Ypres Rally

[Mad cat jnr]

Hi all,

Looking to go out to Ypres this year as a spectator (may be competing on it but going to plan as a spectator anyway).

Does anyone have a rough price for passes etc. and any tips where to stay? Been looking at formule1 style hotels.

Cheers

Joe

[MrJan]

I went last year and was disappointed by how difficult it was to find a good spot to watch, an awful lot of the time we were herded into areas that were 10 metres from the stages. We stayed in a municipal campsite in Ypres though Jeugdstadion Ieper - Welcome to the website of campsite Jeugdstadion in Ypres

If you're turning up on the Thursday then try to get tickets beforehand, we didn't bother and then got stung 10 euros for the shakedown stage (which would have been included in the weekend pass that we had to get anyway). Think the weekend pass was about 30 euros and you can fit in a good number of stages within that. Finding out info about the historics was hardwork though, they run a different rally using the same stages, but there didn't seem to be an easy way of finding out which stages were running at which time.

I'm glad that I went for the experience but it's not a rally that I'll be heading back to in a hurry. The stages are undoubtedly good but the over zealous approach to spectator safety and the poor locations for some of the viewing areas didn't make for a great trip as a speccy.

[vino_93]

it's not so uneasy to find information about historic : they have their own website, and timing is their.

[Mirek]

Jan, what kind of areas to spectate did You choose? Only official public ones? I was there two times with Tommeke and I was always more than satisfied. Plenty of superfast easy-accessible places with no tape or marshals. You just need to wait for the helicopter and all safety cars to pass and after that Your safety is only up to You. I know the official junctions are boring with crazy safety but You can easily go to other places, usually it's just some little walk through fields.

[mousti]

Never go to public zones made by the rally, they suck mostly that's in Ypres but in WRC just the same deal. For Ypres u most go to the fast situations, long straights with some slight turns in it we call that 'waaiers' with those cars u can see there the difference between the drivers with balls and no balls . Around 35 euros is a weekend ticket.

[MrJan]

Never go to public zones made by the rally, they suck mostly that's in Ypres but in WRC just the same deal.

Not at all. Went to the Acropolis last year and all the organised spectator points were superb and you could stand right next to the stage. This was a spectator point
IMG_7043 by Jan Yeo, on Flickr

As was this:
IMG_7150 by Jan Yeo, on Flickr

We managed a few spots at Ypres that were out of the spectator areas, but as someone visiting the event for the first time we found it very difficult to find easily accessible spots where we could park and make it into the stage.

As for the historics, well I tried the official website but the information on it was crap.

[vino_93]

Never go to public zones made by the rally, they suck mostly that's in Ypres but in WRC just the same deal. For Ypres u most go to the fast situations, long straights with some slight turns in it we call that 'waaiers' with those cars u can see there the difference between the drivers with balls and no balls . Around 35 euros is a weekend ticket.

it's a bit difficult for me to find these places ... how do you find them ? I'd like to go there, but each year I fail to find the right spots.

[mousti]

Not at all. Went to the Acropolis last year and all the organised spectator points were superb and you could stand right next to the stage. This was a spectator point
IMG_7043 by Jan Yeo, on Flickr

As was this:
IMG_7150 by Jan Yeo, on Flickr

We managed a few spots at Ypres that were out of the spectator areas, but as someone visiting the event for the first time we found it very difficult to find easily accessible spots where we could park and make it into the stage.

As for the historics, well I tried the official website but the information on it was crap.

Not everywhere offcourse in Spain there weren't good also Jumps are always nice and Sweet Lamb as a spectator place is offcourse great.. But also spectator places are sometimes too crowded what makes it also difficult.

@Vino_93 watch some videos and ask them here, tommeke and some other Belgians like JieM could help u then where those places are or the sendrogne forum there are also some knowledgeable people

[Mad cat jnr]

Space for a tent in your garden Bram, and you be our tour guide? [ ]

[mousti]

There's some space in my garden, yes. For friday I could be your tour guide but saturday I'm doing TC again.

Co driving or spectating you'll enjoy the rally for sure!