It could be priceless because it’s a passion, but clearly the rise of ticket prices are not justified.

    There is tickets cost, transport cost, nights and accomodations cost, and so on… So, for me to go to Spa, it’s about 400€ for a three-day ticket, plus 50€ for fuel to go there from where I live, plus circuit’s car-park, plus hotels/hostels room about 80€ per night.

    Outch, it’s costly! Still I didn’t even eat and drink, don’t talk about souvenirs and gifts… That’s my salary I spend there!

    The saddest fact is that particular race will worth twice as less as the finale. Come on!

  5. Have ticket prices at Abu Dhabi doubled this year to account for its doubling of importance?

    1. If so, expect to see more than double the amount of empty seats than last year…

  6. Albert Park might be a 4 day ticket but on the Thursday, tickets are free.

  7. I’ve been lucky last year I think. I bought the cheapest tickets for the German GP at the Nurburgring for only €89 (75 pounds).
    I sat along the straight before the last chicane and had a great view + a big television screen right in front of me.
    Including camping tickets I spent only about €150 (+- 125 pounds) for the whole weekend. What you drink, eat and do there it’s up to you ;)

  8. Another point to add – parking at Silverstone was £15 in 2007, and has gradually risen to £60 as of last year. I think it might have gotten ever so slightly cheaper this year.

    1. last year they tried to charge on the day for friday parking, they were told where to shove it.

  9. I’ve been to a Grand Prix twice in my life, in 2011 and 2012. However, last year I had to skip because it was too expensive. And the same goes for this year as well, even though I’m very anxious to hear what the V6 turbo will sound like. I just don’t think it’s worth spending over a hundred Euros for watching F1 cars nursing their tyres and saving fuel all race. And due to DRS, sitting at the so-called ‘overtaking spots’ isn’t worth it since the overtakes you’ll see are all exactly the same.

    For the last two years, I’ve started visiting my local circuit (Zandvoort) a lot more and for a lot less money (typically you only pay the parking fee) you can watch some genuine racing on a proper circuit all day long. And if you want to see something a bit more professional, you can go to the WSR events, endurance races, f3.. all with better racing than F1, yet all cheaper.

  10. It’s a difficult scenario really. If you’re on this site, frankly, if you could (money, time and distance affording) you would be at every Grand Prix.

    These three factors are important. In general terms, most of the site will have jobs, or be at school, which limits the number of trips you can make before even looking at money. For those of us in Europe, the reality is we could probably attend any one of 8 races (GB, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Monaco).

    I’m UK based, and, living in Northamptonshire, Silverstone is on my doorstep. I can get to the circuit entrance in 15 minutes on a traffic-free day. However, the price of the ticket for three days of the British GP means I’m now planning a trip to Monza instead (having done Spa last year), which is looking at being only marginally more expensive including travel.

    It’s an expensive sport to run, but with the teams struggling to find their way on to the grid year after year and circuits not having the money to upgrade, you have to wonder where all the “kerching” from race tickets is going. The cynic in me says that it’s lining Bernie’s already thick wallet.

    1. Jack (@jackisthestig)
      17th January 2014, 0:45

      I’ve been pricing up going to the Spanish GP this year. Flights from Cardiff, two nights in a 4 star hotel near the Nou Camp, general admission weekend tickets and a train pass to go back and fore from Montmelo only costs around £15 more (subject to not being mugged) than the equivalent trip camping at good old Silverstone.

      I just don’t understand why prices are so inflated for the British GP in particular and that’s before you bear in mind that once you’re there you are trapped in a little bubble of extortion. If you want something to eat you can’t drive to a nice pub or a restaurant because the campsites are so busy you can’t get your car out. You can spend £10 on a pork roll and chips from the back of a van on the campsite or spend a similar amount at a barbeque around the side of the pub in the middle of Silverstone Village, although that’s providing you resist all the people flogging you merchandise and the local schoolchildren going round with a charity bucket, collecting funds for their annual Skiing trip!

      It’s enough to make you turn to drink, although £5 for a pint of warm lager does tend to dissuade you from too much of that.

  11. Keith Crossley
    16th January 2014, 14:30

    I’ve got here the most expensive ticket to the 1978 USGP at Watkins Glen. Year of the Lotus 79.

    $11.00 US. Which is about $40 current dollars.

    Words fail….

    1. Makes me wish I was born just a decade or 2 earlier!

  12. Bjornar Simonsen
    16th January 2014, 14:33

    Can anyone make an inflation-corrected graph? This means nothing without that.

  13. Heh, F1 tickets make the Honda Indy Toronto look like a real bargain. $50 (Canadian dollars) for general admission across 3 days (although Friday is free if you just want to sample the event). $45 for a 3-day paddock pass. In terms of on-track action there’s Indycar, Indy Lights, USF2000, F1600, Porsche GT3 Cup, Acura Challenge (various production cars with minimal modifications), and Super Trucks.

