Montreal F1 2019 - school me

cashman · 11-13-2018, 05:28 PM

Thinking about going to the Montreal F1 2019 race for my 50th.

Here's the situation:
It would my wife and my brother/wife.
None of us have been to F1 and only I pay mild attention to it.
The wives don't give a rip about cars but I'm sure they would find race day interesting.
Me and my brother will definetly be into it.
From what I've read Montreal is preferred over Austin.

Is race day good enough or is Friday/Sat/Sun a must do?
Any special ticket/seating recommendation?
Hotel recommendation (not crazy expensive (if that exists))
Never been to Montreal. Here is a pretty good time and thought this would be a good reason to go.

Jims5543 · 11-13-2018, 07:10 PM

I found lodging to be the biggest challenge.

Get a room lined up before anything else.

You do not need a car if you are good for walking a lot. I would not bother with a rental car. Take a cab from the airport downtown and walk or take the Metro everywhere.

You can buy a commemorative weekend Metro Pass with the F1 insignia on it.

Hotel? I stayed in a Sheraton and the Ferrari Mechanics were in it as well, I saw them all each morning in the lobby waiting to be shuttled to the track.

Just find a hotel first.

Seats? General admission is not great there, it is hard to see the track and viewing points are limited.

Get the best seats you can afford, if you can go for the front straightaway.

Sections 11 and 12 will give a great view of the first turn complexes, I was on a bit of a budget and sat in section 33 I was just happy to be there.

If I could do it again I would be on the front straight as close to the start finish line as possible.

You can get away with no French that weekend every one is switched to English, to not greet in French, that puts the servers, counter people in French mode save them the frustration and just say hello in English, that is assuming you do not speak French.

Get to the track early the fan zone is worth wandering around.

I did all 3 days, Friday practice, Qualifying and the Race.

If I did it again I would spend Friday wandering around Montreal and only do Qualifying and the Race, skipping the practice sessions.

Montreal is a fantastic city, everyone was very friendly.

If I have time tomorrow I will post more thoughts.

Pazuzu · 11-13-2018, 07:55 PM

Contact BRPORSCHE on here, he went a few years ago. He was a poor, recently out of college kid at the time so he might have some cost-saving tricks.

Jims5543 · 11-14-2018, 03:03 AM

I went in 2011 got to see MSC on track, it was a rain race and it looked like Mike was going to get a podium which was exciting as Mercedes was horrible that year.

I did get to hear the V8's run before the switch to the Tubo 6's so there is that.

I failed to mention the Metro there is very good, it has a stop at the track. That is why I said no need for a car, you can get anywhere you need on the Metro.

I am not sure if he still does it, ex NBC announcer Will Buxton puts together a meet and greet on Saturday night in random Bars in Montreal, the year I went he had a few F1 insiders there that got up and took some questions from fans. The bar was packed with 100+ dudes.

The year I was there he had a Mechanic from Mercedes, a engineer from Red Bull and the reserve driver for Force India there. It was a neat experience.

flatbutt · 11-14-2018, 05:28 AM

GO! Montreal does a great job at hosting the race. Downtown is a YUGE festival and getting to the track is a cinch. Housing can be a pain so get it sorted first. If you do stay downtown it will be busy. Wherever you stay try to make it near a metro station that you can walk to.

David · David's Garage

I went a few years ago and hung out with BRPORSCHE

Hotel was by far the biggest expense after tickets. Montreal is a wonderful city and it appeared that F1 weekend is their start of Summer so everyone is out and about even if they're not going to F1. And everyone is super friendly.

Perhaps AirBNB is a better way to go but start looking now which may still be too late.

stealthn · 11-14-2018, 11:28 AM

Definitely tour around, the main Church downtown is something to behold, and the bars are great. If I can convince the wife, I'd like to go as well.

Won · 02:39 PM

We went in 2010 - fresh out of university, on a budget. We found a cheap studio apartment here: https://www.residences-uqam.qc.ca/ It's a UQAM dorm that is rented out in the summer, and very conveniently located in the city. I just ran a search and looks like they have multi-room accommodations too so maybe you can all can stay in one?

That meant we could spend more on the tickets and sit at grandstand 11. Not my picture but pretty much the same view. Clear view down the main straight and pitlane and guaranteed action through the Senna corner

As mentioned already, there is definitely enough happening there to enjoy all weekend away from the track. In fact, I think it's one of few "traditional" races where you have good atmosphere outside the circuit, unless you enjoy camping in the mud in a forest/farmland/parking lot...

