This is my guide to attending the Austrian Grand Prix with a General Admission tickets.
It includes my tips on findng the best viewing spots, plus other information like what time to arrive, what you can and can’t bring, food and drink info and more.
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Austrian GP General Admission
A General Admission (GA) ticket is the cheapest way to go to the Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix.
It does NOT get you a seat in a grandstand, but it does get you access to the fan zones and a dedicated GA viewing area.
The map below shows the GA viewing area is in the Green Zone at the top of the circuit, between the T3 grandstand and the North grandstand, and either side of the Schonberg stand. This is a massive grassy hill with great views overlooking the circuit.
There is also an unofficial viewing spot on the outside of T10 (the green square in the bottom right corner of the map) where you can just catch a glimpse of the circuit from. See examples of these views further down this page.
Austrian GP General Admission Tickets
General Admission tickets are the cheapest way to attend the Formula 1 weekend in Austria. That means the race weekend is accessible to more people, which makes these tickets ver popular and normally sell out quickly.
If that’s the case don’t worry. Instead do what I do and buy your tickets through ViaGoGo. They always have plenty of tickets available even when they are sold out elsewhere.
And if you wait until nearer to the race, you might also be able to find them at a lower price and grab a bit of a bargain.
I have purchased all my recent Formula 1 tickets on ViaGoGo. I used them when I visted the Grand Prix at Silverstone, Spa Francorchamps and Zandvoort. I’ve always had a great experience purchasing tickets with them and I won’t hesitate to do so again.
For added peace of mind when I bought my tickets, I found they also have a very good ‘FanProtect’ guarantee which ensures your tickets and money are always protected.
Areas you cannot access with GA
Unlike many other F1 circuits, if you have a General Admission ticket then there are whole zones that you’re not allowed to access. The circuit map below shows these zones:
As the map shows the track is split in to three zones for the Formula 1 weekend.
General Admission tickets holders can only access the Green Zone and the F1 Fanzones. You cannot access the Blue Zone or the Yellow Zone, they are only for people who have grandstand tickets in those respective zones.
The massive steel Red Bull statue is in the Yellow Zone next to the Mitte / Centre Grandstand. So General Admission ticket holders CANNOT get near the bull for a photo.
Getting to the General Admission Zones
The map above shows the main Fan Zone and the Steiermark Village behind the Main grandstand is at the bottom of the circuit. Plus there’s other fan attractions all the way along the outside of the main straight. The main carparks and entrances are here aswell.
The Green Zone for GA viewing, however, is right at the top of the map. Between the two are the blue and yellow zones which you cannot enter, so how do you get between the two? There are two pathways you can take.
One goes up the left hand side of the circuit, behind the Red Bull grandstand. It’s a long uphill walk where you actually have to leave the circuit, and there will be a couple of ticket checks on the way. This is roughly a 45 minute hike and is a bit annoying having to scan your tickets out, then back in, and have your bags rechecked at the entrances on the way where there are often dellays.
The second path goes on the other side of the track behind the T9 grandstand and T10 grandstand. This one you don’t actually have to leave the circuit for, so it’s much less hassle. This takes you out near the Nord grandstand, and it’s around 30 minutes from Turn 10 to there. Again it’s uphill.
The map below shows the two walking routes in yellow. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to get your steps in!
Red Bull Ring General Admission Views
The best viewing points for GA tickets holders are all in the Green Zone between Turn 3 and Turn 4. This big grassy hill area overlooks a lot of the circuit and gives you the chance to get some great views of the track all with the stunning Styrian mountains as your picturesque backdrop.
There are a couple of TV screens visible from the Green Zone. One is opposite the Schonberg stand on the other side of the track and the other is between that and Turn 3 on the same side of the circuit.
If you’re going for more than one day my suggestion would be to spend the first day walking around and taking in the different views. Then when you’ve found your favourite spot get there early and make a dash for that on raceday.
As the Green Zone is on a hill that gets higher the further you get from the track, the further up the hill you go then the better you vantage point becomes. Pick the right spot and you can see all the way down to Turn 1 in the distance, and some of the infield sections.
