What is the F1 Paddock Club and is it worth buying tickets?

What is Paddock Club access and F1 experiences?

Access to the Paddock Club is part of the F1 Experiences, which offer fans unprecedented access to the track, the garages, the paddock and of course the drivers.

There are various packages available on the F1 Experiences website that vary slightly depending on the races around the world, but if you opt for the full three-day ‘F1 Garage’ package, you’ll essentially get the following as part of your ticket:

• F1 Paddock Club Spectators (Friday to Sunday) – this is where you can watch the actual race. The location varies depending on the track but they are always the best seats in the house and they are always covered so you can enjoy the race whatever the weather. They are also always above the actual pit lane so you have a great view of the tire changes during the race.
• F1 Paddock Club Hospitality (Friday to Sunday) – this is where you’ll find all your food and drink needs throughout the weekend. There are buffet stations with food from local chefs and TVs to watch the race from.
• Pit Lane Tour (Friday to Sunday) – throughout the weekend you can walk through the pit lane (at selected times), look inside the teams’ garages and see practice pit stops in action.
• Appearances by F1 drivers and legends (Friday to Sunday) – Over the weekend you can hear from current racing drivers and driving icons about their experiences on the track.
• Garage Tour (One Day) – On certain F1 weekends, some teams, such as Stake, open their garages for a pre-arranged garage tour, where you are guided through the garage in a small group, look at the cars up close and ask questions.
• F1 Paddock Pass (Friday to Sunday) – This gives you access to the paddock, where all the teams have their areas and the drivers can move around freely (ideal for a quick selfie with your favourite driver).
• Guided Circuit Tour – Get ready to drive on the real F1 track… only you’ll be in a truck rather than a car. The guided tour takes you for a lap of the track and gives you an up-close view of the drivers as they race around the track, albeit not at the same speed.
• Award Ceremony Access – After spending your weekend cheering on your favorite driver, hopefully you’ll be able to see them take their place on the podium and receive their race trophy. This access puts you right at the front of the celebration.
• Gift Bag – On the weekend you will receive a gift bag of team items, often from the team that gave you the garage tour.

Various packages are offered, ranging from including all or some of the activities listed above. Prices will of course vary depending on your choice.

What is it like to visit the Stake Garage?

One of the best aspects of choosing these packages is undoubtedly the opportunity to tour a real F1 garage. We visited the Stake garage during the recent British Grand Prix and getting a behind-the-scenes look at a working garage is truly a once in a lifetime experience.

On your tour, you’ll be led around by a guide who will explain how each garage is set up for each weekend (including painting the floor each time) and how everything is transported around the world. You’ll have the chance to ask questions, see the parts of the garage you don’t get to see on TV, including where all the tires are warmed up before the race, and take a photo with drivers Valterri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu’s cars.

A look behind the scenes gives you a real appreciation for the team effort and hard work that goes into running an F1 race every weekend.

We then headed to the track where we were driven around the track on a truck tour and learned more about Silverstone’s history and iconic moments. And of course, no visit to the Grand Prix would be complete without a glass (or two) of bubbly, which we enjoyed while watching the race at the McLaren Hospitality, part of the new Hilton Garden Inn hotel at Silverstone.

Is Paddock Club access worth it?

Now that you’ve heard all the good things, should you book a ticket? Well, the various packages available aren’t cheap, so if you’re a fair-weather fan who watches a race every now and then, you might find it hard to see the benefit of booking these tickets.

However, as huge F1 fans, we have experienced it ourselves and can say that the chance to go into the paddock, meet your favourite drivers and see the cars up close is an experience like no other. The food and drinks served everywhere are delicious and of high quality and being so close to the action increases the anticipation and appreciation for everything that goes into a Grand Prix weekend.

Although we couldn’t do this at every race, for a bucket list trip, birthday or anniversary gift, it’s an unforgettable experience that will make you an even bigger F1 fan than before.

Book your F1 experience now

Lydia Venn

Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer

Lydia Venn is Cosmopolitan UK’s senior entertainment and lifestyle writer, covering everything from , to the latest celebrity news. She also writes regularly for our Work/Life section, breaking down exciting new releases and sharing the latest must-haves. In her role, she has interviewed everyone from Margot Robbie to Niall Horan, and her work has been featured on an episode of . After completing an English degree at the University of Exeter, Lydia moved into journalism, writing for , before working as Features Editor at , where she spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and talk radio. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Gilmore Girls and 00s teen films, and in her spare time you can find her watching The Real Housewives on repeat, margarita in hand. Find her on .