  14. I started going to the Indy 500 every year in 2011. General admission is $30. Parking costs vary depending on how close you wanna park but I usually find a yard nearby that offers a spot for $10-20. Worth it every time so far. And like the LeMans comment above, I went to the Rolex 24 at Daytona last year and found it waaaaay worth the price. $80 a ticket for general admission which means any grandstand, any spot in the infield, you name it, you can go and watch. And that track has areas where you can literally see the whole circuit. The second my dad and I left the gates last year, we started planning for this year. We’re even splurging with my mother in law’s camper. So seeing these prices are making me wonder about including going to an F1 race on my bucket list. That’s a steep price for what sounds like a so-so experience. I have a feeling that many hardcore race fans are starting to shift to other series because the value offered seems a better buy. I wonder at what point does it begin to hurt f1 enough to change their tune?

  15. petebaldwin (@)
    16th January 2014, 15:30

    I’d imagine that whilst the ticket prices have gone up 3x inflation, the cost to host a race, the cost to staff it, the cost to police it and all the taxes involved have probably gone up even more rapidly!

    Sadly, nearly all of the money in F1 ends up in Bernie’s pocket and it’s hurting the fans. Having said that, when has F1 ever cared about the fans!?

  16. Any reason why “Going to the 2014 Austrian GP” isn’t in the forum yet?

  17. I have been to both the british grand prix and le mans. Both pretty much the same price including tickets and travel even though i only live about 120miles from silverstone in the midlands, one was a amazing weekend away where i got to get up close to the drivers and racing cars, hence i will be attending again this year, the other i got within 50 meters of a car and driver and that was on the track and was stuck pretty much in the same seat all weekend and bored for most of the day! and will probably never go back, cant wait for my return to Le mans this year

  18. When will they announce the 4 2 day test sessions. I would like to go one of them

  19. When will they announce the 4 2 day test sessions. I would like to go one of them

  20. I went to SPA in 2012 when Jenson Button won. Paid about €450 for a seat at Eau Rouge. I had a great time, even though the weather was quite bad, the rain poring down. Free practise wasn’t that exiting. Qualifying was good, and the race was fantistic, atleast the first couple of laps when the field was still quite close together. But to be honest, it wasn’t worth the €800 i spent for the weekend. Being at a real F1-race was something i always wanted to do. I did it, and now it’s OK. I probably won’t go again, it’s too expensive for what you get. I think it’s a real shame, and one of the reasons for why i wish the budget cap for F1 teams will make it. Hopefully that will have an effect on prices, even though that may be wishfull thinking..

  21. I have attended the British GP for the past three years. The price of a ticket and camping is steep enough, but I have to add on the cost of parking at the airport for 4 days and the cost of flights across the Irish Sea. It is a great weekend. The racetrack is buzzing with activity and the campsite is really good fun too. When surrounded by friends, it is a great weekend. No doubt about it.

    Having said that, (and having crunched some numbers), the 2013 British GP was my last GP, for the moment at least. It’s always been expensive, but this year it is prohibitively expensive, and I have other things I need to do and I simply can’t afford it. I won’t rule out a return to Silverstone in the future, but I’ll be watching from the comfort of my home in 2014.

  22. I will be in Italy this year for a long holiday. Is it worth going to just the race on the Sunday? Also where can you go with a general admission ticket at Monza. Is it like Albert Park where you can pretty much go anywhere that isn’t a grand stand? Someone please reply :)

  23. I have always been a casual F1 fan and just started getting into it a bit more serious over the past 3 years. With that being said, I went to my first race (Monaco) last year and will be returning again this year for my 2nd. As a young professional who doesn’t make a ton of money, the trip is expensive since I pay for airfare (live in the states), race day tickets & lodging (for two I might add), but putting all that up against what I have to pay for sporting events here in the States, the gap isn’t as wide as some might think.

    If I go to a Knicks game here and pay for good seat at the Garden which would say be the equivalent to K1 High at Monaco, those “regular” season tickets would be priced in or around $500 USD each and this could even be the case when they are even playing a bad team.

    Therefore, from my perspective, though it might be a couple hundred dollars more expensive to go to Monaco (Obviously not including airfare and lodging), It’s still not as huge of a gap that you might think it is from other high priority sporting events.

    Now granted, we have 3rd party vendors like Stub Hub and Ebay where you can catch a great deal every now and again and buy that same $500 ticket for maybe $175.

    But the main thing to keep in mine is that these F1 events only happen “Once” a year while your favorite soccer, football & basketball team play multiple home games a season. And for their prices to reach those levels (i.e. regular season Knick tickets for $500), playing $650 USD for grandstand seats at Monaco doesn’t seem so bad in comparison.

    Don’t get it twisted though, it’s still hella expensive

    Just my 2 cents.

  24. Will there be a forum for people going to the Austrian Grand Prix?

  25. Steve Kormanik
    18th January 2014, 1:34

    IndyCar at Mid-Ohio is 70 US Dollars for the weekend. No it isn’t F1, but what a steal.

  26. Just noticed the Graph is wrong for Albert Park, it says £153 but I’ve got it at $149 so about £80, which I don’t think is any higher than I paid last year, and actually reasonable by F1 standards!

    I’ve seen F1 at home in Britain in 2008, India in 2011 and Australia 2013. Ignoring all other factors like travel and lodging, the British GP was by far the most expensive. For experience the Australian and British GP tie it as both allowed you to roam pretty much unrestricted (obviously no Grandstands), plus support races, where as in India there was only 1 support race around 4 hours before the F1 and you were stuck in very small area throughout.

  27. It’s amazing in support of me to have a site, which is helpful in support of my experience.
    thanks admin

Comments are closed.