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Turkish Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

One of the more exotic locations of the Formula 1 series set in the only country in the world that lies on two continents, the Turkish Grand Prix is held in the Istanbul Park Circuit, also one of the newest, most technologically advanced racing circuits in the Formula 1 championship series. Making its debut in 2005, it has proven to be a quite interesting part of the Formula 1 series, and becoming a challenging circuit at that.

The Istanbul Park Circuit is a state-of-the-art circuit designed by Hermann Tilke, who himself set the standard with the Bahrain, Sepang and Shanghai International Circuits. Unlike his previous designs, Tilke says he contoured the track according to the hills and dips of Istanbul Park and designed the circuit according to the lay of the land, making the circuit unique with its four different ground levels. Tilke also famously declared that he wished to challenge the drivers on this racetrack, and was successful in that many drivers find themselves spinning off at certain expansive corners at crucial moments in the race.

Found in Pendik, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus Strait, the Istanbul Park Circuit is also unique and challenging in that it is one of only two circuits in the Formula 1 championship that is raced counter-clockwise. The track is 5.34 kilometers long and is raced for a total of 58 laps. Of its sixteen corners, Turn 8 is popular for having the most drivers spinning out of the sweeping corner, compared to the Nürburgring.

Other parts of the Istanbul Park Circuit, despite the uniqueness of the track as a whole, have also been observed by drivers nonetheless to be similar to famous features in old race tracks. For example, one turn is nicknamed the “Turkish Corkscrew,” after comparisons with Laguna Seca’s own famous Corkscrew, while another part of the course recalls Eau Rouge and has been hilariously dubbed the “Faux Rouge.”

Kimi Räikkönen was the Turkish Grand Prix’s inaugural winner for McLaren-Mercedes, with rival Fernando Alonso coming in second. The fastest lap ever on this circuit was performed in that 2005 race, by third-placer Juan Pablo Montoya, clocking in at 1’24.77, and has yet to be beaten.

Brazilian Felipe Massa won his first ever Formula 1 grand prix in Istanbul in 2006. Also winning in his homeland, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, in the same year, it is noted that Massa seems to have an affinity for counter-clockwise race courses, since the Interlagos circuit is the only other circuit in the Formula 1 series to run in the opposite direction. Because he won his first Formula 1 Grand Prix in Istanbul, Massa has declared that Turkey holds a special place in his heart, even cheering on both the Brazilian and Turkish football teams, São Paulo FC and the Fenerbahçe.

Drivers, crew and spectators arrive at the Ataturk International Airport, which is 30 minutes away from downtown Istanbul and an hour from Istanbul Park. There are few hotels on the Asian side of the Bosphorus Strait, which still carries the mystic and oriental ambience of Constantinople and a great place to soak up the culture of the city.

Getting to the circuit has improved drastically from the Turkish Grand Prix’s inaugural race. The traffic going to the racing circuit was so bad right before the scheduled games began that the local government actually restructured their motorway to allow shortcuts.

It is also possible to stay at the European side of the Bosphorus, where there are many hotels. Several public buses that were consigned to go specially to Istanbul Park for the Turkish Grand Prix come from both sides of the Bosphorus Strait, just leave earlier if you’re to come from the European side of the city, where the more modern buildings and malls are.

The main grandstand at Istanbul Park seats 25,000 individuals, but makeshift stands can be constructed and appended to natural ground stands to accommodate more than 155,500 spectators. Turkish grand prix tickets in the grandstands are priced as gold, silver and bronze sections, according to the audience view. There are no special favourite areas yet, but since the circuit is as bumpy as the ocean, the grounds of the track are at different levels and there are many seats with breathtaking views.

Monaco Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

Monaco is almost synonymous with the Formula One, and the Monaco Grand Prix is considered so prestigious that winning at Monte Carlo, as it is fondly called, is worth two wins at any other Grand Prix. Established in 1929, it is the stand-out race of the Formula One that is part of the famous Triple Crown of Motorsport, which includes the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Although it’s referred to the “Monte Carlo,” the Circuit de Monaco lies on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine, including the harbour, and is currently the only race in the Formula 1 Championship to be held on a street circuit at the very heart of town. It is also one of the very few remaining circuits to be the same location of the original first race in 1929.

