Want to attend an F1 race in Person? Here’s what to know.
We just got back from the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid—and the highly, er, publiczied "Madring." For our very first in-person Formula 1 race, we decided to skip the traditional European tracks out in the countryside and dive straight into a brand-new city track.
Was it a flawless weekend? No. But was it an unforgettable experience? Absolutely. If you’re considering booking tickets for your first F1 race next season, here is our American take on what F1 got right, what they completely missed the mark on, and what you need to know before you pull out your credit card.
What F1 and Madrid Got Right
1. Public Transportation was Flawless
Getting to a race track can be a nightmare—just ask anyone who has waited 90 minutes for a shuttle bus at COTA. Madrid knocked this out of the park. Even with our hotel on the far southwest side of the city and the track out by the airport, the Metro got us door-to-door in 35 minutes for just a couple of bucks. You could come and go exactly when you wanted, which made navigating the three-day weekend incredibly easy.
2. The Williams Fanzone
While most teams completely ignored the fact that they were in a major European capital filled with open plazas, Williams showed up. They set up a massive fanzone in a public square featuring the Madrid livery, simulators, merch (at a third of the on-track cost), a beer garden, and appearances by Carlos Sainz and James Vowles. It was brilliant fan engagement. Williams is officially the people's team.
3. Track Amenities and Pricing
Inside the gates, the food and beverage situation was surprisingly reasonable. There was no aggressive price gouging, the Spanish staff were fantastic, and you were allowed to bring in empty water bottles to use at free refill stations—an absolute lifesaver in the Spanish heat.
The Missed Opportunities
1. Merchandise Shortages
Formula 1 expects to pull in $500 million from this event, yet they wouldn't take our money. If you wanted non-driver-specific gear, women’s apparel, kids' sizes, or official "Madring" event merch, you were largely out of luck by Saturday. The Amex radio headsets were completely gone by Sunday morning. For a sport so heavily focused on commercial growth, running out of stock when 350,000 fans are walking around with cash in hand is unacceptable.
2. The Cordoned-Off Track
Unlike COTA, where general admission lets you wander the circuit to watch the action from different vantage points, the Madring locks you into your specific zone. You can't explore the whole track or check out other areas.
This was a big disappointment.
3. Where were all the teams?
Aside from Williams, team engagement in the city was practically nonexistent. We trekked an hour to find a McLaren zone that turned out to be a tiny pop-up with a few t-shirts. Aston Martin just had a small VR game in a store. F1 had the whole city of Madrid at its disposal and left it mostly empty.
Pro-Tips for First-Time Attendees
* Buy Covered Seats: Do not underestimate the sun. We paid around $1,000 each for covered grandstand seats on the main straight, and it was worth every penny. We watched fans baking in the uncovered sections. Unless you want heat stroke, get a roof over your head.
* Pick the Place, Not Just the Race: If you are traveling internationally, pick a city you actually want to visit. Races in places like Montreal, Melbourne, or Madrid offer incredible public transit and amazing city life for the days leading up to the Grand Prix. Monza might have history, but you don't want to spend your whole vacation in the middle of nowhere.
Note: Patrick was more interested in going to a (typically) great race, like Monza. Spending Friday, Saturday, and Sunday there, then packing up and spending the remainder of you vacation in a great city, like Milan.
* Show Up Early and Watch the Feeder Series: Your ticket covers a lot more than just the F1 race. Get there on Friday and Saturday. Watching the F3 and F2 sprint races and qualifying sessions was some of the best racing of the weekend.
DO NOT DISCOUNT F2 or even F3!
Across the Line: Baku Predictions
To wrap things up, we have to look ahead to Baku. Going into this week, Big Dog leads the Across the Line standings 52 to 49.
Patrick’s Top 5 for Baku:
1. Kimi Antonelli
2. Charles Leclerc
3. George Russell
4. Arvid Lindblad
5. Pierre Gasly
Brian’s Top 5 for Baku:
1. Lando Norris
2. Max Verstappen
3. Lewis Hamilton
4. Liam Lawson (Even if he's back in the Racing Bulls seat)
5. Nico Hülkenberg
Crazy Predictions:
* Patrick: Oscar Piastri gets fired by the end of the season. The writing is on the wall with Zach Brown's recent comments.
* Brian: The final two races in the Middle East will be canceled, no makeup races will be scheduled, and Kimi Antonelli will clinch the World Championship while sound asleep in his bed.
Thanks for reading, and make sure to subscribe to the Hard Compound podcast wherever you get your audio!
