Latest news with #D.Parker
Sydney Morning Herald
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
Is it possible to attend a Grand Prix overseas at a reasonable price?
We follow Formula 1 and have seen the movie, so the only way I'll be able to get my partner to join me on a real holiday is to make a Grand Prix event the focus. Can you suggest a reasonably priced package deal which includes race admission, transport to the track, hotel accommodation and flights from Melbourne? B. Mason, Melbourne, Vic Take a deep breath, the words 'reasonably priced' and 'F1″ are mutually exclusive. One of the cheapest packages for the 2026 events is from Finesse Travel for the Belgium F1 Grand Prix in July. Including five nights' hotel accommodation, transfers to the race circuit, a weekend general admission ticket and flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Heathrow or Stansted, the cost is £1299 ($2710) a person. Other operators with F1 packages include Grand Prix Tours and F1 Experiences, and you can expect to pay from $3000 to $5000 a person. You could pay $18,000 or more for two if you select a package that gives you premium seats with trackside views on the main straight at Barcelona, a walk down the starting grid, a paddock tour and admission to insider talk sessions which might feature an F1 team executive, a media personality or the FIA's F1 safety car driver. None of these packages include flights from Australia, you need to book that separately. We are planning a week or two driving in Northern Italy next April, leaving from and returning to Venice Airport. We'd love to experience a Fiat 500. How and where can we hire one from that area? D. Parker, Geelong West, Vic Venice's Marco Polo Airport would be the best place to pick up and return your hire car. If you're staying in Venice before your self-drive tour, from Venice's Santa Lucia train station the airport bus takes just over 30 minutes, or you can take a taxi. Several operators including Hertz and Budget have cars for hire from Santa Lucia, but it's a major hassle starting your drive from there – the airport is easier. You could also pick up your hire car from Venice Mestre Metro Railway station, which is closer to the airport but since you'll be flying out from Marco Polo Airport it makes sense to pick up and return from there. You get what you pay for when it comes to hire-car operators. In Europe, I prefer Sixt. They're not the cheapest, but their vehicles are in great condition, and they play fair for the most part. A Fiat 500 is a great choice. After a 19-day Egypt & Jordan tour finishing in Amman, followed by a 26-day Stans tour starting in Istanbul, we have a gap of eight to nine days. Being a bit older, some recharge time is needed, any suggestions for a low-key location? Maybe within a one to two-hour flight radius before heading for Istanbul? G. Miller, Bendigo, Vic
The Age
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Age
Is it possible to attend a Grand Prix overseas at a reasonable price?
We follow Formula 1 and have seen the movie, so the only way I'll be able to get my partner to join me on a real holiday is to make a Grand Prix event the focus. Can you suggest a reasonably priced package deal which includes race admission, transport to the track, hotel accommodation and flights from Melbourne? B. Mason, Melbourne, Vic Take a deep breath, the words 'reasonably priced' and 'F1″ are mutually exclusive. One of the cheapest packages for the 2026 events is from Finesse Travel for the Belgium F1 Grand Prix in July. Including five nights' hotel accommodation, transfers to the race circuit, a weekend general admission ticket and flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Heathrow or Stansted, the cost is £1299 ($2710) a person. Other operators with F1 packages include Grand Prix Tours and F1 Experiences, and you can expect to pay from $3000 to $5000 a person. You could pay $18,000 or more for two if you select a package that gives you premium seats with trackside views on the main straight at Barcelona, a walk down the starting grid, a paddock tour and admission to insider talk sessions which might feature an F1 team executive, a media personality or the FIA's F1 safety car driver. None of these packages include flights from Australia, you need to book that separately. We are planning a week or two driving in Northern Italy next April, leaving from and returning to Venice Airport. We'd love to experience a Fiat 500. How and where can we hire one from that area? D. Parker, Geelong West, Vic Venice's Marco Polo Airport would be the best place to pick up and return your hire car. If you're staying in Venice before your self-drive tour, from Venice's Santa Lucia train station the airport bus takes just over 30 minutes, or you can take a taxi. Several operators including Hertz and Budget have cars for hire from Santa Lucia, but it's a major hassle starting your drive from there – the airport is easier. You could also pick up your hire car from Venice Mestre Metro Railway station, which is closer to the airport but since you'll be flying out from Marco Polo Airport it makes sense to pick up and return from there. You get what you pay for when it comes to hire-car operators. In Europe, I prefer Sixt. They're not the cheapest, but their vehicles are in great condition, and they play fair for the most part. A Fiat 500 is a great choice. After a 19-day Egypt & Jordan tour finishing in Amman, followed by a 26-day Stans tour starting in Istanbul, we have a gap of eight to nine days. Being a bit older, some recharge time is needed, any suggestions for a low-key location? Maybe within a one to two-hour flight radius before heading for Istanbul? G. Miller, Bendigo, Vic
