Went to watch my first Motogp at Mugello at the weekend and what an amazing experience!! We were on the Poggo Secco stand on the third corner, right where Rossi crashed!! Just wondering if anyone else managed to make it over? I loved being able to invade the track at the end
Yep, just got back yesterday. Loved how you could ride your bike right in and park up literally next to the stand! The layout of the whole area along with the fencing around the top, the vales, the camping and the atmosphere was very reminiscent of Glastonbury. Real good vibe and even a dull GP race couldn't put a dampener on what a good weekend it was! Hearing the National Anthem being played and not the Spanish one was a bonus too!
Yep I was stood proudly with my hand on my chest as it played in my Crutchlow cap and wrapped in his flag cos I got a little burnt watching quali Don't the Italians love to make noise!! Even saw a guy with a chainsaw engine built into a guitar!?! Couldn't play a single note tho.....
Did not make it this year - annoyingly I only did 1 week of a 2 week trip and missed Mugello antics and all the good weather they have had coming home. Mugello is like Ibiza with bikes, mamaged to play a dj set last year and got use of a free bar (ok so it was blackberry plugged into a huge sound system with a play list...) - they loved the proclaimers and big country. Next year I will fly down - by far the best way. Looked to go to misano but no camping so won't be same party rock feel. If you only go to one gp a year Mugello is def one to consider.
Apparently there is a company in Milton Keynes that can ship your bike over there for you as someone I bumped into there mentioned it. Will look into going with bikes next year and defo going for the main grandstand this time as the view from there looked amazing. Think it's worth taking earplugs for the Moto3 though!!
Definitely recommend the Central Grandstand. We paid a little bit more for the hospitality terrace which gave you great views of the S/F straight and pit lane as well as the back half of the track all the way down to the last corner. Got free food and booze too, and wasn't a snobby affair like the UK hospitalities are like. Would also definitely recommend taking a bike or hiring a bike there as it's the only way to get anywhere on race day. We whizzed straight in and out, nae problems.
Nah, took the Blade! You can ride into the circuit and park up if you have a bike over 100cc (otherwise all the Italian scooterboyz would have swamped the place!!). We stayed got to Florence on the Friday and did train/bus on the Sat for qualy but could see it was going to be a nightmare on race day so took the Blade up on the Sunday. Will post a trip report when I get chance to sort out the pics and vids. If you want to take your bike down you can do it in 3 days each way (2 at a push), or take your time one or both ways and do the great roads in S. France, Switzerland, S. Germany and Italy. Alternatively if you're short of time or want to save the wear & tear on the bike you can use the Autoslaap motorail train from Den Bosch in Holland down to Livorno, which leaves Holland on the Fri night and arrives in Italy the next morning, then ride the 50 miles across to Florence in time for qualy then ride back at your leisure.
Did Misano a couple of years back. TOTALLY different vibe to Mugello, no comparison. Thought the proximity to beach resorts might be good for partying but the whole area was just full of Italian, German and Austrian families and you wouldn't have known there was even a MotoGP on. Made a pilgrimage to Tavullia and Rossi's place though. Some fellow bikers we got chatting to at Mugello raved about how good Brno GP was - nice town, cheap plentiful beer, great atmosphere, great weather, easy to ride or fly to. That could be a winner too!
Not done any Italian ones, so can't comment but heard mugello is immense. Catalunya was a great atmosphere, but quite a way out from Barcelona, however the small town does get quite festive and you do have the city of an evening.... if you want a party, assen blew my mind, whole town is like a 120,000 people festival... Totally amazing! Was like the old days at Le Mans!! Valencia is also a big one, think they used to get near 200k I think. But still think mugello is top of my list, before the main man retires (wont be long IMO)
One great thing about Mugello and something ALL tracks should do is where they let you on the track after the race, stand in front of the podium ceremony, mill about the pit lane, etcs. (again, will post pics on the weekend)
Was the guy with the chainsaw guitar revving it constantly after the finish of the main race? Could hear it from the main stand over the crowd, bikes and commentator!
That's a review of 2012 - go to about 3 / 4 mins for the typical night time antics Watching it back can't believe I did not go this year - Doh! We have become friends with the group of Italians we partied with - they are from a designer leather sofa factory and its their summer work event - they bring a bar, sound system the lot and were happy to let me play a DJ set for an hour or so
I think that was the Leo Vince stand next to me mate. Had an engine on a frame with a hugely oversized Leo Vince exhaust making a loud but sweet sound
Some YouTube vids I've uploaded that shows the kinds of views you get from the Central grandstand... Rossi Qualifying - view of back part of lap from Scarperia, Palagio, Correntaio, Biondetti and into the last corner:
