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  • How to Choose Formula 1 Grandstand Seats: 10 Smart Lessons

    How to Choose Formula 1 Grandstand Seats: 10 Smart Lessons

    Formula 1 grandstand seats at Interlagos and Barcelona in rain and sunshine

    I used to think choosing Formula 1 grandstand seats was mostly about finding a section with a good view of the track. Then I started attending races.

    My first Formula 1 trip was the Canadian Grand Prix, where wet weather made covered seating and access to an indoor hospitality dining area much more valuable than I understood when the weekend started. At Interlagos, I got soaked and learned how quickly São Paulo weather can change. In Barcelona, I learned the opposite lesson when my seats spent race day directly in the sun.

    All three were great Formula 1 experiences. I would happily go back to every one of them. But they changed the questions I ask before spending money: Can I see the racing and a screen? Will I be comfortable for hours? How difficult is the walk? What happens when I want food, shelter or a ride back to the hotel?

    Most importantly, after spending an entire Formula 1 weekend there, would I pay for that seat again?

    This guide is based on what I learned in Canada, Brazil and Spain. There is no single perfect grandstand at every circuit. The right choice depends on what you want to watch, how you like to spend the day and what you want to do with the rest of the trip.

    1. A Great View Is Only the Beginning

    The first thing most of us look at is the circuit map. That makes sense. If I am paying for Grand Prix seating, I want to see something worthwhile. But I have learned that the words “good view” can mean very different things. A seat might give you a perfect look at one corner but almost nothing else. Another grandstand might sit farther away from the action but allow you to see several parts of the circuit. I increasingly prefer the second type.

    I want to be able to follow cars for more than a few seconds. Elevation matters too. Being higher in a grandstand can sometimes open up an entirely different view of the circuit. You may be able to see over barriers, fencing and the people in front of you while also following cars through multiple corners. That does not mean higher is always better. If you are too far away, you can lose some of the feeling of speed and proximity that makes seeing Formula 1 in person so impressive.

    The goal is balance. When I look at Formula 1 grandstand seats now, I am asking what I can actually watch from that location, not simply whether the grandstand appears close to the track on a map.

    2. At Interlagos, I Learned to Respect the Weather

    My first São Paulo Grand Prix taught me something very quickly: A roof can be worth a lot. São Paulo weather can be strange. It does not rain every Grand Prix weekend, and I would never tell someone that rain is guaranteed. But I have personally watched the weather go from looking completely fine to a serious downpour. At Interlagos, I got soaked. And I mean soaked. Some of my favorite Formula 1 memories came out of that experience.

    I was in Sector G, surrounded by fans, drinking beer and canned Jack and Coke, talking with people I had never met before and trying to find whatever shelter was available. People made room for me when the rain came down. That weekend became part of why I fell in love with the atmosphere at Interlagos. But it also taught me something practical. If I am choosing Interlagos grandstands again, I am looking very seriously at whether the section is covered.

    Getting caught in the rain once can become a great story. Spending an entire weekend wet because I ignored the possibility is something different. That is the type of lesson you do not always get from looking at a circuit map. Weather protection is now one of the first things I consider when comparing Formula 1 grandstand seats. I wrote more about what Interlagos means to me in Why I Love Formula 1: Racing, Travel & Belonging.

    What changed between my Interlagos visits

    In 2024, Sector G meant uncovered cement seating and the kind of rain that makes you rethink your packing. In 2025, I sat in Sector N: covered metal stadium seating, a view toward the Senna S and back straight, and a nearby television screen. Those are descriptions of my visits, not a guarantee that every row or future ticket offers the same sightline or weather protection.

    I still value the energy in G. N helped me appreciate what a different seat and a roof can do for the same race weekend. For my upcoming 2026 visit, I have chosen R, but I have not experienced that section yet. I will judge it after I have actually sat there.

    Formula 1 grandstand seats overlooking Interlagos during the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix
    The view across Interlagos during my 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix weekend.
    View toward the Senna S at Interlagos with safety fencing and support cables
    A spectator’s view toward the Senna S at Interlagos.

    3. Canada Taught Me That Shelter Can Change the Weekend

    My first Formula 1 trip was the Canadian Grand Prix. That weekend gave me an early lesson about weather and why experienced racegoers sometimes choose tickets very differently from first-time fans. Montréal can be wet and unpredictable during Grand Prix weekend, and I learned that the hard way. The difference was that I was traveling with people who had been there before. They knew what to expect. They had already secured covered ticketed seating along with access to a hospitality dining area.

    The dining area did not have a track view, so this was not the same thing as sitting in a luxury suite overlooking the circuit. But that was not really the point. It gave us somewhere covered to get out of the weather, sit down, eat and reset during a long day at the track. That experience taught me something I still think about now. Formula 1 hospitality does not always have to be about the best view or the most exclusive access. Sometimes the value is much simpler.

    A dry place to sit. A proper meal. Somewhere to warm up. Somewhere to get out of the rain. And then you go back to your seat when the track action starts again. I did not fully appreciate how valuable that was until the weather turned. Now, when I compare Formula 1 grandstand seats, I also want to know whether the ticket gives me somewhere to escape bad conditions. A covered grandstand helps. Access to an indoor dining or hospitality area can help even more.

    That Canadian Grand Prix experience taught me that the best Formula 1 tickets are not always just about what you can see from your seat. Sometimes they are about how well the entire day works around it.

    4. Barcelona Taught Me to Think About the Sun

    Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya gave me the opposite lesson. Instead of worrying about rain, I spent race day sitting directly in the sun. That matters more than it sounds. A Formula 1 race is not a two-hour event when you are attending in person. You are at the circuit long before the race begins. There may be support races, driver parades, track activity and plenty of time simply sitting in the grandstand. Then the race starts.

    If your seat is exposed to direct sun for most of that time, you feel it. I still enjoyed the weekend. The Barcelona Grand Prix grandstands gave me a good view, and I loved being at the circuit. But now, when I look at Formula 1 grandstand seats, I also think about where the sun is going to be. Is the grandstand covered? Will part of it be shaded? What direction does it face? Will I be sitting in direct sunlight for hours?

    Those questions are not as exciting as asking whether you can see an overtake. They become much more important around hour four.

    5. I Want a Screen I Can Actually See

    This has become one of my biggest F1 seating tips. Formula 1 is difficult to follow when you can only see one small part of the circuit. At home, television gives you timing screens, replays, radio messages and cameras covering the entire track. At the circuit, cars disappear from your view. That is why I want a large screen somewhere I can comfortably see from my seat. I do not want to spend the race trying to understand why everyone around me suddenly started cheering.

    A good screen lets me follow the battle happening somewhere else on the circuit, see replays of incidents and understand what is actually happening strategically. For me, a slightly less spectacular track view with a clear screen can be better than a supposedly premium view where I cannot follow the race. For me, the best Formula 1 grandstand seats combine a worthwhile track view with a screen I can actually follow. When researching Grand Prix tickets, I now look at photographs and videos taken from the actual grandstand.

    I want to see the screen from approximately where I might sit. Circuit maps do not always tell that story.

    6. Not Every Fast Section Is a Great Place to Watch

    Seeing a Formula 1 car at full speed is incredible. The speed does not fully translate through television. But there is a difference between seeing that speed and watching a race develop. If cars simply blast past your grandstand in a straight line, the first few laps can be spectacular. After that, you may start wishing you could see more. Braking zones tend to interest me more.

    Corners where drivers can attack, defend, make mistakes or attempt an overtake give you a reason to keep watching that part of the track. A technical sequence can also be interesting because you can see differences in how drivers approach the same corners. That is why I look beyond the grandstand name. I want to know what actually happens there. A cheaper grandstand overlooking an interesting braking zone may give me a better weekend than a more expensive seat beside a section where very little happens.

    That is another reason I do not assume the most expensive seats are automatically the best Formula 1 grandstands.

    Barcelona circuit main straight, pit building and garages viewed from a grandstand
    The Barcelona circuit main straight, pit building and garages viewed across the safety fence from a grandstand.
    The Senna S at Interlagos behind a tall safety fence under cloudy skies
    The safety fence is part of the view from the stands.

    7. Access to the Grandstand Matters More Than I Expected

    This is one of those things that becomes obvious after attending several races. Getting to the circuit is only part of the journey. You still have to get to your actual section. At some tracks, that can involve a lot of walking. In Barcelona, I walked more than twelve miles on each of my race days between getting to the circuit and moving around once I was there. I do not mind walking. I actually enjoy exploring a circuit. But I still want to know what I am getting into.

