Austin F1 tips and tricks?

No matter what your viewpoint, there's nothing grassroots about F1 :) Maybe once upon a time when a small team of privateers could take on the big boys, but not today.

But I don't care! I'm going to the race in November this year. I've got a place to stay near the middle of town.

• any suggestions for good spots for seats? Sounds like GA is decent, but what's the best option for grandstand seats? They don't need to be the cheapest seats, but good ones.

• best way to get to the track? I don't know if we'll have a car or not. I can probably arrange for one.

• what else is a must-do? Obviously, we'll be at the track for the weekend, dunno about practice. I'll look to see what support races look like fun to watch.

So Keith, They keep putting up more and more grandstands taking away all of the really good GA spots on the track. I would suggest getting a seat. My favorite spot to view any of the racing at the track is either turn 12 or 15 grandstands. Not cheap but it is where most of the action is. Turn 1 is ok but not great. The back turn 9 grandstand is interesting for the lower end tickets. You can see coming out of the S and into the back corner.

Best way to get to the track.....There is none :) Seriously though, It depends on if you have a car or not. If you can get in downtown, you can get by without one. It really depends where you are planning to stay to answer that. The lot Q shuttle ticket they sell is not bad if you drive. I'm sure that there are enough miata guys in the area that you know that could get you a car though.

Other must do's. The auction last year was interesting to go look at the cars. They do some good events downtown as well. It's a big party down there all weekend long. Other than that....well depends what you like. There is a lot to do in central texas from the good eats to some cool caves and some good drives if you have a car.

Thanks! I've got a good handle on the non-F1 activities for the weekend thanks to a local friend, I just don't want to miss out on the cool F1 activities or any insider beta on the event. My best contact for the track is a photographer, and he looks at a track differently than the rest of us.

For example, who knew there was a pit walk before the start of the Sebring 12 hour? Not this guy. Or that there would be all the Ferrari 250 GTOs at the Le Mans Classic? Nope, not him either.

So, if I can get to downtown Austin, there are shuttle options from there? I'll check to see where my friend's house is exactly, but I think he's pretty close to downtown.

Should I bring a radio to try to follow what's going on, or is that pretty much not required? I could bring a Peltor intercom system that ties into a radio, that would be a good way to listen and talk to each other without all the noise. Although the current field sounds like a bunch of Priuses if you believe the internet.

I'll 2nd the T15 grandstands. They're throwing up "VIP tents" on all the good GA areas.

There is a shuttle from downtown. The line to leave F1 after the race last year was 2.5 hours. Personally, I paid the $200 for on site parking and brought a cooler with booze. But I'm a gigantic cheapass.