aixcentric

The French Formula 1 Grand Prix will be taking place at the Paul Ricard circuit again this summer, 20-23rd June 2019, the second event of a five-year contract bringing the sport back to Provence.

Of course it is a memorable occasion with the world’s top F1 teams, the Patrouille de France, music, animations……but what is it like to go there?

Here’s a first hand account from 2018.Le fils Aixcentric splashed out for a weekend pass for himself and 7 year-old son, both F1-aficionados, excited beyond words that the event was back in Provence.

Their verdict was that the racing and proximity to the cars was fantastic, but the experience was really tough.  Queues to get into the car-parks were massive, even though they had gone early on the Thursday, and it was even worse trying to get out. Cars were stuck for hours.  They ended up sleeping in the car for the entire weekend, with a midnight (literally) trip home to stock up with supplies. There were big queues too, from the car-parks to the circuit itself, as everyone had to go through airport security. A deluge of rain didn’t help, with spectators wearing bin-bags (no cover) and the end-of-race David Guetta concert had to be curtailed because of lightning.

There was much publicity about these issues at the time, and the organisers have vowed to make moving in and out of the site easier this summer. Let’s hope so for all concerned.

It hasn’t put off my family who have just got their tickets for this summer.

F1 Tickets Now on Sale!