If you’re right up close to the fence at the edge of the circuit, however, your view will be limited. This video, filmed half way between turns 3 and 4, shows exactly that:
Whereas this video, filmed from the same spot but further up the hill, shows you get a wider vantage point when you’re further back:
This next video was filmed shortly after the exit of Turn 3 and shows that you can see Turn 1 in the distance, but you’ll need a good zoom or some binoculars to see it clearly! Plus you can see turns 6 and 7 on the infield. This is a nice spot to view from:
Alternatively you can sit down by Turn 4. You won’t be able to see much else on the track but you get a perfect view of this corner which does often see some overtaking:
Best general admission viewing point
Personally I’d try and get a spot close to the exit of Turn 3 as high up the grass hill as possible. That would give you a view of Turn 1 in the distance, the infield, and Turn 3 itself where the most overtaking happens at the Red Bull Ring. The fourth video down (above) shows this view point.
How early should you arrive?
Compared to GA at some other circuits, the Red Bull Ring never feels too crowded for finding a decent spot. The Green Zone is huge and there will always be room to sit. However, if you want the best viewing points then you should be prepared to get there early.
The best spots near Turn 3 and Turn 4 will fill up very quickly once gates open, especially on the Sunday. If you want the best view for the race plan to arrive 30 minutes before the spectator gates open.
Gate opening times
My guide to the Red Bull Ring entrance gates will list this year’s opening times.
Food and drink
There are lots of food and drink vendors around the circuit, more in the main fan zones. It’s mostly Austrian and German food such as schnitzel, sausages, hot dogs, potatoes and fries.
At peak times between F1 session the queues for these can get quite long. So try and visit them at the quieter times. Here are some prices from recent years:
- Hot dog: 10 Euros
- Vegan hot dog: 10 Euros
- Currywurst & fries: 14 Euros
- Schnitzel & fries: 15 Euros
- Red Bull: 4.50 Euros
- Beer: 11 Euros (3 Euros of that is a refundable deposit if you return the plastic cup)
- Coffee: 4 Euros
- Bottled water (500ml): 5 Euros
You can bring your own food and drink to the circuit. However you cannot bring alcohol and you cannot bring glass bottles with water or soft drink in. Metal or aluminium water bottles are fine and don’t let the security tell you otherwise. The official Red Bull Ring rules only state that glass bottles are prohibited.
Water refilling
There are a few water refill stations around, usually near the toilet blocks. But there weren’t enough of these last year when it was over 30 degrees Celcius and some of the lines were over 20 minutes long. So I’d suggest refill your bottle at every chance you get if you see a tap without a queue. Bring as many full bottles with you as possible. And if all else fails, buy some more water.
What to wear
I’ve written a full guide on what to wear to the Austrian Grand Prix. Check that out for my tips.
Track invasion / poidum ceremony
Fans are allowed to enter the track after the Grand Prix has finished. The organisers will open up entrance gates near Turn 10, Turn 1, Turn 2 and Turn 3.
If you’re in the Green Zone between T3 and T4 and wait until the gate at T3 is opened after the race it’s very unlikely you’ll make it down in time for the podium ceremony unless you’re Usain Bolt.
To stand a chance of seeing the podium you’d be better off leaving the green zone before the race finishes, taking the walking route past the T10 grandstand and waiting at Turn 10 until the gate there opens on to the track after the race. The track will be heaving with tens of thousands of fans.
What to bring
Here’s my list of things to consider bringing with you to the Red Bull Ring for the Austrian Grand Prix:
General
- Tickets – Download an offline copy to your phone beforehand. Internet signal can be patchy.
- Money – cards, contactless and cash
- Backpack
- Sun cream
- UV protect lip balm
- Sun hat
- Sun glasses
- Waterproof everything if it looks like rain – jacket / trousers / poncho / waterproof rucksack cover
- Umbrella (for rain or sun)
- Warm, thin layers of clothes you can easily remove
Electronics
- Fully charged phone
- Battery bank or power pack
- Camera with good zoom lens
Spectating
- Ear plugs or ear defenders, especially if you have young kids
- Binoculars
- Picnic rug / waterproof blanket to sit on
- Camping chairs
- Small cushion (equally useful in grandstands)
Food / drink
- Refillable water bottle (as long as it’s not glass). Metal / plastic is ok.
- Food – you are allowed to bring your own food.
- Drinks – You can bring soft drinks but no alcohol. No glass bottles.
- Water – pack extra bottles if it’s going to be hot. Freeze one the night before.
- Electrolyte hydration drinks / supplements
- Bag for rubbish
- Tissues and wet wipes
