Heading to your first Formula 1 race? If you’ve ever wondered what to expect at your first F1 race, you’re in for a few surprises.
Attending a Grand Prix in person is a unique experience and however much F1 you’ve seen on the telly, nothing can truly prepare you for the reality of a Grand Prix weekend. There are some aspects of watching at the track which always seem to catch first-time F1 spectators off guard. So here’s a little primer on the biggest surprises for newbies and some tips for how to cope at your first Grand Prix.
1. Sound: Why F1 Cars Are Louder Than You Might Expect
If you’ve heard some older fans grumble about Formula 1’s lack of decibels nowadays (guilty), you’d be forgiven for expecting a Grand Prix to be the sonic equivalent of 20 Dysons vacuuming your living room in unison. Ear-splitting V10s might sadly be a thing of the past but make no mistake, F1 is still loud.
How loud is an F1 car?
In the turbo-hybrid era, the sound of an F1 car measures about 130-145 decibels (dB) at full throttle. That’s around the same noise level as a jet engine from 30 metres away. Your experience of the noise depends on your hearing, the circuit, where you’re sitting, and even the weather.
So, do you need ear protection at a Grand Prix?
While you can probably get away without ear protection in most cases, it’s worth packing a pair of earplugs just in case. If you’re attending with children though, some kid-sized earplugs or ear defenders are essential.
2. Speed: F1 Cars Are Fast – But Seeing It Live Is Something Else
While you can easily be a telly-watching F1 fan and not realise how loud the cars are, there isn’t a fan out there who doesn’t know F1 cars are fast. It’s sort of the whole point really. TV never quite captures it and however easily you can rattle off the nerdiest F1 speed facts, nothing prepares you for the mind-blowing sight of an F1 car at speed.
Speaking of nerdy speed facts – how fast is an F1 car?
The fastest speed ever recorded in an F1 race is 372.499 km/h (231.46 mph), set by Valtteri Bottas in 2016 at the Mexican Grand Prix. F1 cars frequently reach speeds of over 330 km/h (205 mph) on F1’s fastest straights. For comparison, that’s almost three times the speed of a car on a UK motorway.
3. F1 Circuit Size: Why Getting Around Takes Longer Than You Think
Moving away from the immediate sensory surprises that strike many a virgin F1 spectator, another shock that awaits is the sheer size of Grand Prix circuits.
Just like we don’t get a sense of how fast F1 cars are on TV, it’s also hard to fully appreciate just how much distance they’re covering when a lap time is under 90 seconds. Before you know it you’re panting up the Kemmel Straight thinking you must be somewhere near Luxembourg by now.
What it all boils down to is you might find it’s a much longer walk to get to your grandstand than you expected. By the time your weary legs climb the steps of the shuttle bus you’ll feel like you’ve just walked the Camino de Santiago.
How much walking should you expect to do at the Grand Prix?
F1 circuits vary in length from about 3.5 to 7 kilometres (2.1 to 4.3 miles). Keep in mind though that if you’re walking around the exterior, it’s usually going to be longer than that, and don’t forget all the walking you’ll do to and from the car park or shuttle bus too.
How many steps you rack up will depend a lot on where you’re watching from and how much of an explorer you are. General admission fans will likely walk the farthest but if you’re only walking from the gate to your grandstand and don’t want to see any other areas your walking could be pretty minimal.
Want to walk less? Follow these tips to save your legs.
You can cut down on walking at the track by making sure you use the correct gate for your grandstand. This information will usually be shown when you receive your F1 tickets. If you have mobility issues, many circuits have accessibility services which can help you get around. If you still anticipate a lot of walking, make life easier for yourself by wearing sturdy walking shoes, and light, comfortable clothes.
4. Following an F1 Race at the Track: It’s Harder It Looks
When you’re watching Formula 1 at home on TV it’s easy to know what’s going on in the session. TV graphics are pretty good now, your commentary team keeps you informed and you can follow along on the driver tracker app too.
In fact, the greatest challenge might be a diminishing attention span and, if the race is going through a dull patch and resisting the urge to check your socials or indulge in a moment or two of doom scrolling.
While the aforementioned visceral sights and sounds of watching at the track might make you less inclined to look elsewhere for a dopamine hit, staying up with what’s going on can still be tricky.
Are giant screens helpful? It depends on where you’re sitting.
Most grandstands have giant screens, which help—but if they’re too small or too far away, you might struggle to see key details like race order and pit stop timing. In some general admission areas there may not be a screen at all.
Can you hear the commentary? Circuit PA systems aren’t always clear.
It can be even more of a challenge to hear the race commentary on the circuit PA system. If you’re sitting in the middle of a large grandstand or at a fast part of the track where the cars are loudest you may not hear much over the roar of the engines and the crowd.
So how do you follow an F1 race at the track? Some practical tips
Being okay with feeling a bit lost is half the trick, but there are some things you can do to make it easier to follow along. Before you go, learn to recognise cars and drivers by their liveries, car numbers and helmet designs. If you’ve read our checklist for attending a Grand Prix you’ll know to pack an FM radio to tune into race commentary and a pair of binoculars to zoom in on those screens.
5. Downtime: Why There’s More Thumb-Twiddling at an F1 Race Than You’d Expect
For a sport that’s all about adrenaline, thrill-seeking and action you can end up spending an awful lot of time on a race weekend watching the daisies grow. Time can seem to drag if you’re not expecting that and it can be especially hard if you have kids with you.
This varies from circuit to circuit and depends on what other events are on the schedule. Some Grand Prix weekends have a packed schedule of support races or historic car demonstrations. At others though, you’ll be left to watch the tumbleweed race by.
Between the thrills: staying entertained at an F1 race
You can always pass the time in the grandstand with something to read, break out the Travel Scrabble or explain aerodynamics to your kids with cheese. Or you can use this time to explore the circuit and check out fan zones – here you’ll find interactive displays, team merchandise stalls and sometimes musical performances.
Expect the Unexpected At Your First Grand Prix—But Come Prepared
Watching Formula 1 live is nothing like watching it on TV—and that’s exactly what makes it so special. From the deafening roar to the sheer scale of the circuit, your first Grand Prix will be full of surprises. But the key to making the most of it? Being prepared.
On that last point, for everything you’ll need to be race-ready, be sure to check out our Grand Prix Checklist: The Ultimate Packing List for F1 Spectators.
On that last point, for everything you’ll need to be race-ready, be sure to check out our Grand Prix Checklist: The Ultimate Packing List for F1 Spectators.
About Me
I’m Danny, an incurable Formula 1 fan for over 35 years and founder of The F1 Spectator. My aim is to inform and inspire, arming you with helpful tips and advice for your next F1 trip.
