For the Italian Grand Prix, I, along with a group of friends, decided to take it all in at the Birmingham F1 Arcade. I had visited the arcade a few times before and attended a watch party last year as well. I always loved going to the watch parties. The atmosphere was fantastic, being surrounded by other F1 fans whose oohs and ahhs almost made it feel like you were at the theatre. Doors for the event opened at 10.30 am, with the race itself starting at 2 pm. As you arrived, you were welcomed by friendly staff dressed in sequin jackets. I would have loved to have one of those sparkly jackets. The venue was decorated with Italian flags all over, giving it a real Italian Grand Prix feel.
We arrived at around 12 and were still able to find a table right in the middle of the venue. It was great because there were screens all around, meaning there was no chance of missing the action on screen. You could order food and drinks either by going to the bar or scanning the QR code on the table. The food was delicious and came out quite quickly. They served one of my new favourite snacks, padrón peppers. I know it sounded strange, but I could not help demolishing them.
Throughout the day there was a DJ and MC, both roles carried out by one person, who kept the energy up by interacting with the crowd and playing music. Obviously, when the Grand Prix was on the music stopped, but it was a nice touch to have it back once the race had finished. It added to the celebratory atmosphere and kept people in good spirits while they chatted about the highs and lows of the race. I really liked that it never felt as though anyone was being rushed out once the event ended. People were free to stay, order another drink or two, and enjoy the buzz of the afternoon. It made the whole experience feel more like a day out rather than just turning up for the race itself.
One of the main attractions of the Arcade in the first place was the racing simulators. Throughout the event, everyone had unlimited access to them. What was nice was that nobody hogged the simulators. Once you had completed a race, you let someone else have a turn. As the races were not very long, it was never too long before you could go on again. During the Grand Prix itself it was even easier to get onto the machines, as many people, like me, preferred to sit and watch the action. The simulators did not distract or take away from the experience at all. I only went on once, mainly because of a bad back, and to be honest it was probably for the best as I was hopeless at it. I was never very good at video games, although this felt like more than just a game. The seats vibrated and moved depending on how well you were driving and the surface you were on. If you were like me, you were likely to be bouncing all over the place. Somehow, I even managed to make my car cartwheel, although thankfully the seat did not.
There was also a fun reaction game you could play at the arcade. By using arcade tokens through the app, you could take part in this challenge. Similar to what some of the drivers on the grid did, there were buttons set up on a wall in the shape of a race circuit. When the buttons lit up, you pressed them. It was pretty simple, but you only had a limited amount of time to hit as many as possible. It could get quite competitive, although my group and I were more than happy to cheer each other on. We all managed to place within the top twenty on the leader board. In racing terms, we all qualified, back in the days when not every car made it onto the grid. They certainly had some big fields of cars back then.
For me, this was a really good and affordable way to watch the Grand Prix. With the rising costs of attending a race in person, I think this is a great alternative. It makes for a really enjoyable day out and, with ticket prices starting from £29, it is an excellent way for you and your friends to experience the race without breaking the bank. It means nobody is priced out, which is fantastic.
Have you been before, or are you planning to go to one soon? Let us know your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Catherine
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