“Simply outrageous” – F1 fans furious over massive hike in camping prices for the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
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A massive price hike for tickets for the Belgian Grand Prix
Attending a Formula 1 Grand Prix is every fan’s dream. The entire race weekend is a spectacle, each moment cherished by the passionate attendees. The Belgian Grand Prix held at the famous Spa-Francorchamps is the go-to track for millions of fans who want to witness the cars going flat out through Eau Rouge. The track has recently also gone changes to make the high-speed turn safer for the drivers, with increased run-off after the tragic death of Anthoine Hubert in 2019.
For the 2023 race, the organizers have sorted to increase the prices for camping at the iconic track, with a hike of over 100% across the board. A four-person accommodation of a 20qm camping green area now costs €400 from the 2022 rate of €145, an increase of an exuberant 175%! The same goes for larger camping areas, with a 70qm area for 8 people going up from €290 last year to €700, a rise of over 140%. With the most affordable camping space albeit for just 1 person costing €150.
One must note that there is no water or electricity provided on the site, with even showers costing €5 per use. This steep pricing range can be credited to the tweaks made to the track as well as the poor financial situation of Spa-Francorchamps. Inflation and the new wave of F1 fans too could’ve played a role. However F1 races are meant for fans to embrace the sport, accessibility, and affordability may not be present for the Grandstand tickets, but charging such prices for camping areas can definitely hamper an average fan’s ability to attend the event, cutting a big hole in their pockets.
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F1 fans deliberate over the new prices for the Belgian Grand Prix
Upon hearing the news on Reddit, fans were quick to express their anger over such unaffordable and expensive pricing, that too without basic facilities, one fan exclaimed, “That is simply outrageous. 400 euros to camp should include free showers!” While another fan mocked the rise of ticket prices throughout the F1 calendar, especially the new races in the United States and stated, “Sounds like they looked at Miami and Las Vegas prices and said ‘Me too!'”
Some users blamed this hike on the sport’s rise in popularity and growth globally, which has brought millions of new fans, thus creating more demand for Grand Prix tickets, One fan blamed it on the Netflix docuseries ‘Drive to Survive’ and replied, “Price increases across the board, I call it the ‘Netflix’ tax.” While one user mentioned this as the new reality because of the increased fan following, the fan commented, “Sadly that’s the price to pay for the newly gained fame of the sport. Tickets across the calendar has seen drastic increases.”
Few fans however took notice of the financial struggles faced for hosting the Belgian Grand Prix and the need for the track to make enough money to pay the bills and sustain its operations. One user mentioned how the organizers have no choice but to increase the prices to stay afloat, the user said, “Wasn’t Spa flirting with bankruptcy and needed local support? This should not be unexpected f they cannot recoup what they were lent and make a profit, they probably won’t be able to stay around long.”
Despite the increase in prices, we must understand the struggles at the circuit and the financial burden it has on itself. The organizers need a way to ensure the payment of the hosting fees to F1 as well managing its expenses. Raising the prices was inevitable for the Belgian Grand Prix because if they do not meet ends, the race might be forced to be left out of the calendar. And as we can see there is no shortage of tracks and countries that are willing to pay millions in order to host a Formula 1 race.
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Armaan Agarwal
(2333 Articles Published)