$1000 margin on a Paddock Club seat

With the financial and economic crisis, as well as changes in corporate governance rules, the Paddock Club, the most exclusive place during a race weekend, is experiencing less success than in the past.

To address this decline in sales, FOM recently entered into an agreement with a ticket sales specialist, Match Hospitality, which is also a long-standing partner of FIFA for World Cup ticket sales.

A new offer has been proposed since the Bahrain Grand Prix, even more exclusive than the Paddock Club itself: for three-day pass holders, it is now possible to also purchase an additional pass for a special invitation on Friday night, which allows them to dine in the paddock and have access to the Pitlane while the mechanics work around the cars.

Nevertheless, while it is possible to purchase passes directly online on the official F1 website, teams also have a reserved quota, which they can then resell to their partners. Each team obviously offers its own additional services, such as decorating lounges in the team’s and its partners’ colors, visits from drivers and team executives, or the famous prestigious gift bags.

The teams then charge this additional service at a high price since the margin can exceed $1,000 per seat. It is interesting to note that the prices charged largely depend on the event, with a significant premium for Singapore, Monaco, and Abu Dhabi. This is explained by the prestige of these events. Singapore has clearly established itself as a must-attend destination since it is the only event where the team offers a discount for early booking, a sign of the commercial appeal the City-State presents.

The Monaco event is also so popular that the Paddock Club doesn’t even offer two-day passes, while the teams prefer not to disclose their prices and handle requests on a case-by-case basis.

As for Abu Dhabi, the teams can appreciate that it is the end of the season, in a setting reminiscent of the Arabian Nights.

With the participation of www.Racingbusiness.fr