Anyone been to a GP round at Mugello? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Anyone been to a GP round at Mugello?

Priller

Priller

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So, inexplicably, my wife has taken a deep rooting interest in MotoGP this year, suddenly becoming a huge Bagnaia fan. She now really wants to combine our Italy trip next year (knock on wood re. Covid!) with going to the GP round at Mugello. Who am I to argue?

Knowing how fast accommodation in nearby Scarperia will sell out, I'm hoping to get a jump on booking accommodation as soon as dates are announced. Best predictions seem to be May 27th-29th next year. Based on that, I have the following questions if anyone has been:

- Is it worth paying the inevitable premium to stay in Scarperia vs busing in from Florence?
- How insanely busy is the bus system from Florence, and how long does it take to get to the track?
- Is driving to the track doable, or will it just mean idling for hours to get in and out?
- Any recommendations for seating for the races?
- Any other tips for going?

We don't want to camp on site, as, well, we're just too old for that. I am considering renting a small motorhome and staying at the track, but there's a bunch of unknowns that go with that as well...

I know it's a long shot, but if anyone here has any experience there, I'd love to get your take...
 
Not MotoGP but I've only done a track day there ... What a beautiful area. Find a way to ride (if possible) or drive (if you have to) SP503 from Firenzuola to the track.

I foresee traffic getting in and out of that track on MotoGP weekend to be brutal.

I'm still thinking about re-booking my Spain trip (again) for this fall ... but I want to go to the WorldSBK weekend at Jerez, in part because the schedule works, in part because I think WorldSBK weekend won't be quite as crazy, in part because it seems like the English language is more prevalent (I don't speak Spanish) ...
 
Brian P said:
Not MotoGP but I've only done a track day there ... What a beautiful area. Find a way to ride (if possible) or drive (if you have to) SP503 from Firenzuola to the track.
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"Only done a track day" *shakes fist in jealousy*

What bike did you use?

I'd love to ride in and out, but we'll be combining this with a longer visit to Rome, so dealing with gear might make that difficult.

Brian P said:
I foresee traffic getting in and out of that track on MotoGP weekend to be brutal.
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Yeah, me too, hence why staying close to the track is worth booking early and paying a bit extra. I've only done Indy for MotoGP, and that facility was designed for about ten times as many people as went, so it was easy in and out.

Brian P said:
I'm still thinking about re-booking my Spain trip (again) for this fall ... but I want to go to the WorldSBK weekend at Jerez, in part because the schedule works, in part because I think WorldSBK weekend won't be quite as crazy, in part because it seems like the English language is more prevalent (I don't speak Spanish) ...
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Isn't Jerez in September this year? By then we *might* be allowed to travel (feels like tempting fate just to say it). It definitely won't be as crazy as a GP round, especially in GP-obsessed Spain, but the superbike paddock is a lot more fun and relaxed. I would assume a lot of Brits in attendance, both because it's WSBK and it's Spain...

Lightcycle said:
Was Misano. Sorry.

One thing about most races is that the traffic and parking is optimized for motorcycles. With the filtering, you can get in and out in record time if you're on two wheels.
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Definitely the case at Laguna Seca. Traveling by bike would add a lot of complication for the overall trip, but it's something to consider, especially if we can't find accommodation nearby.

Oh, and you should apologise for never having been to Mugello. Jeez. ;)
 
Priller said:
"Only done a track day" *shakes fist in jealousy*

What bike did you use?
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It was a Ducati DRE event in May 2018. Technically not a "track day" but more like a chance to test-ride a Panigale 959 with some personalised instruction ... 5 riders per instructor, our instructor was Gianni de Matteis (retired WorldSSP/SBK rider) and the chief instructor for the day was Marco Melandri.

:)
 
Brian P said:
It was a Ducati DRE event in May 2018. Technically not a "track day" but more like a chance to test-ride a Panigale 959 with some personalised instruction ... 5 riders per instructor, our instructor was Gianni de Matteis (retired WorldSSP/SBK rider) and the chief instructor for the day was Marco Melandri.

:)
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Panigale. At Mugello. With ex-WSBK/GP racers.

 
If you’re interested in some info, DM me. I’ve been a few times and can certainly provide tips.

Tip #1 - DO NOT book on Airbnb. You might think you found a good deal, but once the owner realizes when the GP is happening (they should know already lol), they will cancel your booking and rent it on another site for significantly more money.
 
mixedup said:
If you’re interested in some info, DM me. I’ve been a few times and can certainly provide tips.