    How far is the entrance from the grandstand? Are there steep hills? How crowded does that route become after qualifying or the race? Where are the bathrooms? Where can I get food or a drink? Is there somewhere nearby to get out of the sun or rain? These are not glamorous questions. They can make a major difference in how much you enjoy three days at a circuit. A Formula 1 race weekend is already long.

    I do not need to make it unnecessarily harder because I picked a grandstand without understanding where it actually is. That is why researching Formula 1 grandstand seats has become about much more than the view.

    Queues and the ride home belong in the decision

    At Interlagos in 2024, I waited roughly 20 minutes when I arrived around 10 a.m. on Saturday. With my Sector N entry in 2025, arriving around 9:30–10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday meant only a few people ahead of me; Sunday’s line also moved quickly. N had its own entry and separate concessions and facilities. That was my experience on those days, not a forecast for your queue.

    Leaving deserves just as much thought. São Paulo traffic was bumper-to-bumper after the race in 2025. I personally prefer a professional driver and air-conditioning to a crowded train, but a car does not make the traffic disappear. I want to understand the walk to the pickup point, where a driver can actually meet me and how much flexibility I need before dinner.

    The seat matters. So does the ride home.

    8. How Much of the Circuit Can You Actually Explore?

    Barcelona taught me to look at something else when choosing Formula 1 grandstand seats: how much freedom the ticket gives me once I am inside the circuit. Barcelona was great for this. I was able to walk around much of the circuit and experience the weekend from places beyond my own grandstand. I still had my assigned seat, but I did not feel like I was confined to one small part of the track all day. That made the entire weekend better.

    I could walk, explore different areas, see the circuit from different perspectives and then return to my seat when I wanted to. Interlagos has been much more restrictive in my experience. Your ticket determines the sector you can access, and you generally remain within that section of the circuit. I love Sector G and the atmosphere there, but the experience is different when you cannot simply decide to walk around the entire track and see what another section looks like.

    That is something I would now research before buying Formula 1 tickets at a circuit I have never visited. Can I move around the circuit, or does my ticket effectively keep me in one zone all weekend? There was another part of Barcelona that I really appreciated: I was able to leave the circuit and come back in. That gave me more options during a long race day. Outside the circuit, there was a grill serving chicken, pork, other meats and additional food, along with a full bar and sangria.

    Being able to step outside, get something substantial to eat and have a drink, then return to the circuit made the day feel much less restrictive. It was not hospitality. It did not need to be. It was simply a good place to sit down, eat some grilled food, have a sangria and take a break before going back inside. Those details matter to me now. When I compare Formula 1 grandstand seats, I am no longer looking only at what happens when I am physically sitting in the seat.

    I want to know what the entire day looks like around it. Can I explore? Can I leave and return? What food is available nearby? Is there somewhere to sit away from the grandstand? Can I get a proper meal rather than spending three days eating whatever happens to be closest to my section? Barcelona gave me much more freedom in that respect.

    Interlagos gives me an atmosphere I absolutely love, but the sector-based access means I have to think more carefully about which grandstand I choose because that section becomes a much larger part of my entire weekend. The freedom that comes with Formula 1 grandstand seats can vary dramatically from one circuit to another. That is another reason the cheapest or most expensive ticket does not automatically tell you which one is best.

    Check the rule for your actual ticket: My Barcelona re-entry and freedom to explore describe what I experienced on that visit. Do not assume that another event, package or year has the same policy. Confirm permitted areas, any scan-out procedure and same-day re-entry with the circuit before leaving. Start with the official Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya website and the terms supplied with your booking.

    9. Grandstands Are Not a Compromise for Me

    I have done hospitality and paddock experiences. I enjoy them. The access can be incredible. The food and drinks are generally better. Having somewhere comfortable to sit, cool down and get away from the crowds has obvious value. I would happily do those experiences again. But lately, I have become much more selective about whether the upgrade makes sense.

    If spending thousands more on hospitality means giving up several great dinners, a better hotel, extra days in the city or another trip altogether, I have to think about what I value more. And I genuinely enjoy the grandstands. There is something different about being surrounded by thousands of fans reacting to the race together. Different teams. Different drivers. Different countries. Same sport. When an overtake happens, someone crashes, the weather suddenly changes or a favorite driver comes past, the reaction around you becomes part of the experience.

    That is difficult to reproduce in a lounge. I no longer look at Formula 1 grandstand seats as the option you choose when you do not buy hospitality. Sometimes they are exactly where I want to be.

    Separate the grandstand ticket from the extras

    My 2025 São Paulo F1 Experiences Thursday event is a good example. There was food and drink at trucks and stands, a lap of the circuit on a truck and a trophy-photo opportunity. Kym Illman took my trophy photo, which was a highlight for me as a fan of his work. I enjoyed that evening, but I do not need to repeat every extra every year.

    Those were my 2025 inclusions. A standard grandstand ticket should not be assumed to include them, and neither should a differently named package. When comparing official F1 Experiences São Paulo packages, read the exact days, seating, activities, food and drink, and transfer details for the option you are buying. A pit-lane walk, track tour, paddock tour and hospitality access are different things.

    10. The Question I Ask Now: Would I Sit There Again?

    The question I want to answer after every race is straightforward: would I spend my own money to sit there again? A grandstand’s price, reputation or popularity on social media cannot answer that for me.

    I think about the track view, the screen, weather protection, the crowd, walking, bathrooms and food. I think about how easy it was to get in and out, where I was allowed to explore and whether there was somewhere to escape bad weather. Then I ask whether the racing I could see justified the price.

    Canada taught me how much I value covered seating and somewhere indoors to reset. Interlagos taught me to take rain seriously and showed me how much the crowd can become part of the weekend. Barcelona taught me to think about the sun, but also how much I enjoy exploring a circuit and having options outside my assigned seat.

    All three made choosing Formula 1 grandstand seats more complicated than looking at a circuit map, and much more personal. That is the kind of useful detail I want to keep adding to RJVIPGP after every race I attend.

    How I Would Choose Formula 1 Grandstand Seats Today

    If I were buying tickets for a new circuit tomorrow, I would start with the part of the track I want to see. Then I would research the actual grandstand rather than relying on a map or a premium-sounding name.

    1. Look at the real view. Find recent spectator photographs and videos from the section and, where possible, the row. Notice fencing, support posts, distance and how long the cars stay in sight.
    2. Find the screen. Check its angle and readability from your likely seat. Nearby is not always the same as usable.
    3. Plan for the conditions. Research the direction of the sun, roof coverage and rain exposure. Comfortable shoes and appropriate layers matter over a long weekend.
    4. Understand the seat. Confirm reserved or unreserved allocation, the seating surface, stairs and any accessibility arrangements you need directly with the organizer.
    5. Map the whole day. Locate your entrance, food, bathrooms, shelter, transport stop and pickup area. Ask whether your ticket permits other sectors or same-day re-entry.
    6. Read the inclusions. Check the exact dates and what is separately ticketed. Do not assume Thursday activities, a track walk, hospitality or transfers come with a grandstand seat.
    7. Compare the total trip. Decide what an upgrade would add and what else that money could pay for: a hotel you prefer, several dinners, more days in the city or another trip.

    The most expensive Formula 1 tickets will sometimes make sense for me, and sometimes they will not. The same applies to hotels and restaurants. A famous name or a higher price does not automatically make something the right choice for the trip.

    If you are planning your first Grand Prix, spend a little more time researching the seat than you think you need to. You will spend a lot of hours in it. Make sure it is somewhere you actually want to be.

    Plan the Rest of Your Formula 1 Trip

    A good race seat is one part of a weekend I want to enjoy. The hotel, transport and time for the city’s restaurants matter too. These guides explain how I put those pieces together.

    São Paulo Grand Prix guide Choosing an F1 travel package Why I build trips around F1 Barcelona travel guide

    Have a grandstand you would book again, or one you would avoid next time? Send me a message on Instagram. I am always interested in what made the difference: the racing, the crowd, the shelter or something nobody mentioned before you arrived.

    Completely Unnecessary. Absolutely Worth It.

  • Formula 1 Luxury Travel: 7 Reasons Every Grand Prix Is More Than Just a Race

    Formula 1 Luxury Travel: 7 Reasons Every Grand Prix Is More Than Just a Race

    Formula 1 Luxury Travel: 7 Reasons to Go Beyond the Race Formula 1 luxury travel collage featuring a Ferrari race-grid scene, Hotel Unique’s rooftop, Mont Bar dishes, and a cocktail.

    Formula 1 luxury travel started with an interest in racing and turned into a reason to explore whole cities. Working at Ferrari got me interested in Formula 1. Traveling for races turned that interest into something much bigger. Now, booking a Grand Prix means a lot more than choosing a flight and buying a ticket. I am researching restaurants, comparing hotels, figuring out which cocktail bars I can fit in, and deciding how many extra days I can justify taking off work. Usually, I can justify a few.

