Where to sit and where to watch at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve?
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I am going next year & am really looking forward to it. We have tickets at L’Epingle (the hairpin), but I’d appreciate any tips on other good viewing spots, track & Montreal info in general.
You lucky thing! I went in 2007 just on Sunday with GA ticket. We plonked our chairs right by the fence to the right of Block 22 (just walk through the gate and it is right in front of you). Great view of hairpin where most overtaking was happening, not sure with DRS if that will still be the case.
It is incrediable easy to get the circuit on the metro and as it really is in the centre of Montreal, you can stay anywhere. Downtown parties hard for the whole weekend around Rue St Catherine area. I was staying with a friend who had moved there and was there for a whole week. I highly recommend it as a place to visit.
I’m contemplating Senna Corner GS 12 or 11, or GS 1 or 2, because it seems like I can view the start/finish, the pits, hard braking and hard acceleration all in one spot. Hm, I’ll peruse 2011 forum posts to see if any recommendations.
it was a coin toss, but i booked GS 11 Section 6 Row A. I pray that the damn trees are not in the way of seeing the start/finish and some of the pits. based on some youtube videos of section 6, people could still see but i think depends where on the row.
For those picky about seating, searching youtube videos from previous attendees helped me out in terms of what it would look like in certain sections.
I chose Senna Curve over the Hairpin because I heard the crowd at the Hairpin is quite different from the Senna Curve crowd (Hairpin, younger, rowdy, more drunk; Senna Curve older, more sober, and quiet). And the fact that I want to see the start/finish without sacrificing seeing/hearing the braking and acceleration. it should be good!!
MRPiGoiL, I was going to book seats at the hairpin but I was put off from watching the You Tube videos. It seems to be quite busy and rowdy, which would have been ok in pre child days, but not now since DD is coming, so we are in GS 33. I would recommend if anyone is interested in going then look at the You Tube videos and type the grandstand number into the search field.
I would have loved to sit at the Senna Curve, but it was quite pricey with three of us and I don’t know how long DD will sit still for so I had to do a coin toss! I was thinking of going GA but I heard that you have to be camped out early for a good spot, which isn’t going to happen and GS 33 seemed good value for money. I hope there will be some good action there for you to see and there are no trees blocking your view. I’m getting very excited about going already! Roll on June!
Hey guys,
I’m tentatively planning a trip to the Canadian GP this year as a friend of mine could be working in Montreal for most of this year (not finalised yet).Can anyone comment on how good the general admission zones are? Getting there early is not an issue if it means getting the best view. Also, are you able to get into the grandstands on Friday if you only have a GA ticket? Thanks.
I have to admit, the GA sections on the track are not quality. They’re few and far between, and often cramped little spaces where you’re fighting off hundreds of people for prime viewing. Between turns 7 & 9 there’s more open space for GA attendees, but you won’t see much action as it’s just a straight.
If your only option for race day is a GA ticket, then I recommend that you get to the track /super/ early (as in, be standing at the gates at 7am) if you want a chance to get a quality spot.
Hey Jenny, thanks! I hope it’ll be an awesome time too! Remember to get some hearing protection for your kid(s). When I saw Drew Brees’ kid wear them after the Super Bowl win a couple years ago, I got it for my first child. I now shake my head each time I see parents bringing their kids to concerts and movies, and just loud events without any protection for their little ones! I bought the same ones Drew Brees used: http://www.earplugstore.com/ear-muffs-for-children.html My 1-year old actually loved wearing it blocking the noise :)
My general admission experience once inside the gate rates about a 2 out of 10. Finding a place to set up and sit down (which means you had to bring/carry chairs) was a pain. Once the cars are on the track it’s next to impossible to see anything while seated, unless you’ve found a hilly spot (that way, you’re all staggered) such as around GS24, otherwise, in the flat areas there are huge crowds, pushing and shoving to get to the fences. This means you’ll probably end up standing for the entire race. Keep in mind that all of this is IF you arrived early enough to claim a spot. Now, this is the part that’s even worse – For me, that meant not only to arrive at the gate early, it meant arriving at the metro station when it OPENED, to get on the MIDDLE car, and then literally RUN with the others who had the same idea, to the gate. I was in my chair by 6:45am, and about 50th in line at the gate on race day! Once through the gates, it was then another MAD DASH to the spot I had decided on the day before (on a picnic table under a tree, by the fence, close to GS21) I was definately lucky on that find, as I could stay seated, right at the fence under a shady tree. And remember this is a full 4 hours before the race – exhausting!!!…And this is why I’d pay even the least amount for ANY GS seat rather than go through all of that :) p.s. the full ear protection (headphone style) is A MUST!!!!!! at ground level for children (the ear plugs are sometimes tricky to insert and re-insert with kids, especially if you’ll be wanting to converse with them)
Can anybody please comment on how difficult it is to catch a proper GA spot on a Friday? I can only do the Friday and was hoping it’s fairly relaxed… thanks!
I have always sat in the stands but I had a look through my photos from Friday 2011 to check out the GA situation for you. Relaxed is definetely not the word to use.
I sit in Stand 21 so I have a view of 24. Between 24 and 22 there is a very good spot and it will be crowded all day every day. On the other side of 24 doesn’t look so bad bt still penty of people especially for F1 sessions. Can’t comment on other GA areas obviously but I would suggest hunting out a Grandstand ticket for Friday. I assume there are plenty of locals who have to work Friday and want to sell one day of their Grandstand pass.The only spot for GA where you can see above the fencing is at the hairpin next to grandstand 24 and the space is very limited with all the trees obstructing your view, I took my son for the day and only had one weekend grandstand seat. Years ago if you had a reserved grandstand seat you could go to any of the grandstands on Friday, now you can only sit in the grandstand with your reserved ticket, no roaming the GS.
You should be able to buy a grandstand seat for the day and I strongly suggest it, but might be expensive.
Back to the original questions, over the years I have sat in many of the GS all good but I prefer GS 11 or 12
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