Tip #1 - DO NOT book on Airbnb. You might think you found a good deal, but once the owner realizes when the GP is happening (they should know already lol), they will cancel your booking and rent it on another site for significantly more money.
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Will do, mostly curious if it's worth the cost for the convenience of staying in Scarperia vs doing some sort of bus from Florence. We've talked to a few rental places, and they seem to be holding out to see if Rossi will be back next year for some sort of farewell, which would obviously drive demand through the roof.

As for AirBnB, we've already had that happen this summer with a cottage booking. I was really surprised that they let property owners put incredibly stringent cancellation policies onto renters (in our case it was 48 hours after booking to cancel or you were on the hook for half the cost until a month out, after which you paid full price regardless), and let the renters cancel anytime with no recourse or consequence. In our case, both my wife and I had booked the time off, and rescheduling would have been a nightmare. We ended up finding somewhere else, but the cost was double. I've heard of other people having apartments booked as part of a longer trip, months in advance, only to have a cancellation days before arrival, causing absolute chaos trying to book at the last minute. Worst bit is AirBnB doesn't allow for reviews until after you stay, so there's no way to warn future renters if a spot is sketchy...
 
I was smart enough to have a feeling that was going to happen, so booked an agriturismo as backup and sure enough.... I tried it again another year just for giggles and it was also cancelled.

I have not stayed in Florence, but I can tell you the traffic is insane, and the police will randomly close roads to traffic on Sunday that were open on Saturday. It’s a uniquely Italian experience (Misano is a walk in the park compared to Mugello!). In 2017 I said I wouldn’t go back...but got sucked back in 2018 lol. I thought I’d figured out where we needed to go, etc to avoid any issues, but was surprised yet again!

My advice would be to stay as close to the circuit as possible. If you can walk, even better as you may end up parked so far away it won’t make a difference lol.

If you’re booking grandstand seats, depending on where you’re driving from, you might end up in a lot on the other side of the circuit....and it’s a long, hilly walk (in hot weather more than likely!).

But despite the frustrations you might encounter, there is nothing like it! Highly recommended!
 
Priller said:
Will do, mostly curious if it's worth the cost for the convenience of staying in Scarperia vs doing some sort of bus from Florence. We've talked to a few rental places, and they seem to be holding out to see if Rossi will be back next year for some sort of farewell, which would obviously drive demand through the roof.

As for AirBnB, we've already had that happen this summer with a cottage booking. I was really surprised that they let property owners put incredibly stringent cancellation policies onto renters (in our case it was 48 hours after booking to cancel or you were on the hook for half the cost until a month out, after which you paid full price regardless), and let the renters cancel anytime with no recourse or consequence. In our case, both my wife and I had booked the time off, and rescheduling would have been a nightmare. We ended up finding somewhere else, but the cost was double. I've heard of other people having apartments booked as part of a longer trip, months in advance, only to have a cancellation days before arrival, causing absolute chaos trying to book at the last minute. Worst bit is AirBnB doesn't allow for reviews until after you stay, so there's no way to warn future renters if a spot is sketchy...
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mixedup said:
I was smart enough to have a feeling that was going to happen, so booked an agriturismo as backup and sure enough.... I tried it again another year just for giggles and it was also cancelled.
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We messaged six different spots, and only one came back with a firm offer: $590/night for a tiny bachelor suite in Scarperia. The rest said they wouldn't be booking dates until January...

mixedup said:
I have not stayed in Florence, but I can tell you the traffic is insane, and the police will randomly close roads to traffic on Sunday that were open on Saturday. It’s a uniquely Italian experience (Misano is a walk in the park compared to Mugello!). In 2017 I said I wouldn’t go back...but got sucked back in 2018 lol. I thought I’d figured out where we needed to go, etc to avoid any issues, but was surprised yet again!
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We wouldn't drive, as we've been warned that parking can be a loooong way from the track. For us it's between paying to stay in Scarperia or staying in Florence and arranging transit via a bus or private van, with drop off at the main gate. There's also the package tours that offer accommodation in Florence, private transit to the track, a ticket, and help getting around, but I've been told they can get pricey...

