MICHAEL Schumacher’s fall from the motor-racing top-spot last season — after five consecutive years as Formula 1 champion — has prompted a burst of interest in motor-racing holidays overseas.
Companies specialising in Formula 1 trips admit that events had become “a bit boring” because of the German driver’s dominance. But after the success of the Spaniard Fernando Alonso last year, sales are soaring.
Gary Howell, managing director of Motor Racing International, said: “Bookings are buoyant now everything is less predictable. We’ve had people book on three-week trips to see the first three races of the season in Bahrain in March, then Malaysia and Australia — tickets cost about £3,000.”
Diane Simons, manager at Grandstand Motorsports, said: “Schumacher’s failure has definitely had an effect. Now there’s more excitement.”
She is offering a trip to the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul in August from £779 at a four-star hotel.
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Meanwhile Page & Moy is pushing classic car tours this year — a three-night tour to the Le Mans Classic in July costs from £238. It has three nights covering the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, leaving on May 19, from £599. Race tickets cost £16 a day for a grandstand seat. Three-night tours for the Grand Prix Masters, featuring former F1 greats, in Jerez, Spain, cost from £399 leaving September 21. Grandstand tickets are £50 for two days. A spokeswoman said much of the interest for Le Mans and Monaco was from classic car owners who have a passion for seeing old cars racing.
Tom Chesshyre
Details: Motor Racing International (01304 612424, www.motorracinginternational.uk.com), Grandstand Motorsports (0116-231 1222, www.grandstandmotorsports.com), Page & Moy (0870 0106393, www.pageandmoy.com).