    Formula 1 luxury travel brings together most of the things I enjoy: racing, food, cocktails, hotels, and getting to know a city well enough that I want to come back.

    The race still matters. I care who wins. But when I look back on these trips, I remember much more than what happened on Sunday. I remember the meal I am still talking about months later. The bartender who took the time to explain a drink. The hotel that became part of the experience. The people sitting around me at the circuit.

    I collect watches, sneakers, T-shirts, and hats. I still enjoy all of them. But experiences have become my favorite thing to collect. The way I think about spending money has changed because of that. I still buy things, but now I find myself asking how much I want something compared with another trip, another dinner, or another few days somewhere I love. Travel has become a much bigger part of what I work for and what I look forward to.

    I also have a full-time job and a limited amount of time away from it. When I take a race trip, I want those days to count. That means thinking about where the money goes, what is actually worth paying for, and how much I can realistically fit into a week without turning a vacation into another job.

    Formula 1 gives me the reason to book the trip. Everything around it is what turns that trip into something I remember.

    If you want to understand where that really started for me, read The Trip That Changed Everything. My first São Paulo Grand Prix ended up changing much more than where I wanted to watch Formula 1.

    1. It Gives Me a Reason to Go Somewhere—and Go Back

    São Paulo helped renew my love of gastronomy. The city introduced me to restaurants that are now among my favorites anywhere in the world, and it quickly became somewhere I wanted to keep returning to. I have written much more about the city in my São Paulo restaurant guide and my São Paulo destination coverage.

    Barcelona taught me something different. It made me think more about the history behind the food and wine I was enjoying. You can sit down to dinner and have hundreds of years of tradition behind what ends up on the table. Then you walk outside and find yourself surrounded by buildings and neighborhoods that existed centuries before the United States was even a country. That puts things in perspective.

    I have always appreciated a great meal and a good glass of wine. Barcelona made me appreciate how much more there can be behind both—the people, the traditions, the history, and the culture that helped create them.

    That is one of the biggest reasons I like returning to places instead of treating every trip as a checklist. The second visit is different. There is less pressure to see everything. I can go back to a restaurant I already love, try somewhere new, spend more time in a neighborhood that interested me the first time, or simply leave part of the day open. Having favorites gives me a starting point without making me feel like I have finished exploring the city.

    I already have restaurants and places I am excited to return to, but I do not feel remotely finished with the city. Every trip becomes a decision between going back to somewhere I already know I love and making room for somewhere new.

    It is a good problem to have. My restaurant list just has very little respect for the number of days I actually have available.

    That is what Formula 1 luxury travel has become for me. The race gets me to the city, but everything I discover around it gives me a reason to return.

    2. The Food Can Be as Memorable as the Race

    Evvai tasting menu course and illustrated story card during my Formula 1 luxury travel in São Paulo
    At Evvai, the food is only part of the experience. The illustrated course cards helped connect each dish to the story behind it.
    A plated course at Mont Bar in Barcelona
    A course at Mont Bar, one of the Barcelona reservations I made room for.
    Pasta with an orange topping in a wide white bowl at Nelita, with wine glasses and the kitchen behind.
    Pasta at Nelita’s dining counter.

    I take restaurant reservations seriously. Anyone who has traveled with me—or looked at one of my itineraries—can probably figure that out.

    In Barcelona, Mont Bar became one of my favorite meals anywhere, while Disfrutar was a completely different kind of experience. I would not really compare the two directly. Mont Bar felt more relaxed, intimate and personal. Disfrutar was more theatrical, technical and built around a much longer progression of courses. Both stood out for very different reasons.

    In São Paulo, Evvai remains my favorite restaurant in the world. D.O.M., Tuju, A Casa do Porco and Tan Tan have all been part of the reason I keep wanting to explore more of the city’s food. These meals become things I look forward to for months.

    A meal that changes your mind

    I want to see what a chef is doing, try ingredients I might never order on my own, and understand why a dish works. Sometimes the kitchen puts something in front of me that I would have skipped on a menu, and it ends up being one of the best things I eat all trip.

    Evvai managed that with its take on feijoada. I do not generally like beans, yet I loved that dish. That is a pretty convincing argument for occasionally letting someone who knows what they are doing choose dinner.

    Staying with familiar ingredients would have cost me an experience I still remember. I explain more about that in my take on whether tasting menus are worth it.

    The explanation matters, too. Evvai’s pop-art course cards gave me something to connect with as the dishes arrived and something to take home afterward. I enjoy knowing what inspired a preparation and why the ingredients belong together. It makes me pay closer attention to what I am eating.

    Mont Bar also showed me how much the people and the room contribute to dinner. The team took time to talk with us, the music helped give the place personality, and the service felt comfortable. It was ambitious food without the experience ever feeling stiff.

    Returning favorites and the next reservation

    For my upcoming November 2026 trip to São Paulo, I am planning a little of both: returning to places I already know I love and making room for somewhere new. I am going back to Evvai and Tan Tan, and I want to try Goya Zushi and Jacó.

    If I can make the timing work, I also want to get back to A Casa do Porco. That may even end up being lunch before my flight home, which would be a pretty good way to finish the trip.

    I also plan to spend another evening at Rosewood São Paulo, even though I am staying elsewhere for this trip. Taraz and Rabo di Galo are both places I enjoyed enough to want to return to, and Rosewood has become one of those hotels where I am happy to spend an evening even when I am not staying there.

    I may also make my way back to Palácio Tangará during Grand Prix week.

    On my previous visits during Grand Prix week, the security presence at Palácio Tangará was noticeable. Race-week access is something I would confirm with the hotel before making plans. If I book dinner there, I will confirm the reservation, arrival instructions and any restrictions directly. A restaurant reservation should never be treated as a promise of access to teams, drivers or private areas.

    That gives me another excuse to go back, have dinner or a drink, enjoy the hotel, and take in some of the atmosphere surrounding race week.

    The race is obviously the center of the trip, but Formula 1 spills into the hotels, restaurants, bars, and the rest of the city. You start noticing teams, sponsors, and fans everywhere, and places that are already interesting take on a completely different energy for the week.

    A famous restaurant name may get me researching, but the full experience is what makes me want another reservation: the cooking, the drinks, the room, the people, and the feeling of being somewhere I know I will think about again after I get home.

    For me, food is a major part of Formula 1 luxury travel. A Grand Prix weekend might start with the race schedule, but some of the restaurant reservations become experiences I anticipate just as much.

    3. The Hotel Has to Earn Its Place in the Trip

    Entrance to Sir Victor Hotel in Barcelona
    Sir Victor was my base in Barcelona during the Grand Prix trip.
    Hotel Unique rooftop overlooking the São Paulo skyline
    Hotel Unique remains my overall São Paulo Grand Prix hotel pick, with the rooftop and race-week atmosphere playing a big part in that choice.
    Interior of W São Paulo with city views
    W São Paulo: I have visited the bar; the full hotel stay is planned for November 2026.

    I enjoy a great hotel, but I also want it to make sense for the trip I am actually taking. São Paulo is a good example because I have stayed at several of the city’s top hotels, and they each offer something different.

    For a Formula 1 weekend, Hotel Unique is still my best overall pick. It has the atmosphere, the rooftop, the crowd, and the energy that fit the São Paulo Grand Prix weekend especially well.

    I have also been looking at Posh Club Grand Prix parties for my November 2026 trip. Before building an evening around one, I would check the organizer’s current venue, dates, ticket requirements and hotel access rules before booking.

    A future stay is not a finished review

    For my upcoming November 2026 trip, though, I decided to stay at W São Paulo. Part of the reason is the rooftop.

    I like having somewhere at the hotel where I can come back after a long day, have a drink, and still feel like the night is not over. But I also want to experience the W as a complete hotel and get to know it better.

    I have spent enough time comparing São Paulo hotels that sometimes the only real way to understand one is to stay there and see how it fits into the trip.

    That does not mean I think the W is the most luxurious hotel in São Paulo. If we are talking about pure luxury, Rosewood São Paulo is on another level. The rooms, design, and overall experience make it one of the most impressive hotels I have stayed at in the city.

    Palácio Tangará belongs in that conversation as well. It offers a very different kind of luxury—quieter, more traditional, and removed from some of the energy of the city center.

    And then there is Emiliano, which is still on my list. I have not stayed there yet, so I am not going to pretend I can rank it against hotels I have actually experienced. But based on its reputation and location, it is one I want to get to know for myself.

    The most luxurious hotel is not automatically the best hotel for every trip.

    That is especially true with Formula 1 luxury travel, where the right hotel can become part of the race-week experience rather than simply somewhere to sleep.