mixedup said:
My advice would be to stay as close to the circuit as possible. If you can walk, even better as you may end up parked so far away it won’t make a difference lol.
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Apparently it's 1.5 km from the centre of town to the track, which is easy enough. There are a few places offering rentals 3 or 4 km away, but that becomes a hike after a long day in the sun. I'd rather stay in Florence and deal with buses...

mixedup said:
If you’re booking grandstand seats, depending on where you’re driving from, you might end up in a lot on the other side of the circuit....and it’s a long, hilly walk (in
hot weather more than likely!).
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Any recommendation for grandstand? My wife wants the Ducati stand, and it looks like a good spot to get up close. Poggio Secco looks like good value, and I was checking out the Arrabbiata/58 stand, as it gives a good view of both the Arabbiata corners as well as the last corner down onto the front straight. I'm not sure it's worth paying to sit in the main stand, as it's just the middle of the long straight.

mixedup said:
But despite the frustrations you might encounter, there is nothing like it! Highly recommended!
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Yeah, it's on the list with Laguna Seca and Suzuka as my favourite tracks on earth, and when full, it's about as nutty a crowd as you'll get in sports. Might be a royal pain to manage the logistics, but it's one of those motorsports meccas that has to be visited at least once...
 
It would be tempting to book that place in Scarperia if it's only for a couple of nights. Expensive ... but the town will be bonkers on GP weekend.

Sitting in the main stand means you see the start, the finish, the activity in pit lane, etc., which you can't really see from elsewhere.

Covid times excepted ... is there such a thing as general admission? I recall buying general admission tickets to MotoGP in Indianapolis expressly so that we could move around, and (normally) it appears that World Superbike does general admission, at least at Jerez. This year may be different.

I rebooked the hotel in Jerez (for WorldSBK late September) ... but I'm not committing any new money to it until the covid travel restrictions return to sanity.
 
Brian P said:
It would be tempting to book that place in Scarperia if it's only for a couple of nights. Expensive ... but the town will be bonkers on GP weekend.

Sitting in the main stand means you see the start, the finish, the activity in pit lane, etc., which you can't really see from elsewhere.

Covid times excepted ... is there such a thing as general admission? I recall buying general admission tickets to MotoGP in Indianapolis expressly so that we could move around, and (normally) it appears that World Superbike does general admission, at least at Jerez. This year may be different.

I rebooked the hotel in Jerez (for WorldSBK late September) ... but I'm not committing any new money to it until the covid travel restrictions return to sanity.
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The seats we had in Indy were at the end of the front straight, bit up a bit and just around the curve in the stands. It worked well as you could see the full front straight, the pits, pit out, the finish, and you got a view of some action, as turn one is a decent passing point.

There's no stand at the end of the main straight at Mugello, only general admission on the side of a hill. The straight is so long that both the corners onto and exiting the straight are in the distance. As cool as it is to be able to see the pits and the start and finish, I like to sit near a corner, preferably one where passing happens.
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As you can see, most of the track is open to general admission, but it's absolutely rammed on a non-Covid raceday, and we'd prefer to be able to come and go without losing our spot. Apparently the seating is non-reserved for at least Friday and possibly Saturday, so you can explore the track and check out the pits and different grandstands and corners.

Here's a taste of how crowded it got in GA at race time near turns 6-7. Seems almost impossible in a Covid world unless yellow smoke kills the virus:

1623109454782.png

Very glad to hear the Jerez visit isn't officially dead! Fingers crossed these new variants are more contagious than they are deadly and you might have a shot...
 
I saw races in Misano and Brno. I would never again go to Misano or probably anywhere in Italy. Atmosphere in Brno was relaxed and fun, in Misano it felt like a soccer match hooliganism. From crowd cheering when Lorenzo crashed to people being assaulted for having Repsol branded gear in the city in the evening. It was appalling. Love Italy for riding and food and culture and history and many other things but MotoGP at Misano was total fail for me. And that was the year 2017 when Rossi decided to break leg playing on dirtbike like an idiot just before that race. One good thing was that we could ride into the track and go way past the parking lots. The circuit name is " Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli" yet not a single piece of merchandise with his name on it for the race. Did I mention it rained? LOL :)
 
Grandstand? Poggio Secco obviously! Assuming VR is still racing. It’s actually in a pretty good spot. Start finish is a bit boring to be honest.

I would also suggest booking the Scarperia spot. At least you’ll save on daily parking at the circuit.
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