Captain Ahab Jr · Captain Ahab Jr's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Won

We went in 2010 - fresh out of university, on a budget

To think how far you've come since, ring side seat on the inside of the fence

Do you think you'll get the chance of going to a race with the team or are there just too many people for that to happen now?

kanadary · 11-14-2018, 02:02 PM

Went there when I lived in Toronto. As others have said, get a hotel first. Otherwise you may be commuting from the Ontario border. Get the three day pass.

Won · 11-14-2018, 02:07 PM

Thanks! Probably not a race, but maybe a test event. My parents came to visit back in summer and brought a printed picture (say what?) I took in 2010, of the TV screen visible in that shot from Grandstand 11, showing Andrew Shovlin talking to Schumi. I think it's amazing that now I work with Shov.

javadog · 11-14-2018, 03:14 PM

My advice... Stay downtown, take the metro to the track, take your food with you to the track for lunch, reserve tables in the better restaurants for dinner each night. Don't drink the Canadian beer, it sucks.

Which stand you buy tickets in will depend on which corners you like the best. There's enough video of the track out there that you can make some reasonable judgments. Either end of the start finish straight, might be a decent choice. Always lots of action in those two locations.

cashman · 11-14-2018, 03:17 PM

Thanks for all the tips. Please keep them coming if you have more to add.

faverymi · 11-14-2018, 05:30 PM

You can bring your cooler full with your beers and snacks.

You can also splurge and get tickets in the grand stand

We've stayed in really nice air b and b apartments

Rent a car and go to Mont Tremblant. Drive the track if possible. The village is gorgeous.

cashman · 06-04-2019, 03:28 PM

Tickets booked (grandstand 21), Going Friday - Tuesday. Any other must do's? Tings to do? Parties to attend?

I'll report on the "Canadian Grand Prix presented by Mercedes" upon return. I predict a Leclerc upset.

tk_008 · 06-05-2019, 05:15 AM

I'm a native Montrealer and I've been a few times. After the race finishes, I suggest finding a shady tree to hang out under for awhile. The mob trying to get into the metro is unbelievable. Food and drink in old Montreal is overpriced relative to the rest of the city and some are downright tourist traps. If you really like the crowds and party atmosphere, by all means hang out in the downtown area, but if you're looking for something a bit quieter and more representative of Montreal, I would recommend the bars/restaurants in the plateau area.

tk_008 · 06-05-2019, 05:29 AM

If you could say more about what kind of places you would like to eat/drink at I could be more specific. Also, another note. It has been a very cold/wet spring so far, so pay close attention to the weather. It can also be quite windy at the track, and since its in the middle of a very cold St Lawrence river, it can be quite a bit cooler than you've counted on. Grandstand 21 is a good pick.

s_morrison57 · 06-05-2019, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by javadog

My advice... Stay downtown, take the metro to the track, take your food with you to the track for lunch, reserve tables in the better restaurants for dinner each night. Don't drink the Canadian beer, it sucks.

Which stand you buy tickets in will depend on which corners you like the best. There's enough video of the track out there that you can make some reasonable judgments. Either end of the start finish straight, might be a decent choice. Always lots of action in those two locations.

Canadian beer doesn't suck, its twice the alcohol content, and more, compared to American beer and that's probably where your trouble and poor opinion comes from. Nobody likes Canadian beer after they drink 6 and barf on their shoes cause it was too much too fast

. If your not a fan of the beer - we have CC and weed too!

javadog · 06-05-2019, 10:14 AM

I don’t know where you get your beer facts from but you are not well informed. The US has more than 10 times the number of breweries as Canada does and even in Oklahoma, which is more or less the middle of nowhere, we have a strong craft beer presence and light beer is a forgotten memory. Molson and Labatts both taste like crap. It’s worse than Budweiser down here and nobody I know has ever had even so much as a can of that junk.

I’m far too cultured to puke on my shoes and I never could finish a single Canadian beer anyway, so no chance of that. You can keep your weed, too. As for your CC, I hate to have to tell you that’s not so Canadian. It was started by an American and is now owned by a company based in the US.

I would go on about your Tim Hortons, too, but if he stays in downtown Montreal like I suggest he can probably avoid those pretty easily.

javadog · 06-05-2019, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

Tickets booked (grandstand 21), Going Friday - Tuesday. Any other must do's? Tings to do? Parties to attend?

I'll report on the "Canadian Grand Prix presented by Mercedes" upon return. I predict a Leclerc upset.

I usually book reservations in a good restaurant every night, but a good part of the horde will be aimlessly wandering around downtown, where it will resemble some sort of an unorganized street party. There will be F1 related things going on down there, it’s up to you if that’s what floats your boat.

I would still suggest that you hit up a good deli or grocery store in the morning and pack your own food into the event. The grandstands you’re in are a decent walk from the metro and I don’t remember there being all that many great food and beverage choices at that end of the track.