Quite exciting, the circuit is also touted to fail the new safety requirements of the Formula 1 championship series, and is lucky to have been already a circuit regular when the new regulations for new circuits were established. Two drivers have already crashed into the harbour. The circuit is known for its exhilarating tunnel section, and two important corners – a very fast corner in the tunnel, and the slowest curve in the series, also known as the Grand Hotel hairpin. The very narrow course, which frustrates many drivers wishing to overtake their opponents, has limited qualifiers to this race, accepting only 18 participants when other Grands Prix would have 23 or 24, adding even more prestige to the competition.

The street circuit is set up beginning six weeks before the annual race, usually held in May, and disbanded for three weeks after the winners take home their trophies. Over the many years of the Monaco Grand Prix, there are several drivers who emerge triumphant more than once. Graham Hill is the first and for the longest time the only one to complete the Triple Crown, winning Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He is actually called “Mr. Monaco,” for winning the Monaco Grand Prix a total of 5 times. Michael Schumacher matches his 5-time win, but neither holds the record for most wins at the Monaco Grand Prix, an honor owned by Ayrton Senna, for six wins. Other multiple winners include Alain Prost, Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart and Fernando Alonso. Alonso’s second win was at the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix.

You can reach Monaco from the Nice International Airport in France, and take a 40-minute train into Monaco, where everything is easier to get to on foot, as driving – and parking – near the circuit is next to impossible on the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. Do try to get to the circuit as early as you can as practice in Monaco starts earlier than in any other Grand Prix. Many tourists stay in Paris instead of Monaco because hotels are staggeringly expensive, and the rates escalate as you get closer to the venue.

However, if you can afford it, or you think you’re worth the splurge, do go and enjoy the luxuries Monaco has to offer. You may even bump into one of the many celebrities who regularly attend the Monaco Grand Prix en route to the swimming pool. Or stay by the coast, and enjoy the beach when you’re not at the race. If this is the case, you should make your reservations early. Hotels in Monaco are often booked even months in advance.

As if to mirror the personality of the city itself, there are no general admission tickets for the Monaco Grand Prix. This is of course because of the tightness of the track, but it also means that most of the only available grandstand seats will give a very good view of the action. Monaco Grand Prix tickets are priced according to the view around the track, so rest assured that if you paid a pretty penny, you’re in for a very good time.

Italian Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

The Italian Grand Prix, or Gran Premio d’Italia, is the longest running grand prix in Formula 1 Championship racing, and its regular circuit, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, or Monza for short, is the most enduring track in grand prix history. The very first Italian Grand Prix, decades before the establishment of the Formula 1 series, was held in the city of Brescia in Northern Italy, in 1921, but the circuit at Monza was built the very next year and saw more motor sport than any other circuit in the world in its lifetime.

There is a lot of history connected with the Italian Grand Prix, such as the participation of Count Louis Zborowski in 1923. Zborowski is most famous for creating the Chitty Bang Bang cars, which were used engines of WWI aeroplanes and inspired the books and films, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but showed up at the 1923 Italian Grand Prix driving Harry Miller’s American Miller 122. The next year, also at the Italian GP, Zborowski died during the race, colliding with a tree.

Zborowski wouldn’t be the only fatality of the Italian GP through the years, which would result in modifications in the circuit and the track’s reputation as one of the most challenging, demanding and validating course in the F1. Drivers find they are on full throttle for most of the lap, more so than on other circuits, and even spectators seated wherever their Italian Grand Prix tickets will allow them can tell that it’s the fastest circuit in the championship, without having to be told that the track’s total length is 5.79 km.

The list of winners at the Italian Grand Prix is surely a long one, as this GP is the one of the few GPs to make the distinction of regularity, held every year at least from its inception in the Formula One championship series in 1950. The only other GP with this distinction is the British Grand Prix. Over 82 Italian drivers have participated in their home race, and, at least in the early years, many became legendary with multiple wins, including two-time winner Luigi Fagioli, and three-time winners Tazio Nuvolari and world champion Alberto Ascari. Ironically, Ascari would also be killed in Monza in 1955 but in a private testing exercise, not during the grand prix itself.

Alain Prost, Stirling Moss and Nelson Piquet would also do well at the Italian Grand Prix, as did Michael Schumacher, who won at Monza five times in ten years. It was at the 2006 Italian Grand Prix, after his win, that Schumacher announced his retirement from auto racing at the conclusion of the 2006 championship.

Monza is a bit north of Milan, so most Italian GP participants stay there during the events. There are a few hotels in Monza that are just as posh, and where the Ferrari team usually opts to stay. Smaller hotels can be found in the surrounding towns for those on a budget. There is also the option to camp around the circuit, particularly just outside the second chicane, although be prepared to not get much sleep as these camping expeditions become a lively outdoor party for the fans.

Fans and teams fly into Milan’s two airports, although it is the Malpensa airport that handles more international flights; it is also Malpensa’s train that offers the quickest and most hassle-free trip to Milan. To get to Monza directly, take the train to Monza station, where several shuttle buses are reserved specifically for the circuit.

Many would not recommend the grandstands at the Lesmos curve and the second chicane, despite good deals on tickets. If you want prime seats, opt for Italian Grand Prix tickets around Curva Parabolica, Variante Ascari and the first chicane. As with other Formula GP tickets, prices are divided into three categories. Adventurous fans usually opt for general admission tickets, claiming that there is always a great view to be found at Monza every year.

Hungarian Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

When the Hungarian Grand Prix, also known as Magyar Nagydij, became officially part of the Formula One Championship series in 1986, it was the closest motorsport drivers could get to racing behind the Iron Curtain. In fact, throughout the entire history of the Hungarian Grand Prix, only one Hungarian driver has participated in his home circuit, being Zsolt Baumgartner in 2003 and 2004. Still, Budapest remains a popular F1 venue, not only for drivers but also for fans angling for Hungarian Grand Prix tickets.

The Hungarians actually held the first grand prix in 1936, and it was quite a success, with Mercedes Benz, Ferrari and Auto Union all participating, and drawing a sizable audience at the road circuit in Népliget park. However, another race didn’t follow until 1986 because of the war and ensuing political situation. Being the only grand prix in the Central and Eastern European area, especially after the closing of the Austrian Grand Prix, the Hungarian Grand Prix is often an event that nearby countries, especially Finland, Austria, Poland and Germany, look forward to.

The Hungarian Grand Prix is regularly held at Hungaroring, which was built only a year before the first Hungarian GP in 1986, holding the record for fastest construction of a grand prix circuit at eight months. The Formula One officials hoped for a circuit similar to that in Monaco, but the government decided not to have the Népliget rebuilt as a street circuit and appointed a space right outside the city.

Because of its location near a major expressway, and the fact that it isn’t used for any other racing event the rest of the year, the Hungaroring is a notoriously dusty and dry circuit. As the Hungarian Grand Prix is held every August, which is hot midsummer in Central Europe, there has not been a wet Hungarian GP until 2006.

The heat, dust and dryness, as well as the limited usage of the track, also make for interesting racing conditions. Tracks that are not used very often are known to start off slow, but build in speed after a day or so of racing. This is not the case with the Hungaroring because the 4.38 long circuit tends to get very dusty very quickly. Another challenge is that there are a lot of twists to the very tight track, and overtaking is rather difficult, despite modifications made to the track to allow space to pass. While it prevented Ayrton Senna from passing Thierry Boutsen, handing him first place in 1990, it somehow unfazed Nigel Mansell in 1989, who overtook one car after another, even sailing by Senna, again trapped behind a slow car.

Even though Senna was unable to overtake two years in a row, he secured his three wins at the Hungarian Grand Prix a year before losing to Boutsen and Mansell, and twice again, consecutively, afterwards. Michael Schumacher holds one win more than Senna, while drivers who have won twice at Budapest include Nelson Piquet, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve and Mika Häkkinen.

Hill also won his first ever grand prix at Hungaroring in 1993, as did Fernando Alonso ten years later in 2003, prompting him to declare the Hungaroring as his favorite race circuit. In 2006, the first Hungarian GP that was rained in, Alonso and Schumacher were forced to retire from the unexpected weather conditions, giving Jenson Button his first grand prix win. The 2007 winner was Lewis Hamilton.

