23 April 2019 16:09
Motorsport Live look into their top five races, where money is of no object. Not all five are as obvious as they seem!
Following your favourite driver and team can be an expensive hobby - and some motorsports locations and ticketing options are certainly at the premium end of the spectrum. But if you're looking for that ultimate trip which events should be high up on the list if you want to splash the cash? Motorsport Live takes a look.
Monaco Grand Prix
Formula 1's visit to the tiny Principality mixes glamour with wealth in a manner not seen anywhere else in the world. The rich and famous spend their weekend on the super yachts that festoon the world-famous harbour while an array of high-end supercars screech around the tight confines of the city streets.
Monaco itself is home to some of the glitziest names in fashion - your Cartiers, Bulgaris and Piagets - where clothes prices are measured not in hundreds but thousands. Why not take a trip to the Hotel de Paris to enjoy a coffee with a view of Casino Square and the world-famous Casino de Monte Carlo itself, where an entry fee is required just to play your cards right or try and hit the jackpot. And there's also the Grand Prix itself - there's no bigger challenge anywhere than the Monaco Grand Prix, with Formula 1 drivers flicking between the walls for 90 minutes on a Sunday afternoon.
If you really want to splash out then you can - why not watch the action from a yacht docked in the harbour, past which the Formula 1 drivers hurtle at 180mph. It's the ultimate luxury. Hospitality packages still available. Click here to explore.
Singapore Grand Prix
Formula 1's night race arrived in style in 2008, with Singapore immediately establishing itself as a favourite among drivers, teams and spectators. Regarded as the Asian answer to the Monaco Grand Prix, the venue comes alive when the sun goes down as the drivers wrestle their cars through the heavily illuminated streets of Singapore, accompanied by historic and modern buildings, some of which change colour themselves.
It's a premium location for a race is matched by its premium options for accommodation; the Marina Bay Sands Hotel is one of the most recognisable structures anywhere in the world, complete with its Infinity Pool that stretches across the building, 57 floors above the ground, offering staggering views of the city state. There's also the iconic Fullerton Hotel that overlooks the second sector, or the likes of the Pan Pacific and Ritz Carlton, which sit adjacent to the blast along Raffles Avenue. Singapore provides a breathtaking location for a race - so why not splash out and take in one of the championship's most unpredictable and spectacular events? Click here to see all available options and to configure your trip.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
After an exhausting year of flying to all four corners of the globe the Formula 1 season comes to a conclusion in the United Arab Emirate of Abu Dhabi, with the purpose-built Yas Marina the venue. The circuit, located on the man-made Yas Island, was constructed at a cost of over a billion dollars and houses an array of activities, including Ferrari World, Yas Mall, Yas Waterworld and the Warner Bros. World, while further afield there is the jaw-dropping Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque while Saadiyat Island houses the cultural centre, its centrepiece being the recently-opened Louvre Museum.
The iconic structure at Yas Marina, is the Yas Viceroy hotel, which sits above the Formula 1 circuit, but rooms there get snapped up pretty quickly. Yas Viceroy is nonetheless just one of several hotels that offer world-class service and facilities, while some complexes further afield have not only their own swimming pools but beaches and golf courses. It's luxury at a price. To build your trip to the curtain closing season finale click here:
Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix
Heading from Europe to Australia can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience so why not double up any voyage to the continent with a trip to its ever-popular motorcycle grand prix, which takes place at the jaw-droppingly beautiful Phillip Island. The fast and flowing circuit provides some of the best racing on the MotoGP calendar and in recent years has featured race-long slipstreaming battles in all three categories. Phillip Island itself is located on one of Australia's best coastlines and beyond MotoGP there's a wealth of activities in the nearby area.
To get to Phillip Island you'll have to fly into Melbourne, one of the world's best cities, complete with a plethora of riverside restaurants, museums, cultural hotspots and unspoilt parkland. Head West from Melbourne and you'll be on the iconic Great Ocean Road, a staggering piece of highway that includes the world-renowned Twelve Apostles. Australia perhaps doesn't have the glitz and glamour of some other events but for natural beauty it is an unmissable venue.
Japanese Grand Prix
For any European-based Formula 1 fan a visit to the Far East is almost always on the bucket list and, naturally, it isn't cheap. Flights from Europe to Japan can be some of the most expensive available while accommodation itself in the country is anything but cheap, nor is it usually spacious. But Japan itself is an eye-opening experience and there is an entirely different world to be discovered in conjunction with its Formula 1, MotoGP and WEC races, all of which are scheduled to take place in October.
Why not build in a trip-of-a-lifetime and take in the trio while visiting some of Japan's most famous cities, such as Tokyo, Nagoya and Kyoto. Sample Japan's unique cuisine and wile away the evening in its mysterious karaoke bars, or visit its immaculately preserved temples and gardens. No-one who visits Japan ever regrets it - so to join the party in 2019. Click here to be notified when the Formula 1 at the world-famous Suzuka Circuit will be on sale:
Click here to see be notified when the MotoGP at Twin Ring Motegi will be on sale:
Click here to see be notified when the World Endurance Championship race at Fuji will be on sale: