Image credit OPC Smeets on YouTube.
The Max Verstappen grandstand Spa Francorchamps is a seating area at the Belgian Grand Prix specifically for Verstappen’s diehard fans known as the Orange Army.
The grandstand will be full of mainly Dutch fans, all wearing orange T-shirts and cheering on their countryman. But you don’t have to be Dutch to sit here; Verstappen fans from the world over can join this stand.
This guide provides a full run-down of everything you need to know about sitting in the Verstappen grandstand, also known as the Verstappen Tribune, including views, seating plans, how to book tickets and more.
Contents
What is the Max Verstappen grandstand Spa Francorchamps?
The Max Verstappen grandstand at Spa Francorchamps is seating area specifically for Verstappen’s fans. His fanbase the “Orange Army” is so hardcore and supportive that at a few of the European events on the F1 calendar (and now at the Las Vegas race) he has his own dedicated seating area for his fans.
The Spa Verstappen tribune is the most lively grandstand at the Belgian Grand Prix, full of Dutch fans. There’s even a DJ at the front of the stand, facing the crowd, who provides live music sets to keep the party atmosphere pumping in the grandstand across the whole weekend. Check out the atmosphere before the 2018 Belgian GP in the video below.
You don’t need to be Dutch to sit here (although almost everyone is), you just need to be a massive fan of Max!
The Verstappen grandstand is also known as the Verstappen tribune. It’s is only present at Spa for the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix; it isn’t there for the rest of the year.
Where to buy tickets for the Verstappen grandstand at Spa?
Tickets for the Verstappen grandstand at Spa (and at any of the other events) can only be purchased directly through the Verstappen.com website.
Currently they cannot be purchased through the Spa F1 website, the Formula 1 website or any other resellers.
A weekend ticket in the Verstappen grandstand gets you entry to the whole circuit, all of the general admission areas and a reserved seat in the stand. You can choose your specific seat when booking; use the info in the sections below to help you pick.
Everyone who buys a ticket for the Verstappen grandstand at Spa also gets goodie bag which usually includes an Orange Army T-shirt and some other stuff.
Where is the Max Verstappen grandstand at Spa?
The Verstappen grandstand is located between Turn 11 Pouhon and Turn 12 Les Fagnes on the Spa Francorchamps circuit. It’s on the right hand side of the track right next to the fence at the edge of the circuit.
Grandstand details
- The Verstappen grandstand isn’t covered, it’s completely open to the elements.
- The seats are fixed individual chairs.
- There’s two giant TVs visible from the stand on the other side of the circuit. These are a good size but not huge, a pair of binoculars might help.
View from the Verstappen grandstand at Spa
Being located between Pouhon and Les Fagnes, the further to the left of the stand you sit the closer you are to the exit of Pouhon. The further to the right you sit, the closer you are to the entry point of the right hander of Fagnes.
The grandstand seating is tiered so the back rows are higher, but it’s not very steep. From pretty much every row, even the top ones, you’ll be looking through the catch fencing to the track.
The video below gives an idea of the view of the cars exiting Pouhon from the Verstappen tribune at Spa.
This next video is filmed from slightly further to the right in the stand. You can see how you can catch of glimpse of the cars as they apex the first right hander of Les Fagnes and then lose them out of sight shortly after that.
The image below shows how much of the circuit can be seen from this stand. If you sit far to the left of the grandstand you can see more of the cars as they come around the second part of Pouhon, where they’re pretty much flat out and sucked the ground by their downforce.
The further to the right in the stand you are, the more you can see of the cars as they brake for Les Fagnes and enter the right hander.
Being as high up in the stand as possible will give you the best overall view of this section of the track.
Verstappen grandstand Spa seating plan
Below is the seating plan for the Max Verstappen grandstand at Spa Francorchamps. It’s a large file so click the thumbnail below and the image will automatically download.
As the seating chart shows the grandstand is made up of 15 different sections, named A to O. If you can’t see some of these sections when choosing your seats on the Verstappen website it’s because that whole block will be sold out.
In each section the seat numbering starts from 1 on the left hand side and increases as the seats go to the right.
Rows are numbered 1 at the front / lowest down, and the row number increases the further back / higher up in the stand you go. Some blocks have 21 rows, some have 24 and some have 12. Blocks D to I are split in to lower and upper sections.
Is the Verstappen grandstand a good place to sit at Spa?
The section of the track from Pouhon to Les Fagnes doesn’t normally see a huge amount of overtaking and isn’t as impressive as the views at Eau Rouge and Raidillon. Instead you’ll get to see the cars flat out, exiting Pouhon at huge speed and at maximum downforce before a short braking zone at the entry to Les Fagnes. So if close racing action is what you’re after then this isn’t the best place at Spa Francorchamps.
However, if you’re a Max Verstappen fan and want a party atmosphere for the whole race weekend then this is undoubtedly the best and only place to sit at the Belgian Grand Prix. Expect singing, chanting, flares, DJs and music at the Dutch fans show their support for their home-country hero.
Aan de fans op de Max Verstappen Tribune zal het niet liggen vandaag, wat een feest! #BelgianGP #Verstappen #F1 #SpaFrancorchamps pic.twitter.com/r9yHbNA0wV
— Jeroen Huis in t Veld (@jhuisintveld) August 26, 2018
Nearest parking area
The red parking area on the outside of Stavelot / Curve Paul Frere is the closest car park to the Verstappen grandstand. From there you can walk through a tunnel under the circuit to get to the stand.
Parking can be booked on the Verstappen.com website or through the official Spa Grand Prix website.
Other Spa grandstands
Check out our spectator guides to the other grandstands at Spa Francorchamps:
- Speed Corner grandstand
- Combes grandstand
- 17 – 27 area grandstand
- Gold 1 pit grandstand
- Gold 2 GP2 grandstand
- Gold 3 grandstand
- Gold 4 grandstand
- Gold 6 grandstand
- Gold 7 grandstands
- Gold 8 grandstand
- Gold 9 grandstand
- Silver 1 grandstand
- Silver 2 grandstand
- Silver 3 grandstand
- Silver 4 grandstand
- Silver 6 grandstand