As most fans of the Hungarian Grand Prix come from neighboring areas, they are most likely to drive to Budapest, especially with a special road closed off for the Formula 1 championship called “Bernie Avenue.” You can also fly into Ferihegy International Airport from most European cities and some cities in North America. Alternatives to renting a car once you are in Hungary – Budapest is some 24 km from the airport – you may take the airport minibus into the city and travel by tram and subway for sightseeing and meals. A water park was recently built near the circuit, which many fans have come to appreciate as they can cool off at any time during the race, when the summer heat becomes too much to bear.

Opulent high class hotels are found surrounding the Danube; as you move further away from the center, you’ll find mid-range hotels and cheaper hostels that may be more to your liking. To get to Hungaroring from Budapest, you can catch the specially assigned buses that go straight to the circuit. Anyone on the street would know where these buses will be designated, or you could ask where they could be found when you buy your Hungarian Grand Prix tickets.

Although ticket prices were quite expensive in the early years of the Hungarian Grand Prix, general admission tickets are very affordable these days, and a good deal when around 65 percent of the track can be seen from most vantage points, since the Hungaroring was built over a natural valley. Grandstand tickets are divided into bronze, silver, gold and super gold, promising better and better views with the ascent of the price.

German Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

Ever since Michael Schumacher began to race the Formula One Championship, “Schumi mania” would hit the German Grand Prix, the grandstands full to the brim of Ferrari fans every midyear. The mania reached fever pitch whenever the German Grand Prix was held at Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg, which is close to Schumacher’s hometown. The race track is also known as Hockenheimring, or more fondly, Hockenheim, after the large town where the GP can be found when it is not held in Nürburg near Cologne.

The German Grand Prix was an official event in 1929, and was preceded by a national race that would begin in 1926 and the Kaiserpreis of 1907, but was a year late to the Formula 1 championship, joining only in 1951 because Germany was not allowed to participate in international events after World War II. The country did make up for it by regularly staging the German Grand Prix at Nürburgring and Hockenheimring, through the years, and even hosting the European Grand Prix at Nürburgring. That is, until 2007, when only the European Grand Prix was held, after which it was declared that Germany would only host one GP each year.

Still, that doesn’t dampen the enthusiasm crackling in the air in July, as it did not when the Hockenheim circuit was shortened, but without decreasing the size of the audience, in fact increasing the seating capacity by adding more grandstands, which remain jampacked with German Grand Prix ticket-holders.

When the Hockenheim was longer, the roads cut through the forests of the Rhine valley, running up to 8km in length, with four lengthy straights which allowed the drivers to zoom off like daredevils. The “Motodrom” stadium area was added when fans picked up interest in the grand prix. Chicanes were added on two occasions, when drivers Jim Clark and Patrick Depailler were killed in 1968 and 1980 respectively.

The circuit was deemed too dangerous and at the turn of the century, F1 officials demanded to have the track shortened. Renovated by Hermann Tilke, who also designed the Sepang, Bahrain, Istanbul, Singapore, Shanghai and Valencia circuits for the F1 competition, many tight corners were added to compensate for the loss of the long forest straights, with all the action concentrated in the stadium areas, where all the grandstands are found.

The German Grand Prix has drivers doing 67 laps around Hockenheim, with a circuit lap of 4.57 km, for a total of 306.46 km per race. Kimi Räikkönen holds the fastest lap record there in 2004, clocking in at 1:13.78.

Pre-Formula One, German auto racing legend Rudolf Caracciolla would win the German Grand Prix four times, and the national pre-GP racing event twice as well, but after his last win in 1939, no other German driver would win the German Grand Prix until Michael Schumacher in 1995. His brother Ralf Schumacher would also win in 2001, before Michael won the trophy another three times, in 2002, 2004 and 2006. In between, Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya and Spain’s Fernando Alonso won in 2003 and 2005.

Although a German Grand Prix was announced in 2007, the grand prix at Nürburgring was listed as the Großer Preis von Europa, or the European Grand Prix. The German Grand Prix returned to Hockenheim in 2008, while the European Grand Prix was slated for Valencia, Spain.

