Experiencing the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Live at Jeddah

If you love cars! If you love speed! Sure you love watching the beast-full cars zipping through the tracks at the Formula1. There are millions of fans across the globe who watch the best of the drivers compete at the exhilarating race tracks every season - chasing the championship. If you are one of them, then it must be a dream to watch the cars fight up close. But is it really worth spending thousands to watch the cars zip past you??

In this blog, we cover our experience of watching a Formula1 race at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. What are the ticket prices? Where to sit to get the best view of the race? What to expect on the race day and at the venue? And finally is it really worth spending your money and time for it?

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - F1 Jeddah

All about the F1 tickets

As you must be knowing, F1 season is spread across multiple races throughout the year - typically around 22-24 races. If you want to watch a race, obviously it is always the best to target the race location nearest to your base. The ticket prices will depend on the race location. For ticket prices you can check out F1 Experiences. There are also dedicated websites for each Grand Prix, which also sell tickets. We witnessed our first F1 race at Jeddah, which is probably the least expensive of all the race tickets.

There are always numerous types of tickets to buy depending on where you want to sit and number of days.

For every race the cheapest ticket will be for the General Admission. In almost all the races, you cannot watch the race with the General admission tickets. Yes! you cannot. It will give you access only to the race village (usually set up near the race arena with lots of fun activities and performances). Then comes the Grand Stand tickets. These tickets vary based on the grand stand location across the race. Some stands will have better view of the race and thus higher the price compared to others. While booking the tickets, do check out the race map and the location of the stands. Then comes the Paddock! For the rich! This is ultra luxurious, filled with food and drinks and what not. It gives exclusive access to you to the best of the facilities at the race arena and unarguably the best view of the race.

The 2nd factor that determines the price of the ticket is the number of days you want to cover. As you must be aware that the race day is preceded by practice sessions and the qualifying - a 3 day blockbuster. If you want to attend all 3 days, then the ticket prices will be a bit higher.

Where to Sit?

This is a self-assessment you have to make. Based on your budget and assessment through the map, select the best grand stand for yourself. In our experience, sitting at the turn gave us a few extra seconds to view the cars. But if you want to witness the speed, choose a part of the track where there are no turns. Also if possible try to sit nearer to a TV or a screen.

Grand Stand F1 Jeddah Raceday

What to expect on the Race Day?

The atmosphere on the race day will be electric! But do not miss all the other things and experiences on the race day. You will see a number of events going on at the site, usually called the race village. Starting from fun games, to the race simulators, to the food stalls, to the free giveaways - experience all the fun. We got quite a few free stuff - magnets, caps etc. and experienced the F1 simulator. The race was followed by some amazing performances by some local stars, talented Alicia Keys, Pharrell Williams and Martin Garrix! The party went on till late night though, so hold on to your horses.

Is it Worth It?

It is not an easy question to answer! We loved some parts of the experience if not all.

What we loved:

• The exhilarating sound of the cars

• The fun events at the village especially the simulators

• Free goodies at the race village

• Free supply of drinking water for everyone

What We Didn't Like:

• Witnessing the cars for only a few seconds every lap - which is out of anyone's control!

• Post race performances that were dragged too late with delays

Overall it was a solid one-time experience to watch the F1 cars up close and the amazing drivers fighting it all.

Pro Tips:

• Choose to sit closer to a TV or a screen to follow the complete race.

• At least at the Jeddah Grand Prix, the seats are not assigned, so reach early to grab the best seats.

• Do not miss the driver's parade before the race.

• Do not reach too early especially of the weather is not very pleasant.

F1 Jeddah Race Day

Useful Apps and Links: Watch our complete experience at F1 Jeddah Grand Prix.