    A beautiful room matters. So do the service, the crowd, the bars, the location, and what happens when I come back at the end of the night. That is what I am really paying for.

    4. There Is Usually a Cocktail Worth Finding

    Rooftop bar and terrace at Sir Victor Barcelona
    A few liters of water, a couple of drinks and some time on the rooftop became part of my Barcelona routine.
    Rooftop pool at Sir Victor Barcelona during a Formula 1 travel trip
    The rooftop at Sir Victor became my go-to place after long days exploring Barcelona.
    Cocktail with city views at W São Paulo
    Sometimes the right cocktail stop is simply the hotel bar—somewhere to sit down, have a drink and relax after a long day.

    My research rarely ends with the restaurant. Cocktail bars become part of the trip too, but I do not choose every bar because it appears on a World’s 50 Best list or because someone considers it a temple of mixology. Sometimes I want that experience. Sometimes I just want a good drink and somewhere comfortable to sit down.

    In São Paulo, Tan Tan is one of the places I keep going back to. I like that it works as both a restaurant and a serious cocktail bar. The Tsukemono I enjoyed was a good example: tequila, wasabi, cucumber and orange bitters may not sound like an obvious combination, but it worked for me. That is a memory of the drink I had, rather than a promise about the current menu.

    The Liquor Store gave me something completely different. On my visit, it felt like a very small, intimate bar, and that changed the experience. The bartenders can spend more time talking with you, figuring out what you actually like, and adjusting drinks around your preferences.

    That is one of the things I appreciate most about a great cocktail bar. The drink matters, but so does the person making it.

    Destination bars and the hotel rooftop

    Paradiso in Barcelona was another kind of experience. The creativity, presentation, and atmosphere make the bar a destination in itself. It is the type of place I specifically plan around because I want to see what they are doing.

    But not every memorable drink needs that kind of production.

    While staying at Sir Victor in Barcelona, the rooftop became my go-to after a long day exploring the city. After walking all day, a few liters of water and a couple of drinks up there became part of the routine. It was not about chasing another famous cocktail bar or checking another place off a list. Sometimes I just wanted somewhere comfortable to sit, cool down, look out over Barcelona, and relax before deciding what came next.

    I found the same thing in São Paulo. After spending an entire day at Interlagos, sometimes the last thing I want to do is immediately rush somewhere else.

    The bar at the InterContinental São Paulo became a good place to sit down, have a drink, and relax for a while before getting ready for dinner. I have used the W São Paulo the same way. Sometimes a hotel bar is exactly what I need after a race day: somewhere comfortable, a good cocktail, and an hour when I do not have to be anywhere.

    Then there are places like Overstory in New York, where the setting becomes part of the experience. You are there for the cocktails, but being high above Manhattan with that view turns a drink into something bigger.

    I do not need every cocktail bar to have an award, a complicated concept, or a place on a global ranking.

    I also have to be realistic about how much I try to fit into one night. A cocktail before dinner, a long wine pairing, and several bars afterward can sound like a great plan when I am sitting at home building the itinerary. Then I remember there is usually another full day waiting for me.

    At this point, I would rather give one or two places enough time to enjoy them than spend the entire night watching the clock and rushing to the next reservation.

    The problem is that the list never gets shorter. There are only so many dinners, cocktails, and evenings in one trip, and somehow I always find more places than I have time for.

    5. I Want to See More Than the Circuit

    If I am taking time off work and flying to another country, I want time to experience the place beyond the race. That means leaving room for neighborhoods, architecture, museums, food, and sometimes just walking around without every hour assigned to something.

    Barcelona made that especially clear to me. There is so much history built into the city that even a normal walk can become part of the experience. Gaudí’s architecture, the Gothic Quarter, the old streets, the cafés, and the markets all gave me reasons to keep exploring beyond the race itself.

    São Paulo has been different, but just as interesting. I love the street art at Beco do Batman. I have spent time exploring Ibirapuera Park, one of the city’s major cultural and green spaces, and I have visited the Ayrton Senna memorial there. Ibirapuera is the kind of place where you can spend hours walking and still feel like you have only seen part of it.

    The places still on my list

    There are still parts of São Paulo I want to experience more deeply. One of them is Liberdade, the neighborhood most closely associated with São Paulo’s Japanese community. I especially want to experience it on a weekend, when the streets are busier and the neighborhood has more of that festival and street-market atmosphere.

    Another experience on my wish list is a Sunday morning exploring the car scene around Avenida Europa. Classic cars, Ferraris, Porsches and other exotics are very much my kind of Sunday morning.

    Of course, there is one problem. During Grand Prix weekend, Sunday morning is not going to happen. I will be at Interlagos.

    Every trip gives me another list of places I want to return to and things I still have not managed to fit in.

    Give yourself time to enjoy the city

    Race days themselves can take more out of you than the itinerary suggests. In Barcelona, I walked more than twelve miles on each of those days, including getting to the circuit and exploring once I was inside. I loved it, but that is a substantial day before dinner even enters the conversation.

    I wrote more about that weekend in Why I Love Formula 1: Racing, Travel & Belonging.

    So when I say to allow extra days, part of the reason is simply having enough energy to enjoy where you are. I do not want to fly to another country, spend every day at the circuit, eat dinner, go back to the hotel, and then head to the airport. That would feel like I attended a race in another country without really experiencing the country.

    I want time to stop for a coffee, walk into a shop, take a longer route because something caught my attention, or change the plan because someone gave me a recommendation that sounds better than what I had scheduled.

    But I also know there is a point where too much planning can start working against the trip. If every hour is assigned to something, then a spontaneous drink, an unexpected conversation, a neighborhood you want to keep exploring, or a restaurant you did not know about suddenly becomes a problem.

    The best version of these trips, for me, has both: enough planning that I do not miss the experiences I really care about, and enough open time that I can actually enjoy being somewhere new.

    To me, Formula 1 luxury travel should include enough time to experience the destination, not just the circuit.

    6. The Research Starts Long Before the Flight

    I spend a ridiculous amount of time planning these trips. And I mean hours. Possibly days.

    I search social media, read food blogs and travel sites, look through restaurant and bar accounts, ask chefs and bartenders for recommendations, and talk to other travelers about what they loved, what they would skip, and what they would actually do again.

    I also go through Reddit travel boards and local discussions, then use ChatGPT to keep researching the city’s restaurant, hotel, cocktail, and Formula 1 scenes from different angles.

    I want enough different sources and opinions that, by the time I start booking, I am not relying on one list or one person’s idea of what is worth doing. For dates, reservations, admission rules and package inclusions, I check the current information with the venue or official organizer.

    By the time I leave, I usually have a pretty good idea of what I want to do, what has to be booked in advance, and what can stay flexible.

    Build around the hardest bookings

    Restaurant reservations usually take the most attention. Some places open months ahead. Others release tables much closer to the date. Some require a credit card guarantee. Some disappear almost immediately. Wanting to eat somewhere and actually getting a reservation are two completely different things.

    Then there is the circuit. Getting there, getting back, deciding how early I need to leave, and figuring out what is realistic afterward all matter. A race day that looks simple on paper can become a very long day once transportation, walking, crowds, and weather are added to it.

    That is why I usually build the trip around the things that are hardest to move. The published race sessions are the starting point. A restaurant I really want may have only one reservation time available. A hotel event, party, or special experience may happen on one specific night.

    Once those pieces are in place, I can work the other meals, bars, neighborhoods, and sightseeing around them.

    The challenge is making those ideas work together. Every individual idea may sound easy enough on its own. Then I start putting everything on a map and matching it against race sessions, restaurant times, traffic, transportation, and how tired I am realistically going to be after a full day at the track.

    Geography, time and the whole budget

    Geography matters just as much as availability. Two reservations can both technically work and still make for a miserable evening if getting from one to the other takes too much time. I would rather spend that time enjoying where I am than sitting in traffic or watching the clock because I tried to force too much into one night.

    My time on the trip has value too.

    I also try to look at the full cost instead of convincing myself that every individual upgrade is reasonable. Flights, the hotel, race tickets, transportation, restaurants, drinks, shopping, and everything else all come out of the same budget.

    Looking at each purchase separately makes it very easy to say, “It is only a little more.” Then you add everything together. That is when the trip becomes expensive very quickly.

    The best itinerary protects the experiences I care about most while still leaving enough room to enjoy where I am.

    For me, good planning is part of Formula 1 luxury travel. I do all of that research so that once I get there, I can spend less time worrying about what I should be doing next.

    The goal is not to complete an itinerary. The goal is to enjoy the trip.

