Comments on: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – spectators’ experiences

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:50:18 +0000

This discussion page is closed. If you want to discuss going to the Belgian Grand Prix please go to the new discussion forum here: Going to the Belgian Grand Prix

By: Jenni

Jenni — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:16:38 +0000

Have booked my tickets for spa for 2012! Treated myself and my Dad to covered Grandstand tickets this year as last time round we fell foul of the Spa weather! It’s such a great track that we decided to try it again. Last time we stayed at a small B&B in nearby Hockai which was a perfect little base but this time we will be camping. I booked the camping at the same time as the tickets. I’m not sure what the track’s campsites are like but hopefully ok. Should’ve looked on here first really as it sounds as though Elephant would have been a good one to try. Definately looking forward to it though. My annual GP visit is the highlight of the year!

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:16:01 +0000

Hi Catersam,

pls have to francorchamps-camping.com

Greetings
Michael

By: Catersam

Catersam — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:49:10 +0000

Ah just found the new site!

By: Catersam

Catersam — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:40:53 +0000

What’s the website for The Elephant? I tried various links and clicking on Michael’s name, but it didn’t seem to lead to the correct site.

Also, Elephant-regulars, in the mean time could you let me know how much it would be to stay from Thursday night through until Monday morning?

Cheers

By: JeffAZ

JeffAZ — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:33:30 +0000

I agree with Naomi, a really good camp site. Michael and his team work really hard and were very welcoming. Takes about 20 minutes to walk to the circuit. Would definitely go back to Elephant.

By: lynseyc

lynseyc — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:53:07 +0000

Just booked next years tickets already, it will be the 3rd year at Spa and wouldn’t buy any other tickets than GA.I love this circuit so much that I’m sacrificing Silverstone next year to go as can’t afford both.

We camped at the Elephant and will be going back there next year, a great campsite with hot showers which are clean along with the toilets which are the cleanest I’ve seen on a campsite. In reply to the post about adding more showers for next year, there are more than enough and the maximum wait was 5 minutes or so on Saturday and Sunday morning. The first year we camped at L’eau Rouge campsite and for me the Elephant wins hands down. The team are so much more friendlier, Michael was really helpful when booking and nothing was too much trouble. We had a electric pitch as I can’t cope with not being able to plug my hairdryer and straightners in for a weekend!

And to top it all off there’s a fantastic local pub a couple of minutes walk away where it was something like 1.20euro for a bottle of Jupiler.

By: al

al — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:07:32 +0000

Yipee!
Just booked our 2012 tickets and hopefully our pitch in the elephant campsite. I’m in need of a little guidance from anyone willing to give it….. We plan to truck on home on Sunday, What is the likely hood of getting back to the Eurotunnel for 22.42 departure ?? It means being underway not sat in queues by 7 for a 3 hour journey. Otherwise it means a 01.48 train gulp. so may as well stay camped up Sunday and leave Monday. Thanks and see you there al.

By: congealedmeat

congealedmeat — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:08:22 +0000

Shivy,

Your ideas will likely work out great. I’m not sure about photos from Gold 3 though. Check out my video from section A row 3. There is a fence and pillars most of the way up Eau Rouge and you can only see the tops of the cars in Radillon. I checked out the rest of the stand and it didn’t seem to get much better if you go higher either. Why didn’t they build steeper stands??

They will not allow you to stand up at the front to take photos either, I saw them ushering all kinds of photographers away after less than a minute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXUlm3ykJs8

By: ShivyF1

ShivyF1 — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:47:32 +0000

Hey everyone,

This is a fantastic forum, I’m so glad i came across it a few months ago. I booked monaco 2012 with the help of this site, so its invaluable for definate! So I’m a professional photographer, been hitting races F1 and non F1 for the past few years and i want to get Spa under my belt before it becomes extinct! I heard through the grapevine, 2012 could be the final year of it’s current contract. The thought of it also being Schumacher’s final Spa race has kinda got me realizing i just better go in 2012 otherwise I’ll regret it for a very long time!! So as a photographer and being a spectator at silverstone for 4 years now, i do know one thing….u can’t get general admission on raceday, especially if you’re alone. You would literally have to hold your bowels for about 8 hours or you lose your space! So I suppose I wanted to ask people, where are the best place to take photos from on the friday? I’m considering getting grandstadn silver 2 before Eau Rouge for the weekend but walking around for the friday and saturday with the camera and then enjoying the race on sunday. The first 3 corners are literally grandstand central, but most of the circuit is just general admin and I’m expecting amazing backdrops for amazing pictures. Moneys not an issue for me, I looked at Gold Eau rouge, but the stand has pillars which ruin your pictures and like most races, I bet my left leg people stand in the grandstand when the race starts, coz sittings just not enough…!! any help would be most appreciated!

Shivy