I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal. As a massive Formula 1 (F1) fan, being able to experience the sights and sounds of F1 with my own senses was completely unreal. The engine sounds are so loud and vibrate the ground beneath you, they go by so quickly that fully taking in the car details is a welcome challenge, and being able to see some of the most talented racing drivers in the world, in person, is unfathomable.

For anyone unfamiliar with Formula 1, I’ll break it down for you. F1 is 20 talented race car drivers competing in about two dozen high-speed Grand Prix (GP) throughout the year. These races take place on five of the seven continents, twenty-one different countries, where they are going well over 200 mph (300 kph) to compete for a chance at being the highest point-scorer in a very prestigious and competitive sport. 

There are ten teams, each with two drivers per team. The teams are competing for the Constructors Championship where the points of the team’s two drivers are added together throughout the season. Drivers are competing to be World Champion by trying to individually accumulate the most points throughout the season, separate from their teammate. Only the top ten finishers of twenty per race get points; tenth place getting a single point and first place getting 25 points. There is a chance to get an extra point by getting the fastest lap of the whole race, which is only applied if you finish in the top ten. If you finish eleventh through twentieth, you don’t score any points but you can still try to get the fastest lap and take that extra point away from the top ten scorers. 

When it comes to the race weekend, it’s usually Thursday-Sunday. There are a few race weekends throughout the season that are Wednesday-Saturday to accommodate for religious practices. Thursdays are mainly for media coverage. Fridays are free practice days where drivers have the opportunity to test out the track, any new updates to the car, and for the team to get a game plan together for the weekend. Saturdays allow for one more free practice before jumping into qualifying which is what determines what order drivers start in for the race. Sunday is the most hyped day because it’s race day! Race day is always high energy, high stress, and usually has the most viewership because it’s the day where the points are scored.

In F1, every point, every second, every tenth of a second of a race weekend matters.

Now that we’ve briefly covered what Formula 1 is and how it works, let’s get into my own experience with the Canadian GP. 

Going into the weekend, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was excited to experience something I love so much in person, but also very nervous that maybe it wouldn’t quite live up to the hype that I get to experience from the comfort of my own home while watching through a screen. I was also nervous that Montreal would be overly crowded due to the influx of visitors for the Grand Prix weekend.

The city ended up being spread out enough that nowhere but the track felt overflowing with people. The track was about as busy as I expected it to be. 

Imagine a sold out concert in a larger venue. Now imagine about fifteen of those.

Because there ended up being 350,000 people who attended over the weekend and with how crowded the walkways and trackside got, that number was very apparent. Despite this, the experience was still enjoyable because it was outside at a large track and that was 350,000 people that we got to get hyped with over a sport we love.

When arriving at the Grand Prix, we got through the main section of merch stands before heading through security that took us over a bridge. That bridge is where my world changed because it was the first spot that I heard the rev of an engine, the powerful hum of a Formula 1 car. That initial moment of experiencing the sound of an F1 car is what pure serotonin feels like because everyone around me lit up at the sound of it.

I had General Admission tickets which offered multiple freestanding spots alongside the track to view. There are also options to buy tickets for grandstand seating or, if you’re feeling extra fancy, you can look into the pretty pricey Paddock tickets. But, if you’re only going once and have the funds, it can be worth it. 

You can see a section of the track immediately after stepping off of the bridge and from there, you can walk to the perimeter of the track, seeing all of the action from multiple perspectives. There are dozens after dozens of food trucks and merch vendors. They have a live DJ, racing simulators, photo-ops, and racing mementos to take pictures of. Sometimes you luck out and get handed random freebies. There is a lot to interact with and see beyond just the racing which makes for an even more engaging experience.

If you are a fan of Formula 1, this race offers a more affordable option to experience the sport in real life. Anyone familiar with the sport knows that it is more expensive than the average sport and not easily accessible to most viewers. I also felt like this track was a lot more viewer friendly than some of the other tracks I’ve seen. There was so much to experience both in the beautiful city of Montreal and at the circuit that I personally think that this was a great investment. It bought an invaluable experience full of memories that I will cherish forever.

And if you’re unfamiliar with Formula 1 but are in need of a new obsession, start with watching “Drive To Survive” on Netflix and look up a few Tik Toks until your for you page is filled with F1 content, and you’ll soon be a fan of a highly entertaining and cool sport.