    7. The People Make the Weekend

    View of Interlagos from the grandstand during the São Paulo Grand Prix
    The view from the grandstands at Interlagos—and São Paulo’s unpredictable weather—changed how I think about choosing Formula 1 seats.
    Fans wearing clothing from different Formula 1 teams gather in a covered grandstand at Interlagos.
    It doesn’t matter who you support. It matters that you love F1.
    The Barcelona circuit’s main straight and pit building viewed from the grandstands.
    Even between sessions, I could spend hours taking this place in.
    Fans seated in a Barcelona grandstand overlooking the main straight and pit building.
    These were the seats I loved: a view of the track and a whole weekend of people to meet.
    Fans walking toward the Setor G entrance at Interlagos beneath a cloudy sky.
    Sector G. Where my love for Formula 1 and São Paulo really began.
    Close-up of Richard’s wrist with a green Setor G wristband and a white age-verification wristband.
    Setor G. A wristband from the weekend that changed how I saw Formula 1—and São Paulo.

    Some of my strongest Formula 1 memories involve getting soaked in Sector G at Interlagos, drinking beer and canned Jack and Coke, and talking with people I had never met before. We were there for the same reason. Different teams. Different drivers. Different countries. Same sport.

    When people made room for me under shelter from the rain, that small gesture stayed with me. We did not all speak the same language, but it did not matter much. Formula 1 already gave us something to talk about.

    For someone who does not always find it easy to start a conversation, that shared interest makes a difference. I have written more about those connections in Why I Love Formula 1: Racing, Travel & Belonging.

    Hospitality is a choice, not a requirement

    I have also done hospitality and paddock experiences, and I enjoy them. In the experiences I tried, I appreciated the additional access. The added comfort, food and drinks were part of the appeal too. I would happily do those experiences again when they make sense for the trip.

    But I have also become more realistic about what I want to spend on them.

    If upgrading to hospitality means giving up a great hotel, several dinners, extra days in the city, or another trip entirely, then I have to decide what matters more. Sometimes the answer is hospitality. Sometimes it is not. And that does not make the grandstands feel like a compromise.

    I genuinely enjoy being surrounded by fans who care about what is happening on the track as much as I do. When an overtake happens, someone crashes, the weather changes, or a favorite driver comes past, the reaction around you becomes part of the race. That atmosphere is hard to recreate anywhere else.

    To me, that belongs in a conversation about luxury travel too. Luxury does not always mean being separated from everyone else.

    Sometimes it is a beautiful hotel, an exceptional tasting menu, and a great cocktail. Sometimes it is standing in a packed grandstand in the rain with thousands of people losing their minds over what just happened on track. A great Formula 1 trip can have both.

    That mix is one of the things I like most about Formula 1 luxury travel. Luxury can mean hospitality and five-star hotels, but it can also mean having the freedom to choose the experiences that matter most to me.

    I want to enjoy the whole trip and make the budget work across all of it.

    Hospitality is still on the wish list. But so is another great weekend in the grandstands.

    If you want more of my thinking on experiencing the city beyond the race itself, I wrote about that in Formula 1 Beyond the Circuit.

    The Race Gets Me There. The Whole Trip Brings Me Back.

    Formula 1 has changed where I travel, how I plan, and what I want from a trip. I still look forward to race day. But I also look forward to the dinner reservation I made months earlier, going back to a bar I loved, spending time in a hotel that became part of the experience, and finding another reason to return to a city I thought I already knew.

    That is also why I write about these trips. I want to give people more than a photograph of an expensive room, a beautiful plate, or a race ticket.

    What made the experience memorable? Would I spend the money again? Would I stay there again? Would I make the reservation again? Where would I sit at the circuit, and would I choose those seats again?

    What I would want to know before booking

    That last question is something I have learned to take much more seriously.

    At my first São Paulo Grand Prix, I learned the value of a covered grandstand. It does not rain every São Paulo Grand Prix, but São Paulo weather can be strange. You can go from looking at a sky without a cloud in it to standing in a downpour. I know that from experience.

    Getting soaked at Interlagos gave me some great memories, but it also taught me that when I am choosing seats there again, having a roof over my head matters.

    Barcelona taught me the opposite weather lesson. My grandstand seats there were directly in the sun during the race. After spending hours at the circuit, that makes a difference too.

    Those experiences changed how I look at tickets. I am not only asking whether a grandstand has a good view of the track anymore.

    Is it covered? Where will the sun be during the race? Can I see a screen? What section of the circuit am I actually watching? How easy is it to get in and out? And after experiencing it once, would I pay to sit there again?

    Those details can matter just as much as the section number printed on the ticket. They are also exactly the kind of details I want to include when I write about these trips, because they are the things I wish I knew before buying the ticket myself.

    If you are planning your first Grand Prix trip, give yourself time around the race if you can. Pick a few experiences you genuinely care about. Book the things that are hardest to replace, then leave some room to explore.

    And when you buy the race ticket, do not just look at a circuit map and assume every grandstand experience is the same.

    Your version of Formula 1 luxury travel should reflect what you actually enjoy. Mine usually involves a great hotel, too many restaurant reservations, a few good cocktails, a lot of walking, and plenty of time around people who love Formula 1 as much as I do.

    It adds up. I am very aware of that.

    But when I look back at the races, the cities, the meals, the hotels, the people I met—and even the lessons learned from getting soaked in Brazil or cooked by the sun in Barcelona—I usually come to the same conclusion.

    Completely Unnecessary. Absolutely Worth It.

    Planning your own Interlagos weekend? My São Paulo Grand Prix Travel Guide covers my experiences with grandstands, transport, rain, food at the circuit, and fitting dinner into a race weekend.

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  • Why I Love Formula 1: Our Sport. Our Passion. Our People.

    Why I Love Formula 1: Our Sport. Our Passion. Our People.

    Why I Love Formula 1: Formula 1 blog cover featuring Interlagos, fans in team shirts, Ferrari grid preparations in Barcelona, and Richard Jarocki’s logo.

    Why I Love Formula 1:

    Why I Love Formula 1 Fans walking toward the Setor G entrance at Interlagos beneath a cloudy sky.
    Sector G. Where my love for Formula 1 and São Paulo really began.
    Why I Love Formula 1 Close-up of Richard’s wrist with a green Setor G wristband and a white age-verification wristband.
    Setor G. A wristband from the weekend that changed how I saw Formula 1—and São Paulo.
    Why I Love Formula 1 Dark storm clouds above fans in rain ponchos gathered at picnic tables and food stalls at Interlagos.
    A plastic poncho, a sky like this, and strangers who made me feel like family. This is where I fell in love with F1 and Brazil.

    My São Paulo Grand Prix Experience Started in Sector G

    My first real Formula 1 experience was in Sector G at Interlagos, getting poured on for hours in a plastic poncho.

    I was drinking beer and canned Jack and Coke with people I had never met. First, we were trying to hide from the rain. Later, we were dancing together in muddy fields.

    Half the people around me didn’t speak the same language I did. Somehow, we still found ways to connect.

    What I remember most is how they made room for me. When we were sheltering under a tent or gazebo, people shifted over and squeezed together so I could get underneath with them. They didn’t know me, but they welcomed me like family.

    The F1 fan experience became personal for me right there: people I had never met making room for me like I belonged

    That weekend made me fall in love with Formula 1. It also made me fall in love with Brazil.

    I appreciate comfortable seats, air conditioning, and a beautiful hospitality space. But when I think about why this sport means so much to me, I still think about that plastic poncho, the mud, and the strangers who made me feel I belonged.

    Our sport. Our passion. Our people.

    The São Paulo trip that changed everything

    I Wish I Had Found Formula 1 Earlier

    Growing up in the United States with American parents, Formula 1 wasn’t something I heard much about at home. It wasn’t part of my world.

    I had Arab and Italian friends growing up, and later Brazilian, Portuguese, Spanish, and South American friends. Some of their family members watched Formula 1 and talked about it. Looking back, I realize the sport was around me. I just wasn’t paying attention.

    That changed when I went to work at a Ferrari dealership.

    The training manuals and modules taught me about Ferrari’s history and heritage, including its connection to racing. Understanding the brand meant learning why all of this mattered so much to people.

    Attending events was part of my job. I also attended races personally, outside my capacity as an employee. What began as something I needed to understand gradually became something I wanted to spend my own time learning about.

    Now I get the questions. Friends call me about the current race, upcoming events, and things happening in Formula 1. I went from barely noticing the sport to being the person people associate with it.

    The history pulled me in, too. The races, the parties, the personalities, the circuits, and the heritage behind the teams.

    I hated history in school. Now I’ll voluntarily spend a night reading about it.

    Apparently, I needed race cars involved.

    Before working at Ferrari, I never really understood why someone would name their son Enzo.

    Now I do.

