WTCC Brands Hatch Paddock & Pit Passes not what they seem?

[McKay]

According to someone on the official BTCC forums, the "Paddock and Pit Passes" that MSV were selling for this weekends WTCC meeting are only valid for the pit walkabout and are not general access to paddock as the website led us to believe. This guy says he recieved a letter from MSV telling him this, although I didn't recieve one and I wondered whether anybody else has. This is ridiculous, surely something that says "Weekend GP Paddock & Pit Pass" means a pass for the GP paddock and pits?

[BertMk2]

I think that's normal practice isn't it? I certainly wouldn't expect unrestricted paddock access - there's no way that would be possible purely from a safety point of view, the inner paddock is crowded at the best of time with cars constantly moving about so to allow people to wander around freely is asking for trouble. I would expect that the outer paddock will have general access throughout the weekend (no pass needed).

[McKay]

But if they put "Weekend GP Paddock & Pit Pass" that would imply that the pass gives you access to the GP Paddock, the inner one. It's just the way they phrased it both on the ticket and on the website.

[Suze]

To be honest, in 2003 for the Champcar, I had a paddock pass and that granted access for both the inner and outer paddock there....

They may have done these tickets purposefully for the pitlane walkabout so not just anybody can get in so it's not too crowded - however, I haven't seen the tickets (nor when they were being sold).

[TuscanR]

I also had a weekend paddock and pit pass for the Champ car in 2003 and it was money well spent, the teams were happy to talk to you and answer any questions you had and the drivers were friendly and approachable. When the A1 Grand Prix was at Brands last year and promised to be the friendly equivalent to F1 I jumped at the chance to get the pit and paddock passes. When my friend and I went to enter the Inner pits the marshal laughed and said something along the lines of “You were expecting to get in the pits like the Indy car weren’t you. Sorry lads you can only come in for the specified times”. The times were for about half an hour on Friday and Saturday and an hour on Sunday. Of course this meant the pits were jammed with people and obviously the teams can’t speak to hundreds of people in half an hour. If I remember rightly it was 30 pounds each for a weekend pit and paddock pass we felt totally ripped off! phone up and ask what you get for your money I will in future

[Stephen Green]

May I suggest that if you are unsure what you are getting, rather than rely on quotes from another forum, you telephone MSV and ask yourself? That way you will get the correct answer and you can then choose whether to buy the pass or not.

[MikeHoyer]

I would assume that there are time restrictions on them, although at a lot of big events I've been to (FIA-GT, LMS etc.), you could go into the paddock at any time, although obviously not the actually pit lane. However, they were at places like Silverstone, Spa, and the 'Ring, which have a lot more space than Brands.

[McKay]

Originally Posted by Stephen Green

May I suggest that if you are unsure what you are getting, rather than rely on quotes from another forum, you telephone MSV and ask yourself? That way you will get the correct answer and you can then choose whether to buy the pass or not.

I already have it, and now I've heard these things. That's why I'm so irate. Should have made that more clear.

[rdjones]

Did anyone get one of these, because I noticed that they are also doing the same thing for the DTM in a months time. I decieded to give it a miss.

[redshoes]

I meant to ask, was anyone asked for tickets during the Sunday pit lane walkabout? didn't go myself but judging by the number of people and the speed that they came through the paddock gate and across the circuit it didn't look like anyone was checking.

If so then what actually where these tickets for?

[McKay]

They looked at them but I reckon people could have got through without them, it was very busy.

[Suze]

It's normally pretty easy to merge yourself in with the crowd and get through....(no, I wasn't there!).

[Ferlaren]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

I think that's normal practice isn't it? I certainly wouldn't expect unrestricted paddock access - there's no way that would be possible purely from a safety point of view, the inner paddock is crowded at the best of time with cars constantly moving about so to allow people to wander around freely is asking for trouble. I would expect that the outer paddock will have general access throughout the weekend (no pass needed).

Actually, you're wrong. The paddock is usually open to main events except the BTCC (restricted to corporate/team guests and VIPs only).

[Lancsbreaker]

Any particular reason why you've just re-opened a 4-year-old thread?

[grantp]

[Rob29]

I think someone has got the wrong end of the stick here.I take it the 'inner' paddock means the area behind the pits,which has never to my knowledge been open to the public.It had always been possible to buy a ticket for the 'outer' paddock,at least until my last visit for A1GP in 2005!

[m1fcf]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Any particular reason why you've just re-opened a 4-year-old thread?

Come, Come, dont let a small thing like that get in the way of a good argument!!

[tux]

In all fairness at a big event such as WTCC or DTM why would you want to go to the inside paddock? All you will see is trailers and tents.

[Ferlaren]

Originally Posted by Rob29

I think someone has got the wrong end of the stick here.I take it the 'inner' paddock means the area behind the pits,which has never to my knowledge been open to the public.It had always been possible to buy a ticket for the 'outer' paddock,at least until my last visit for A1GP in 2005!

The paddock restriction only applies to BTCC races e.g. due to the size of the crowds, the paddock can only be accessed by corporate guests and VIPs. MSV have paddock passes for DTM, A1GP (until it went bankrupt) and WTCC.

[Ferlaren]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Any particular reason why you've just re-opened a 4-year-old thread?

None of your business

[Ferlaren]

Originally Posted by tux

In all fairness at a big event such as WTCC or DTM why would you want to go to the inside paddock? All you will see is trailers and tents.

Excuse me, but check the Brands Hatch website and there you will find DTM paddock passes!! The passes for WTCC can only be bought from the Megastore.

[Ferlaren]

Originally Posted by tux

In all fairness at a big event such as WTCC or DTM why would you want to go to the inside paddock? All you will see is trailers and tents.

Er because MSV sell paddock passes for both series! And you've forgotten drivers too

[Rob29]

This has me even more baffled.Since when was there a 'huge' crowd for the BTCC? Evidence of my eyes of TV coverage of recent rounds less spectators visable than were at the smallest clubbies I attended in the 60 s & 70s.You could buy a paddock ticket for F1.In later days after they built the stupid pits garages there was a pits walkabout during the lunch break.As 'tux' says I cannot recall any reason to visit the VIP cark park behind the pits.

[Ferlaren]

Originally Posted by Rob29

This has me even more baffled.Since when was there a 'huge' crowd for the BTCC? Evidence of my eyes of TV coverage of recent rounds less spectators visable than were at the smallest clubbies I attended in the 60 s & 70s.You could buy a paddock ticket for F1.In later days after they built the stupid pits garages there was a pits walkabout during the lunch break.As 'tux' says I cannot recall any reason to visit the VIP cark park behind the pits.

As already discussed, the BTCC paddock at Brands Hatch is closed to the paying public. Every other major event except Superleague Formula is open to the public via a paddock pass either online or from the Megastore.

[Craner Curves]

You don't need a pass for the WTCC anyway. In my experience the drivers do plenty of appearances on the spectator's side of the fence if that's what you're after.