You can fly in to either the Frankfurt airport, which is 90 km from Hockenheim, or the Stuttgart airport, which is 102 km. Fans who already live in Germany usually take their own cars to the site of the track and set up camp in the forest. Internationally-based fans can hire rental cars, take coach services into the nearby towns of Mannheim or Heidelberg, or trains that go to Heidelberg or Schwetzingen and stay at the small hotels there, taking a 30-minute taxi ride to the Hockenheimring on racing days.

Or you can join the locals and set up camp in the forest as well, which resembles a small community with barbecues and drinking sprees where everyone is invited.

The Hockenheimring’s new grandstands tallies up a total seating area of 120,000. German Grand Prix tickets vary in cost according to location. The most expensive, yet most popular, seats are found in front of the start-finish line. Still most seats allow a great deal of the action, since the track is more compact and the flat surface allows more views of greater distances.

French Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

France is where Grand Prix racing was born, with the French Grand Prix being the oldest international competition in the series. The first French Grand Prix was held in 1906, then participated in the first World Championships in 1925, with the Italian and Belgian Grands Prix and the Indianapolis 500, and of course was part of the first Formula One championship in 1950.

The French Grand Prix is held on the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, so named because it is found near the towns of Nevers and Magny-Cours. Puzzling though that such a grand event is held in rural France, and the circuit has indeed been criticized for its remote location, but many racing enthusiasts actually enjoy tranquil Magny-Cours, especially after the glitz of Monaco and Montreal.

The circuit was first built in 1960 and expanded later in the decade, reopening in 1970 to become the main training ground of many French racing giants. The track was expanded further when the Formula 1 moved to Magny-Cours, changing the corners and lengthening the track from 3.84 km to 4.26 km. Now a modern circuit with smooth surfaces and hardly any elevations, the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours also has some of the best seats in the Formula 1, as fans are able to see more than one corner wherever their French Grand Prix tickets place them.

The circuit, nicknamed Magny-Cours, is rather compact, making overtaking difficult, except for the hairpin on Turn 4. Enhancements to the track were made in 2003, particularly to the last corner and chicane, to give more possibilities for overtaking. While it hardly achieved the desired effect, it did change the strategies of the drivers, most notably Michael Shumacher’s ingeniously unique 4-stop plan, which won him the 2004 French Grand Prix, only the seventh of eight that he had won. Two years later, in 2006, Michael Shumacher made Formula 1 history by being the first driver to win any Grand Prix eight times on only one circuit. This record was delayed in 2005 by Fernando Alonso.

Schumacher’s 8-time win is only followed by native Frenchman Alain Prost’s 6 wins between 1981 to 1993. Louis Chiron of Monaco, Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina and Nigell Mansell of the UK each won four times. But one need not win multiple times at the French Grand Prix to make for a memorable race. In 1999, German driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen won despite not being a top bet or favorite that year. The win was helped by the weather: a considerable downpour gave most of the other drivers problems on the track. Since then, rainy weather at Magny-Cours had been seen as a good thing.

To get to Magny-Cours, fly into the Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports in Paris, which is a two and a half hour drive to the circuit. You could also take a train to Nevers, which is fifteen minutes from the track. It’s actually difficult to get around in rural France, so have a rental car arranged before you arrive in France. Rental cars may sound like an expensive option, but they’re not as expensive as taking taxis, which are much more costly.

The great thing about rural France, on the other hand, is that there are many cozy Bed and Breakfasts that you can stay at, which are much more cost-efficient than hotels, and most of the time, much more comfortable. If you’d rather stay in a hotel, there’s the Renaissance Hotel in Magny-Cours, and other hotels in Nevers and nearby Moulins. Some French Grand Prix enthusiasts even make a camping trip of the event. Family restaurants in the surrounding villages provide many fans, drivers and crew with hearty meals.

Although all grandstands provide great views of the circuit, the big favourite among French Grand Prix aficionados is in front of where the lap begins, as it gives a spectacular view of the dizzying Turn 3, as well as the Turn 4 hairpin. French grand prix tickets are available from the Worldticketshop website.

British Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

It may not be the location of the first ever Grand Prix but the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit is definitely the oldest of the most consistently held Grands Prix in the Formula 1 series. The first British Grand Prix was won by Louis Wagner and Robert Sénéchal at the Brooklands Course in 1926. It was first held in Silverstone in 1948, only two years before it hosted the British Grand Prix in its participation in the very first Formula 1 World Championship in 1950.

The race would alternate between Silverstone and Aintree, and later with Brands Hatch, until 1987, where it would be the permanent home of the British Grand Prix. Silverstone was originally the site of a WWII airfield and bomber base, with the first track actually laid out on one of the runways.

Silverstone was once one of the fastest tracks in the Formula 1 series, so dangerous that officials had the circuit renovated in 1991 and again in 1995, although some criticize that the new safer track had lost its edge. Before then, the tight hairpin corners were some of the most challenging, separated by long straights, which allowed drivers to go at very high speeds, even when several chicanes were added to the circuit through the years. In 1985, Keke Rosberg held a 16-year record for the fastest qualifying lap in the Formula 1 Championship series at the British Open, clocking in an average speed of 258.9 km per hour.

France’s Alain Prost won that year, one of his 5 wins at the British Grand Prix. He ties with the Britain’s very own Jim Clark for most multiple wins, followed by Nigel Mansell’s four, and three wins each with Jack Brabham, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher. Aside from Clark and Mansell, many British drivers have been triumphant at the British Grand Prix, including Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart and David Coulthard, who won the GP twice each, and Peter Collins, James Hunt, John Watson, Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert.

Despite the modifications to the track, Nigel Mansell had a very memorable win in 1991, finding enough time to give his stranded rival, Ayrton Senna, a ride on his way to the finish line. But after Coulthard’s win in 2000, a Briton has yet to win another British Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso winning in 2006 and Kimi Räikkönen in 2007.

Silverstone is actually a village not far from the circuit, found in Northamptonshire in England. International fans get to Silverstone by flying into London, then driving to Silverstone, rather than taking a train, which still requires a half hour drive to the circuit. Given that, a few drivers are known to take the long ride from London each day of the GP because they would rather stay in a London hotel during the duration of the race, rather than in a slightly less upscale hotel in the nearby towns.But if you don’t mind rural hotels, those at Northampton, Towcester, Oxford and Buckingham will do nicely, as with several Bed and Breakfasts in the surrounding area.

Other fans also resort to camping near the circuit, although there have been problems with rain when the race was moved to April in 2000, especially for fans wishing to find parking and getting stuck in the muddy fields. Many have resorted to finding helicopter rides to the circuit after this parking fiasco.

There are four different price ranges for British Grand Prix tickets on the grandstands, and to accommodate the many spectators, it is not unusual for the officials to erect extra temporary grandstands for the race weekend. Views are also quite good for holders of general admission tickets, but make sure you find yourself in a spot where you can catch the action between Copse and Beckett corners.

Belgian Grand Prix

04/12/2011 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

Spa in Belgium is world renowned for two things: its springs and hydrotherapy, and the Belgian Grand Prix. Often regarded as the most challenging race on the Formula 1 championship calendar, the Belgian Grand Prix is one of the earliest races in motor sport, and definitely one of the most established. Belgian Grand Prix tickets, even for the vast general admission sections, are highly prized as the Belgian GP has a reputation for the most exciting races in the F1.

The Belgian Grand Prix was initially held in the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, on and off in the 1930s and through the war, then more regularly from the 1950s onward. Because the Spa circuit became notorious as a fatal course, not only for drivers, but marshals and mechanics as well, the Belgian Grand Prix was relocated to Nivelles in 1972, where it was planned to alternate between the very unpopular circuit and the Circuit de Zolder. Nivelles was, in fact, so unpopular that Zolder would be the only host circuit of Belgian Grand Prix from 1975 until the Circuit de Spa-Francochamps was reopened in 1983. Zolder is unfortunately best remembered as the venue of Gilles Villeneuve’s death in 1982.