    A silver Lola racing car with a bright number 8 displayed beside another racing car and white tents.
    I used to hate history. Now I stop for the cars, the stories and everything that came before.

    The Formula 1 Community is Why I Keep Coming Back: You Don’t Have to Support the Same Driver to Belong

    Why I Love Formula 1 Fans wearing clothing from different Formula 1 teams gather in a covered grandstand at Interlagos.
    It doesn’t matter who you support. It matters that you love F1.

    I’ve attended races in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Spain. One thing that keeps standing out is how people treat each other.

    I have never personally seen a fight at a race over which team someone supports. You hear about rivalries turning ugly in football, soccer, baseball, and basketball. My experience at Formula 1 has been people supporting different teams and still enjoying the weekend together.

    I’m describing what I’ve experienced. It’s a big part of why I keep going back.

    It doesn’t matter who you support. Being an F1 fan is enough.

    Sometimes a conversation starts with, “Did you see Senna back in the day?” Suddenly, someone is sharing a race they’ll never forget, and you’re telling them about yours.

    For me, a race is one of the few places where I meet people from across the world simply by sitting beside them or waiting in line. For someone who doesn’t always find it easy to strike up a conversation, that matters.

    The connection is already there.

    In the grandstands, you might have someone on one side whose net worth has more zeros than you can imagine, and someone on the other who saved for months and made real sacrifices to attend.

    You might never know which is which.

    For those three days, they’re discussing the same drivers, debating the same decisions, and jumping out of their seats for the same overtake. People whose lives might rarely intersect outside the circuit can spend an entire weekend bonding.

    A person’s budget doesn’t tell you how much they love the sport.

    Why I Love Formula 1: The People Are Part of the Experience

    Why I Love Formula 1 Spectators helping one another cross a circuit fence using a metal divider in Barcelona.
    Barcelona, strangers helped each other through a chaotic exit. That part of the weekend stayed with me too.

    In Spain, we got caught in the congestion of people trying to get onto the track while we were trying to leave. We ended up using a divider as a makeshift ladder to get over a fence.

    It was chaotic. What stayed with me was how everyone helped each other get out.

    In São Paulo, when I joined the crowd going onto the track, people around me made sure the little kids didn’t get crushed in the rush. Even in all that excitement, they were looking out for the children around them.

    And the connections don’t end at the circuit.

    On a flight back to Brazil, I made friends with a man about ten years older than me. He has three daughters and takes each of them individually to races. We talked for most of the flight.

    That stayed with me. Each daughter gets her own trip with her dad, her own time with him, and memories they can share.

    There we were, two people on a plane who found enough common ground through Formula 1to spend hours talking.

    I feel that same connection at watch parties and car shows. We talk about the cars, the drivers, and the racing. People who might otherwise walk past each other suddenly have a reason to stop and talk.

    Sometimes All It Takes Is a Pair of Ferrari Shoes

    I don’t have to be at a circuit for Formula 1 to connect me with someone.

    I own Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, and McLaren gear, and I wear it a lot. I wear Ferrari Puma shoes to work every day.

    People notice. A shirt, a logo, or a pair of shoes can start a conversation with someone I’ve never met.

    It even helped me get invited to an invitation-only omakase experience. The person involved in arranging access had seen my Instagram and wanted to talk about Formula 1. That shared interest helped open the door.

    That’s my world coming together: racing, food, and meeting people through something we both enjoy.

    It doesn’t matter whether we support the same team. We already have something to talk about.

    Even My NASCAR Customers Understand

    I work at a Ford dealership in a very blue-collar area. A lot of my customers are big NASCAR and IndyCar fans. They love American cars and American racing, and they’re proud of it.

    When I tell them I love Formula 1, they respect it. Would they rather get me watching more of the racing they follow? Absolutely.

    But it gives us something to talk about. We can appreciate each other’s enthusiasm without having to choose the same favorite.

    I understand their attachment to American racing. For me, the international side of Formula 1 is a huge part of the attraction.

    I want to experience the world. I want to sit next to someone from another country, hear their story, and share a race weekend with them.

    Formula 1 gives me a reason to do that.

    One Driver, an Entire Team

    Why I Love Formula 1 Red Bull Formula 1 cars surrounded by team members on the starting grid in Barcelona.
    The driver gets the spotlight. Look at how many people it takes to get that car ready.
    Why I Love Formula 1 A Ferrari Formula 1 car and team members on the Barcelona starting grid, with another team nearby.
    A fast car is only one piece of the picture. This is a team sport.

    What makes the racing exciting to me is how many people have to get things right.

    The driver is an athlete competing against some of the best in the world, with someone in their ear helping them make decisions. Behind that driver are the mechanics, engineers, strategists, pit crew, and people back at the factory.

    Then there’s everything happening with the car.

    Tire temperature. Tire wear. Reliability. Setup. When to pit. When to push. When to hold something back.

    The driver has to deliver while processing all of that. The team has to provide the equipment, information, and opportunities to make it possible.

    Other sports depend on teamwork, too. What fascinates me about Formula 1 is how closely the human performance and engineering depend on each other.

    One incorrectly secured wheel or one miscalculation can undo a weekend’s work.

    A fast car can help win a race. A great driver can produce an extraordinary result. Winning a world championship takes a team delivering again and again across a season.

    That’s why I have trouble with dismissing a driver’s success by saying, “They just have the best car.” Building, preparing, and extracting performance from that car is part of the competition.

    The achievement belongs to more people than the person holding the trophy.

    Why I Love Formula 1 Ferrari mechanics working around a car outside garages marked for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
    There is a whole team behind every lap.

    Why I Relate to Max

    I’m a Ferrari fan. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are my drivers. But I’ve also become a huge Max Verstappen fan.

    I can be a no-nonsense person in business and in life. That’s part of what I relate to in the way Max comes across. He’s direct, fiercely competitive, and sometimes an asshole about it. I can appreciate that personality.

    Obviously, I don’t know him personally. But he strikes me as someone I could spend a night bullshitting with over drinks—gin and tonics, or preferably tequila for me.

    Then he could beat my drunk ass on a simulator over and over again.

    I’d love a chance at something like Max versus 100 in karts, too. The aggressive New York–New Jersey driver in me would want to give him a fight for position. Realistically, I suspect he’d be disappearing into the distance while I was still figuring out the first corner.

    But that’s part of being a fan: imagining what it would be like to share the thing you love with someone who does it at a level you can barely comprehend.

    Red Bull team members and pit equipment beneath Max Verstappen’s garage signage in Barcelona.
    I support Ferrari, and I still stop to watch what’s happening at Red Bull. Also a Red Bull and Max Fan…. Simply Lovely
    Ferrari garage and pit equipment beneath Lewis Hamilton’s name and number 44 in Barcelona.
    Number 44 in Ferrari red. A garage I couldn’t walk past without looking.

    I Was There for Both Comebacks

    I was at Interlagos in 2024 when Max won from 17th on the grid.

    I was there again in 2025 when he started from the pit lane and finished third.

    Two different races. Two extraordinary recovery drives. I got to witness both in person. Formula 1’s São Paulo recap

    Those are the races I’ll tell my grandnephews about. I’ll be able to say, “I was there.”

    And now I’m going back in 2026.

    I don’t know what this year’s race will bring. That’s part of the excitement. But I know how much it means to return to the place where I fell in love with the sport and the country.

    Why I Love Formula 1: You Can Be Moved by Someone Else’s Win

    Why I Love Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris on the podium at the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix.
    Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris on the podium at the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix. Seeing Hamilton up there in Ferrari red is a moment I’ll carry with me.
    Why I Love Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris on the interview stage at the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix.
    Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris sharing the stage at the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix. Three teams, three talented drivers, and a sport I love.

    In Barcelona in June 2026, I teared up watching Lewis win his first Grand Prix in Ferrari red. I was there for a moment I’ll always associate with that trip. FIA’s Barcelona race report

    Then Kimi Antonelli won at Monza from 19th on the grid, becoming the first Italian to win there in 60 years, since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. He was just 20 years old. Formula 1’s Monza report, Reuters

    Would I have preferred Ferrari to win? Of course. It hurt a little that this Italian victory at Monza wasn’t in a red car. I would have loved a Max win, too.

    But Kimi’s moment still touched me.

    I respect Mercedes and McLaren. Kimi, George Russell, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri are talented drivers. Recognizing the strength of their cars doesn’t stop me from appreciating what they contribute.

    I’ve also personally watched Max and Lewis go over to congratulate a winner after a long race. When you’ve spent all that time fighting for a result, acknowledging the person who beat you means something.

    There are rivalries, tempers, and disagreements. Of course there are. But I’ve seen respect alongside them.

    I can want my drivers to win and still feel something when someone else achieves an extraordinary result.

