19 April 2019 12:00
Motorsport Live takes a look at five of the best motorsport events you need on your bucket list
There are hundreds – if not thousands – of motorsport events that take place each year but which ones should be atop your bucket list? Motorsport Live takes a look at five of the best motorsport events you need to tick off.
Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix
Formula 1 ventured into new territory in 2008 with Singapore hosting the inaugural night race and it immediately cemented its status as one of the focal points on the calendar. It has already played host to some iconic moments in the history of the championship – such as in 2017 when a dramatic start-line collision derailed Sebastian Vettel’s title aspirations, or even in its very first event when Renault instructed Nelson Piquet Jr. to deliberately crash, one of the most controversial chapters in Formula 1.
The spectacle of Formula 1 cars bouncing, sparking and shining beneath the floodlights is second to none as the world’s best drivers flirt with the walls, placed just inches away from the racing line. Singapore itself has a wealth of activities to offer away from the grand prix circuit. The illuminated big-wheel offers a 360-view of Singapore’s ever-changing skyline while the biodiverse Gardens by the Bay is the home of the Supertrees that put on a lights and music show each evening.
The purpose-built Sentosa Island features tourist beaches and theme parks – and don’t forget the Raffles Hotel in which the world-famous Singapore Sling cocktail was created. F1 makes much noise this is the example it wants to see at every location. To experience it in 2019, check out all ticket and hospitality options here.
MotoGP Valencian Grand Prix
MotoGP is one of the closest motorsport championships out there with grands prix regularly settled by mere tenths of a second. The frenetic two-wheeled series races to all four corners of the globe and its traditional season finale takes place within the confines of Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo Circuit. The venue has been the scene of several nail-biting finales in MotoGP – and its junior divisions – with fans able to watch the respective champions crowned during a ceremony after the final of the season’s races.
Valencia itself is one of Spain’s leading cities as it blends historic architecture with modern structures. An unmissable attraction is the Ciutat de les Arts I les Ciencies, the award-winning complex that is visited by millions each year. And just a short walk away is a pristine stretch of beach that overlooks the Mediterranean, with plenty of gastronomic options to eat and drink away the evening. It is the perfect excuse for some last-gasp winter sun. See all ticket and hospitality options here.
Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix
Monza is the Temple of Speed and is one of the oldest purpose-built motorsport facilities anywhere in the world, having first hosted the Italian Grand Prix as far back as 1922. The oval is no longer in use for competitive purposes but it remains intact as a tourist attraction in the stunningly picturesque Parco di Monza, which itself houses the Autodromo di Monza facility.
The gorgeous venue marks the end of Formula 1’s European season as summer drifts into autumn, with the verdant forests seeping into the red, yellow and orange that defines early September, providing a beautiful backdrop to the world’s fastest cars. Of course, no mention of Monza can be made without a reference to the Tifosi – the passionate local spectators who treat Ferrari as a religion not a sports team. There is no place in the world like Monza on race day as a sea of red fills the grandstands. And beyond Monza just a bus ride away is the cosmopolitan city of Milan, home to some of the world’s most stunning architecture, fashion houses and bistros.
Check out all ticket and hospitality options for this unique spectacle here.
Le Mans 24 hours
Since 1923 the Circuit de la Sarthe has been the mecca for sportscar devotees as hundreds of thousands of motorsport fanatics flock to this corner of western France to take in 24 hours of frenetic battles. As one piece of the Triple Crown jigsaw, some famous names over the years have triumphed after a day-long exhibition of motorsport endurance and team work, including Tom Kristensen, Graham Hill, A. J. Foyt and most recently Fernando Alonso.
The four-category format of the World Endurance Championship means there’s plenty of intrigue up and down the grid as some of the leading manufacturers in the automotive industry – Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, BMW – put their best foot forward and duke it out for almost 400 laps of the eight-mile venue. The fan-focused nature of the event means it turns into a week-long festival, with plenty of activities away from the circuit, various campsites to choose from, an iconic funfair and an array of food and drink options. Le Mans, for any motorsport fan, is a must. View all ticket options today, click here.
Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix
Formula 1 returned to Mexico in 2015 and straight-away it was as if the championship had never left. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez provides a challenge to the drivers due to the high-altitude playing havoc with set-ups, while for spectators its centrepiece is the 30,000-seater Foro Sol stadium that crowds the final sector and overlooks the best podium ceremony of the season.
And for the last two years those fans have witnessed the crowning of the World Champion, with Lewis Hamilton clinching both the 2017 and 2018 titles on Mexican soil.
That’s just a taste of the on-track action; off-track Mexican hospitality will never be forgotten, so no wonder it has received the FIA’s Promoter Trophy for each of the last four years! Part of that is courtesy of its post-race DJ set, so when the race ends the party well and truly starts.
Mexico City itself has a rich history stretching back centuries, with roots to the Aztecs, and an unmissable arena is the giant Zocalo plaza – any fan of the James Bond franchise will remember it from Spectre! A short hop away is the staggering Palacio de Bellas Artes while the National Palace must be high on the list for any tourist. And if you want a view on one of the largest cities on the planet then why not take a trip to Chapultepec Castle?
To experience a fiesta of Formula 1 in 2019, check out all ticket and hospitality options here.
These are just five of the standout events that any self-respecting motorsport fan wants to visit – but there’s so much more to experience in the world of motorsport. To see ticket options for Formula 1, MotoGP, WEC and Formula E click here.