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is easily the longest track in the Formula 1, even after it was shortened to a final length of 7.004 km. The first modifications to the circuit were in fact to increase the speeds on some of the slow areas of the track, as the Belgians were proud that their track was very fast and very challenging. But due to several fatal accidents, many modifications were made to circuit through the years. In 1966, Jackie Stewart would crash at Spa, which would begin his crusade to make racing circuits safer for drivers. Stewart won the Belgian GP in 1973 at Zolder.

Even with modifications to the track, the most popular of Spa’s 21 turns, the Eau Rouge-Raidillon, is as glorious as ever before, even if less cars have spun off from the famous corner due to the improved skills of the drivers and the developed downforce of the cars. Currently, 44 laps complete a total racing distance of 308.17 km.

The first winner at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1925 was Antonio Ascari. Later his son, Alberto, would continue to bring glory to his family name when the younger Ascari won the Belgian Grand Prix in 1952 and 1953. Michael Schumacher again holds the most trophies at the Belgian Grand Prix, but Spa is doubly special for Schumacher as his first race in an F1 championship was at this circuit in 1991, and where he won his very first GP a year later. In 2001, Schumacher broke Ayrton Senna’s record of the most GP wins with the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix marking his 52nd win. At Spa, Schumacher won 6 times, as well as finishing first in 1994 but was disqualified and had to relinquish the win to Damon Hill, who has won the Belgian Grand Prix two other times.

Jim Clark won at Spa four times in the 1960s, while Senna won five times at the same circuit in the late 80s. After Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen would dominate the Belgian Grand Prix, winning in 2004, 2005 and again when the track reopened in 2007. Räikkönen also holds the fastest lap record, at 1:45.

Many racing fans either stay in the hotels within Spa, or in the less expensive inns and guest houses around the neighboring towns. Whilst camping has been a fun prospect at several town-based circuits, it is not so much the case in Spa because September is often a rainy month in Belgium.

To arrive at Spa, take the plane to Brussels, which is a two-hour drive to the circuit. You could also take the train to Liege, where many buses headed for the circuit await.

Belgian Grand Prix tickets for the general admission area are great because there is a lot of the track to see, being 7 km long. As the area is naturally hilly, the views can definitely be fantastic, even with the cheapest tickets. Grandstand tickets are then more valuable, especially those right in front of the Eau Rouge and other challenging corners, such as La Source and Pouhon. As with other GPs, Belgian Grand Prix tickets are sectioned in gold, silver and bronze.

Stars of the White Nights Festival

02/12/2010 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

Perhaps one of Europe’s most intriguing festivals, at first sight at least, is the exotically named Stars of the White Nights Festival in the stunning Russian city of St. Petersburg. Originally lasting just ten days, the Stars of the White Nights is now a three month season for classical music, ballet and opera lovers, taking its name from that short time of the year in this part of the world when the sun never sets. From May through to the end of July, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Philharmonic Hall and the magnificent Mariinsky Concert Hall – only opened in 2007 – host concerts on a par with any that can be found throughout the world.

The Stars of the White Nights was the brainchild of the very first mayor of St. Petersburg and brought to fruition by the Artistic and General Director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Valery Gergiev – a position he still holds. From its beginnings in 1993, the festival has been regarded as a ‘musical gift’ to the people of St. Petersburg and has attempted to attract the world’s leading performers, producing some of the world’s musical masterpieces. Artists from Russia and other countries now feature in more than one hundred separate concerts during the festival – which continues to attract names such as Placido Domingo, Bryn Terfel, Alfred Brendel, Thomas Hampson and Maria Guleghina to perform here.

The festival has always been ambitious in its programming as well as with the quality of its artists. New premiers and contemporary pieces are commonly included as well as the most celebrated symphonic compositions. There have also been stagings of, for example, Wagner’s Ring Cycle and the complete symphonies of both Mahler and Shostakovich.

As comprehensive as the musical programme of the Stars of the White Nights is, however, it still does not tell all of the story. A number of spectacular carnivals also takes place during the festival – the best-known of which are held in the suburbs of Peterhof, Pavlovsk and at the Catherine Palace, the former summer residence of the tsars of Russia. These are costumed extravaganzas in which you’ll see sumptuous period horse-drawn carriages and dramatic re-enactments of the city’s history.