    Learning About the Greats

    The more history I read, the more I appreciate the different qualities that make a great driver.

    Michael Schumacher is a perfect example of what I mean about teamwork. Seven world championships tell you about his results. His relationship with Ferrari tells you about his leadership.

    He spent time at the factory, worked closely with engineers, encouraged the people around him, and set an example through his preparation. Alongside the team’s leadership and technical staff, he helped build an extraordinary period of Ferrari success. Schumacher’s career

    Ayrton Senna brings another dimension: intensity, commitment, and skill in difficult conditions. His second-place drive in the rain at Monaco in 1984, racing for the small Toleman team, showed his ability before he became a three-time world champion.

    What stands out to me in his approach is the belief in his abilities and the relentless desire to improve. That’s my interpretation of what I’m learning about him: someone who took his talent seriously and kept asking how much further he could go. Senna’s career and approach

    Niki Lauda returned to racing just six weeks after his near-fatal accident in 1976 and went on to win two more championships. Later, he helped bring Lewis Hamilton to Mercedes. His influence continued long after he stopped driving. Lauda’s life and career

    Jackie Stewart won three world championships and used his position to fight for a safer sport. Looking after the people who race alongside you, and those who will come after you, is a legacy worth respecting. Stewart’s contribution

    And remarkable comeback drives didn’t begin with the drivers I follow today. John Watson won from 22nd at Long Beach in 1983. Rubens Barrichello took his first F1 victory for Ferrari from 18th in Germany in 2000. Kimi Räikkönen won from 17th in Japan in 2005, taking the lead on the final lap. Formula 1’s historic comeback victories

    I’m still learning these stories. That’s part of the enjoyment. Every one gives me another reason to appreciate what I’m watching now.

    Why I Love Formula 1: I Found Athletes Whose Minds Interest Me

    I never really idolized athletes growing up.

    The people who caught my attention were people like Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates. I was interested in how they thought, what they built, and how they made decisions.

    Formula 1 gave me athletes whose minds interested me as much as their physical abilities.

    A driver has to process what the car is doing and explain it clearly enough for engineers to act on it, while competing at extraordinary speed. That combination of concentration, judgment, and communication fascinates me.

    Then you learn about their lives outside the cockpit.

    Charles Leclerc plays piano and composes music. He released Dreamers, a collaboration with pianist Sofiane Pamart. That’s another side of someone I already enjoy watching race. Charles’s music

    Nico Rosberg turned down a place to study aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London to pursue racing. He also achieved the highest score recorded at the time on Williams’s engineering aptitude test. Rosberg’s background

    You don’t need a university degree to be intelligent. What interests me is how many different abilities these people bring to their lives and their work.

    What They Give Back Matters

    These drivers live extraordinary lives. There’s money, luxury, travel, and access most people will never experience. I enjoy that side of Formula 1, too.

    I also respect what they choose to give back.

    Senna’s legacy includes his concern for opportunities for children in Brazil. The Instituto Ayrton Senna carries that forward through work supporting public education, educators, and young people’s development. His name continues to mean something beyond the races he won. Instituto Ayrton Senna

    That’s something I admire about Lewis Hamilton, too. I can get emotional watching Lewis win in Ferrari red and also respect what he’s building outside racing.

    Through Mission 44, the charity he founded, he supports efforts to help young people overcome barriers in education and employment. His own experiences helped shape that mission: creating opportunities for people who might otherwise be overlooked. Mission 44

    Max has supported Wings for Life, which funds spinal cord injury research, including through charity memorabilia auctions. A helmet auction is one documented example of turning the demand for something connected to him into support for that work. Wings for Life

    Sebastian Vettel has worked to expand opportunities for women in karting through Race 4 Women. Helping people find a way into the sport is a contribution I appreciate. Vettel’s work

    Lando Norris, the reigning world champion, announced LN4 Fusion and a funded young-driver development programme in September 2026. The programme is intended to provide financial support, coaching, and guidance. Running a team is a business, but helping young talent overcome financial barriers is still worth recognizing. Reuters’ report

    Lando has also spoken openly about his own mental-health struggles through Mind. That work predates his championship. I respect someone who lets people see that success and self-doubt can exist in the same person. Lando’s words for Mind

    We don’t see every private act of generosity. I won’t pretend to know everything these drivers do away from the cameras. The work we can see gives me plenty to admire.

    And the next generation is already developing. Kimi Räikkönen’s 11-year-old son, Robin, has signed with Red Bull’s driver development programme, with his involvement officially beginning in 2027. He’s still a kid in karting, with his own path ahead of him, but the possibility of watching another Räikkönen work toward Formula 1 is exciting. Formula 1’s announcement

    Someday, my grandnephews might be telling me about the drivers they follow. I’ll have my own stories to share.

    Ferrari Opened the Door. The Whole Sport’s Heritage Keeps Me Interested.

    The more I learn, the more I appreciate the history beyond Ferrari.

    Lotus deserves a place in that conversation. Colin Chapman’s team combined talented drivers with engineering ideas that changed the sport. Seven Constructors’ Championships demonstrate its success; its pioneering ground-effect work shows its influence. Drivers including Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Mario Andretti became world champions in Lotus cars. Lotus’s heritage, Its engineering influence

    McLaren began with Bruce McLaren establishing his own team in 1963. Decades later, people are still working, racing, and winning under his name. McLaren’s heritage

    Some of today’s teams also have histories you wouldn’t guess from the name on the garage.

    The modern Mercedes operation’s ownership lineage runs through Tyrrell, BAR, Honda, and Brawn GP. Brawn competed for one season in 2009 and won both championships before becoming Mercedes.

    Today’s Aston Martin operation traces its roots through Jordan, Midland, Spyker, Force India, and Racing Point.

    And here’s a connection I particularly appreciate working at a Ford dealership: Red Bull’s operation began as Ford-backed Stewart Grand Prix before becoming Jaguar Racing under Ford’s ownership. Red Bull took over and began racing under its own name in 2005. Formula 1’s team histories

    Learning those connections changes how I look at the grid. Behind a team can be decades of ambition, difficult seasons, new owners, breakthroughs, and people determined to keep racing.

    The same happens when I read about a circuit. Knowing what happened there gives the place meaning before I even arrive.

    When Ferrari’s Cars Became a Gesture of Respect

    Sometimes a team’s most memorable gesture has nothing to do with winning.

    At Monza in September 2001, just five days after the attacks in the United States, Ferrari removed its sponsor logos and painted the noses of its cars black. Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello raced those cars as a tribute to the victims. The story of Ferrari’s tribute

    An Italian team, at its home Grand Prix, made a visible gesture of mourning for people across the Atlantic.

    That means something to me.

    In a sport surrounded by advertising, prestige, and celebration, those cars expressed grief and respect. It’s another part of the history that helps me understand why people form such deep attachments to these teams.

    I Love Hospitality. I’m Beginning to Prefer the Grandstands: Why I Love the Grandstand Experience

    I’ve paid for paddock access and hospitality. I enjoy those experiences.

    I like air conditioning. I like comfortable seats. Put me at a hot circuit for an entire weekend and I will absolutely appreciate somewhere cool to sit down.

    I’ve also found that even the higher-end hospitality crowd, which can sometimes feel stuffy in other settings, loosens up around Formula 1. There’s a race to discuss, a driver to cheer for, or a strategy decision everyone has an opinion on.

    That shared interest makes conversation easier.

    But I’m beginning to prefer the grandstands.

    I love being around the other fans. The conversations, the camaraderie, the shared excitement. I also get to experience something of the country through the people who call it home.

    I can’t always afford tickets costing $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000. And the more races I attend, the more I realize that the grandstands give me something I actively want.

    You don’t need a hospitality package to feel part of Formula 1. I’ve experienced that in Sector G at Interlagos and seen it among the fans watching from the grass in Barcelona.

    There are different ways to experience a race at different budgets. Travel still takes planning, and affordability varies from person to person. But the most expensive ticket doesn’t buy you more passion.

    I’ve experienced F1 travel on different budgets, and the most expensive ticket hasn’t always given me the best memories.

    My Mont Bar Barcelona Experience -Blog

    Give Me a View of the Track

    The Barcelona circuit’s main straight and pit building viewed from the grandstands.
    Even between sessions, I could spend hours taking this place in.
    A crowd in Ferrari, McLaren and other team clothing walking beneath the Barcelona fan-zone entrance.
    Half the experience is everything—and everyone—you find between sessions.
    Fans seated in a Barcelona grandstand overlooking the main straight and pit building.
    These were the seats I loved: a view of the track and a whole weekend of people to meet.

    The people I went to Barcelona with were counting rows, working out where we should sit next time to get more shade.

    I understood what they were doing. But my reaction was: fuck that, I loved our seats.

    We were in the second row of the grandstand’s second level. There was only one row of people in front of us. I wanted a view of the track, a screen if possible, and a fun trip wrapped around the race.

    I’ll sweat in the Spanish summer sun for that.

    And I made the most of being there. I walked more than 12 miles on each of those days. There was roughly a two-mile walk to the circuit, and I spent hours walking around once I was inside.

    When the cars weren’t running, I was exploring. Looking around the circuit, checking out different areas, and taking in the people and atmosphere.

    I loved that part just as much.

    What I particularly enjoyed in Barcelona was how much of the spectator grounds I could explore with my ticket. Compared with my experience in São Paulo, I had much more freedom to wander. That didn’t mean access to the paddock or every restricted area, but it gave me a lot to discover beyond my own seat.

    For me, a race weekend includes all of that. I want to watch the racing, walk around, meet people, and experience the place.

    The circuit, the crowd, the city. This is the view I keep coming back for.

    Turning My Passion into Grand Prix Travel Planning: I Tried to Build a São Paulo Group Trip. It Didn’t Happen.

    I’ve tried to turn this passion into something I can share with other people.

    I put together a high-end São Paulo trip built around Formula 1. I wanted to bring a group there and show them the city, the food, the culture, and the people who made me fall in love with it.

    Why Evvai is my favorite restaurant in the world – Blog Post

    I didn’t get that group trip off the ground.

    I failed at that attempt, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But I’m not stopping. I still offer that trip and help planning it.

    Along the way, I’ve been able to plan trips for people to Montreal, Texas, São Paulo, Barcelona, Monza, and a few other circuits. Even without bringing a whole group to Brazil, I’ve helped people experience the sport and the destinations around it.

    Now I’m reworking and rebranding what I offer. My goal is eventually to help people travel to every race, with options across a much wider range of budgets.

    Give me a $2,000 budget or a $200,000 budget, and I want to explore what’s possible. Those are very different trips. The race, departure point, flights, and number of travelers will determine what works.

    I won’t promise every race fits every budget. I want to find the opportunities.

    I know what a beautiful hotel and a hospitality suite can add to a weekend. I also know what it feels like to stand in Sector G in a plastic poncho and have the experience change your life.

    I want to help other people find their version of that.

    Spain Was Amazing. I Also Spent Way Too Much.

    My personal goal is to return to São Paulo for the race every year and visit at least one other circuit.

    Family, finances, and schedules will have a say. I won’t always be able to do everything I want. But I’ll do what I can.

    This year, I had an amazing nine days in Spain. I ate at incredible restaurants, explored some great places, and experienced a race weekend I’ll never forget.

    I also spent way too much money. If I put the total here, plenty of people would think I’d lost my mind.

    The race tickets were less than €1,000. I spent more than that at the track on helmets and souvenirs alone.

    That’s worth admitting in a conversation about Formula 1 travel. The race ticket wasn’t what sent my spending through the roof. My choices did.

    The restaurants, shopping, and extras were things I wanted. They weren’t requirements for enjoying the race.

    I spent enough that I nearly had to miss Brazil.

    At one point, I was prepared to go to São Paulo and watch the race on television. I wanted my feet on the ground in a city I love, feeling the energy of race weekend, even if I couldn’t get to the circuit.

    But I worked my ass off and made it happen. I’m going.

    Live the Fuck Out of Life as You Can

    If I want more race weekends, I can make different spending decisions—or find ways to make more money.

    Honestly, I prefer the second option.

    That’s how I’ve approached most of my life. I’ve worked my ass off, sometimes way too much. Now I want that work to fund something I love. Hopefully, I can build a way to earn a living through that passion, too.

    Over the last five years, Formula 1, travel, and food have changed what I want.

    I’m less interested in accumulating possessions, buying a bigger house, or owning more land. I want time in places I haven’t been. Meals I’ll remember. Race weekends with people I haven’t met yet.

    You can’t take any of this with you. But while you’re here?

    Live the fuck out of life as you can.

    “As you can” matters. I have family responsibilities, bills, a job, and limits like everyone else. Some years will allow more than others. I want to make the most of the opportunities I do have, while working toward more.

    Learning about Senna’s commitment and seeing Hamilton use his success to create opportunities makes me think about what I want to do with my own life.

    I’m not comparing planning someone’s vacation to changing access to education. But I understand the desire to take something that matters to you and make it useful to someone else.

    For me, that can start with helping someone experience a race, discover a country, or feel confident taking a trip they’ve been putting off.

    And it starts with allowing myself to live, too.

    Sometimes that means a beautiful hotel and an incredible dinner. Sometimes it means sweating in a grandstand, walking miles around a circuit, or dancing in the mud with people whose language I don’t speak.

    I’ve felt completely alive doing all of those things.

    I’m 44. My goal is to spend three to five weeks a year traveling internationally and grow that over time. Local exploring is something I can do on weekends. I want more opportunities to experience other countries and continents.

    If I had work I could do from anywhere, I’d love to follow the calendar and attend every race. I’d even stay in hostels to make it happen.

    Private room and private bathroom, of course. Let’s not get carried away.

    I still prefer a nice hotel.

    Eventually, I’d love a life where home is a small base: somewhere to keep my seasonal clothes, recharge for a weekend or a week, and prepare for the next trip.

    I may have to keep working for the rest of my life. I hope I can make that work something I love, something that brings me closer to the experiences I want.

    I don’t want to keep postponing them until some perfect future when I finally have enough money or enough free time.

    Something Worth Carrying Forever

    I don’t have any tattoos.

    I could never think of something I wanted on my body forever. I don’t have children. I could definitely see myself getting a tattoo of the pets who have meant so much to me, but until now, I haven’t taken that step.

    Now I want to start marking the places and experiences that have become part of my life.

    Flags of countries I’ve visited. The outlines of circuits where I’ve attended races. Something I can look at and remember being there.

    Maybe a 44, for Lewis Hamilton and the age when I really began to understand the man I’ve become. Maybe a 3, for Max and the relentless competitive mentality I relate to. Maybe Senna’s helmet or Schumacher’s.

    I’m still deciding what those tattoos will look like. But for the first time, I have things I want to carry that way.

    One Senna quote that speaks to me is:

    “I have no idols. I admire work, dedication and competence.”

    That wording appears in McLaren’s tribute to him. It puts into words something I’ve been trying to explain about the people I admire: the work, the ability, and the commitment behind their achievements. McLaren’s Senna tribute

    His insistence on giving something your full effort resonates with me, too. I believe in my abilities. I also believe I can improve, and I intend to keep finding out how much further I can go.

    About ten years ago, I took a step back in my career to build my property management and cleaning company.

    That business has been doing well, and it no longer needs me to be as involved in the day-to-day work. That gives me a choice about where I put my time and energy next.

    I could pursue the same kinds of positions I held before. I know what it takes to build a successful operation because I’ve done it.

    Instead, I’m choosing to build my Formula 1, travel, and food blog into a career because I truly love it.

    The results may take longer. The money may be less immediate. But I want to put my experience, intelligence, and drive into something I’m excited to keep building—something that brings together racing, travel, food, hospitality, and helping other people experience the world.

    There will still be hard work. I’m comfortable with that. What’s different is how much I want to do this work and where I hope it will take me.

    That’s why “Live the fuck out of life as you can” means so much to me. I’ve spent years building businesses and a career. Now I want to use what I’ve learned to build a life around the things I love.

    A flag or a circuit outline would remind me of somewhere I actually went. People I met. A weekend I made happen. A moment when I felt fully present.

    For years, I couldn’t think of anything I wanted on my body forever.

    Now I’m building a life full of things I don’t want to forget.

    The Career I built and passion I found – Blog

    Formula 1 beyond the circuit – Blog

    No Regrets. More Races.

    Sometimes I wish I’d discovered this passion in my teens. Maybe I would have made different career decisions. Maybe my life would have taken a completely different direction.

    But working at Ferrari helped bring me here. So did the people I met, the jobs I held, and the trips I eventually took.

    The life I’ve lived made me the person who appreciates all of this today.

    I wish I’d found it earlier. I don’t regret the life that led me to it.

    Now I want to keep going for as long as I can. Another race. Another country. Another continent.

    Maybe another planet.

    Hopefully Elon gets Formula 1 to Mars before I die. It doesn’t even have to be cars. I’ll watch them race space shuttles.

    Just give me a grandstand and some people who love it as much as I do.

    And until then, I’ll keep trying to get back to São Paulo—to the place where strangers made room for me under a tent and helped turn an interest into a passion.

    Our sport. Our passion. Our people.

    Ponchos on. Nobody was done enjoying the weekend. Our sport. Our passion. Our people.

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