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 Post subject: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 09:26 
Mrs Digger & I aim to tick off each of the MotoGPs over the next few years, and are thinking of doing Estoril this October.
Any advice from those who have been would be appreciated - recommended grandstands, hotels, tips for doing the paddock tour, anything really.
Thanks folks. 8-)


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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 11:42 
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Digger

Been to Jerez, Brno, Assen and Estoril, and Estoril was my favourite for watching the racing, so sounds good. I was with a bunch of folks, most of whom sat in the start-finish grandstand, got deafened and didn't see much. A mate and I went out and stood with the crowds on the bend that forms the end of the right hand 'horn' of the circuit on a diagram of it. Was an superb place to watch from. And better than any vantage point I found at any other track. Though Brno was fairly awesome.

Estoril was the first MotoGP trip I did and my favourite to date, but there are a few things that did not work that well....

Things not to do.
Don't agree to go with a gang of people (mate's two brothers and a load of their work colleagues) if you have never met them before.... for the following reasons.
They will book flights at 6am from a airport 150 miles away. I could have checked.
They will book flights to Faro, when the race is near Lisbon. These places are not close. It was a lovely drive, up half the country.
They will put a camera in hold-baggage (never flown before), in a soft bag with a zip, and then complain when it is gone when the flight lands. Actually two do, but one finds the camera later, in his pocket.
They will crash one of the three hire cars even before getting out the airport. Concrete Bollard: 1 Wheel: 0
(at this point you retreat to the petrol station, ask for 5 packs of Marlboro using sign language, pay the money and stand there - then on asking why they have not handed over the ciggies, you realise that they just charged you for pump number 5)
They will then behave very well, but lead you totally astray so that you are still in the bar at breakfast time - luckily only on practice day.
After that it became quite dull, with only one more car totalled.
Rossi won by the way.

Other than that, my trip went swimmingly - hope yours does too!
Doug

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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 11:54 
Doug, that's great information, thanks :D (well, most of it I could have guessed from your NW200 experiences.. :lol: )

I'll have a look at getting tickets for Grandstand E, I think, and will make it a very long weekend.

Love Assen, did that with Sheepy a few years back. Jerez is within strolling distance of Casa Digger so I've always tended to avoid it for the wrong reasons I guess. Brno is VERY high on the list to do, as is Philip Island, of course......


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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:03 
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Can't offer any advice on the GP as it's not something I'm bothered about however........... That part of Portugal is one of my favourite parts of the world and well worth sticking around for a few days. Sintra area is very nice indeed I've been going there on and off over 20 years now. Further north in Portugal the better it gets IMO.

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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:13 
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Grandstand E should be cool. Don't remember really which way it points, but you should be able to get down to the fance by one of corners that the track is really close to the track - awesome vantage - and the double bend just above E (on the track diagram) is an awesome affair, lovely double with an incline and plenty of 'action' to see.

Not doing any this year (we had Indianapolis planned for last year, but called off when the Stag sobered up and binned the wedding) but gonna do two next. Brno is awesome, great spectical and a real theatre (we flew to Prague, and had to travel right across the whole country....).

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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:16 
03 wrote:
Can't offer any advice on the GP as it's not something I'm bothered about however........... That part of Portugal is one of my favourite parts of the world and well worth sticking around for a few days. Sintra area is very nice indeed I've been going there on and off over 20 years now. Further north in Portugal the better it gets IMO.

Cheers Steve - I've never set foot in Portugal, but K has been there a few times & wants to show me around Lisbon.... I'd always avoided Portugal in my previous life because all the g*lfers round here raved about what a great place it was :roll:


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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:25 
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Alright Digger,

Me and the missus just did the Catalunya GP, this was our first one and absolutely brilliant. We went with a family run company called motoexpress, see www.motoexpress.co.uk you have a choice of different hotels to suit different budgets, and they pick you up from the airport, and back, and also do the track to hotel transfers. It was a brilliant well organised trip. and we are planning to go to another one and will definatly use them again.

cheers Smasher


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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:28 
That's much appreciated, Smasher, cheers. 8-)

**edit** but their front page fails to include Estoril :( ....... Valencia's high on our list though :D


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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:36 
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Digger wrote:
03 wrote:
Can't offer any advice on the GP as it's not something I'm bothered about however........... That part of Portugal is one of my favourite parts of the world and well worth sticking around for a few days. Sintra area is very nice indeed I've been going there on and off over 20 years now. Further north in Portugal the better it gets IMO.

Cheers Steve - I've never set foot in Portugal, but K has been there a few times & wants to show me around Lisbon.... I'd always avoided Portugal in my previous life because all the g*lfers round here raved about what a great place it was :roll:

Lisbon is a lovely, fairly small, city and well worth a few hours of your time. The coffee (bica, like espresso) is brilliant due to the Brazilian connection, I guess. And the custard tarts are to die for (can't remember the Portuguese name). Estoril town is (IMO) worth missing. Cascais has a reasonable old town if a little over touristy. Sintra area is very nice but Sintra town is to be avoided at peak tourist times. There is a little family restaurant there that I have been going to now for more than 20 years and the grilled Sole is the best. You wouldn't dream of drinking Vinho Verde in the UK, but that's because the Portuguese keep the best stuff for themselves and it has to be drunk as young wine. If you stay for a week or so, venture northwards. As you go north of Porto (which is also well worth visiting to do a couple of Port lodges) you get to see the best of Portugal, Minho national park etc. As you can tell, I really like Portugal from Lisbon northwards.

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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:39 
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Valencia is also on the 03 list of highly recommended places to visit.

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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:40 
Good ol' UKBEG once again - thanks guys 8-)


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 Post subject: Re: Estoril MotoGP
PostPosted: 26 Jun 2009 12:41 
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Digger wrote:
Good ol' UKBEG once again - thanks guys 8-)
As ever, you're welcome.

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