The Stars of the White Nights festival celebrations finish with what the Russians know as Alye Parusa, or Scarlet Sails. More than a million people will be on the streets and the banks of the St Petersburg river, the Neva, to witness what was once simply an end of the the school year celebration party. Based on a favourite novel by the Russian novelist Alexander Grin, the centrepiece of the event is a tall ship with the famous scarlet sails coming in towards the Winter Palace. Additionally, though, there will be motorboat and rowing races on the river and spectacular pirate battles.

St. Petersburg – or ‘the Venice of the North’ or ‘the City of 101 Islands’, take your pick – is the world’s most northern city of more than one million people. With well over 200 museums and some imposing architecture, it has become a popular tourist destination – with increasing numbers of cruise liners choosing the port as a destination. However, it is also a very modern city in its outlook – it is only 300 years old so is, in fact, literally very young for a European city. With a lively student population and good nightlife, it attracts visitors of all ages and outlooks from across the world.

With this in mind, accommodation is now plentiful in the city – ranging from some incredible luxury hotels such as the Astoria, the Grand Hotel Europe and the Radisson Royal Hotel as well as many budget hotels and self-catering accommodation.

The Stars of the White Nights Festival represents a wonderful opportunity of visiting a city that is almost a stage set in its own right. Of then attending some world class musical concerts and leaving the concert hall at midnight and walking home in the daylight! There is an extremely high demand for tickets for nearly all of the performances, so those wishing to attend need to keep a careful eye on the Marinsky Theatre website which will give details of all the programme and how to obtain tickets.

Sighisoara Medieval Festival

02/12/2010 // by Eurofiestas// Leave a Comment

In the heart of Transylvania, it would be anticipated that the Sighisoara Medieval Festival might turn out to be simply a ‘DraculaFest’ but this is, in fact, a long way from the truth. Sighisoara might have been the birthplace of the legendary Vlad the Impaler – whose name inspired Bram Stoker – but it is also one of the most beautifully preserved, inhabited walled medieval towns in Eastern Europe and its annual Medieval Festival is a celebration of the customs, beliefs and lifestyles of those times.

It was in 1992 that the Sighisoara Medieval Festival was initiated and now this town of just over 30,000 inhabitants is augmented by as many as 20,000 visitors for the last weekend in July each year.

For three days, the narrow streets in the shadows of the old town citadel are packed with troubador music, parades in medieval costumes, street entertainers and craft displays. Add to that open-air concerts and medieval themed events and you begin to get some idea of the atmosphere created. The whole place comes alive with gladitorial contests such as jousting, as well as conferences, dancing and street carnivals. Many Romanians come to experience the medieval atmosphere but, in recent years, more and more people from overseas have started to join them.

Sighisoara is a popular tourist location within Romania and is a town of two different parts. The famous Citadel sits magnificently on top of a hill – a World Heritage Site and the focal point of the Medieval Festival. With stages around the various plazas and artists and face painters on almost every corner, this part of town is what draws so many people to Sighisoara. The impressive walls of the town still have nine perfectly preserved towers – dediacted to trades such as the Shoemakers, Tinsmiths and Tailors. The lower part of the town is in the attractive valley of the Târnava Mare river.

Of course, Vlad the Impaler is an important element in the life of this part of Romania. Born here as Vlad Tepes in 1431, there is a bust of the notorious Wallachian prince just around the corner from his birthplace, quite close to the 1360 constructed Clock Tower at the Citadel. There will often be Vlad and Dracula related events – including screenings of films at night in the Citadel itself. Next to Vlad’s birthplace is an intriguing museum of medieval weapons and it’s also worth taking time to visit the Gothic looking Church on the Hill, where the graveyard has a particular atmosphere.

Although tucked away in the Mures County region, Sighisoara is only 30 miles from the airport at Targu Mures and 54 miles from Sibiu. It is 170 miles by road from Bucharest and the train station has daily services to Budapest (ten hours journey time), Vienna (twelve hours) and Prague (nineteen hours). There is a wide variety of accommodation available in and around the town itself.

Undoubtedly, the Sighisoara Medieval Festival is a unique opportunity to travel to one of Europe’s most enigmatically picturesque locations and fully explore the lore and legends of what was once Transylvania.