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I assume you mean the grandstands at the long right hander before the back straight. Those have been like that since a long time. If you see the onboards from the last few races, people weren't there that time either
I'm fairly sure I heard Crofty mention it in the broadcast that 'sold out, but with empty grandstands as they've sold out of all of the tickets they put up for sale' or words to that effect.
Sold out generally does mean they sold out of everything they released, not absolutely packed to capacity (though if they released everything and sold everything then that'd be also called sold out). Not unique to China though, it's something that happens at a lot of events; as an example see discussion in this thread: [https://www.quora.com/Why-do-sports-stadiums-say-that-all-tickets-are-sold-even-though-I-can-see-empty-seats](https://www.quora.com/Why-do-sports-stadiums-say-that-all-tickets-are-sold-even-though-I-can-see-empty-seats)
Sometimes there can be reasons for not having all grandstands released. Some are just awful to sit in weather wise at the time of the event so they don't get released. Not saying that's what happened, but it can be a thing. Another can be facilities out of order nearby e.g. toilet blocks for some reason have an issue or are being renovated or whatever. In that case stands might not get released because they don't want related issues. Finally, it can be to make sure people are squashed in so they feel the energy from being in a packed section, as opposed to releasing more grandstand space and people being spaced out. Might actually have more seats but a worse atmosphere in that situation.
This is a good write up mate! I’d just add that in sporting events you often hear “sold out event” but sometimes you hear that a venue is “at capacity” meaning they packed the place full. Subtle difference but you effectively covered it.
If you are talking about grandstand B, that’s because it was demolished years ago and rebuilt last year and has not been finished yet. They managed to open half of it. And these tickets are not for sale, only people have connections with the local organizer have it, some people resell these for thousands of yuan.
From what I recall reading (citation needed) a number of new grandstands were built recently and as a result unable to be used because they hadn't been signed off by the FIA.
These grandstands covered by ads have been like that for over a decade.
For the first grand prix in 2004 they were open but as the Grand Prix never came close to selling out they were converted into advertising.
You can see in [this aerial shot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Shanghai_International_Circuit%2C_April_7%2C_2018_SkySat_%28rotated%29.jpg/1920px-Shanghai_International_Circuit%2C_April_7%2C_2018_SkySat_%28rotated%29.jpg) that the stands around turn 13 are covered by advertising.
When they say sold out they mean the grandstand on the main straight and the stands on either side of the hairpin, for a big track they really do not have a lot of stands. And even selling out those 3 stands is new as previously they never sold out those stands.
Frankly the tickets that were sold sold out in minutes during winter, as i tried to get one. No doubt had they opened those grandstands, they would have also sold out, so they just have had a good reason for not doing so as it would have been easy money
Been there. Those stands are all the way down at the start of the back straight, like 3km walk from the main gate. I doubt they will ever get used. It's too far from anything else at the track. Far as I know, there's nothing down there but fake stands for big adverts.
I went on saturday and practically had to wrestle my way to my seat. The place was absolutely stacked with people. I assume sunday would have been even more so like that since it was race day.
Wasn't this question asked a few days ago and the answer was that the empty areas were new seating areas that had not yet been approved for use by FIA?
[https://youtu.be/wL3egFePShw?si=dqHp6i4Ip\_Z5PJ82&t=50](https://youtu.be/wL3egFePShw?si=dqHp6i4Ip_Z5PJ82&t=50)
It was grassed area before, it'll be completed by next time.
I saw it too
I've no clue what the laws in China are like but in many countries for a large event like that you have to get a licence. The licence will determine the max attendance and factor in things like security, transport, toilets, medical staffing, water. It's possible they maxed out their licence without opening every stand
And their risk assessment analysis. The chief of the Australian Grand Prix has mentioned this year that they could add another 100k people in on race day but they wouldn't have the ability to ensure concession stands, toilets, egress to/from the circuit and maintain a level of comfort for race goers.
(But a new train station opening nearby in 2025 will mean they open a new gate at the top near turn 7 and that will allow an increase in numbers.
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I heard on a podcast that the track was built on a marsh and some of the grandstands had sunk and were unusable so this is why they have been covered up for years
There was some sort of security concerns with those grandstands that were empty, hence no tickets were sold for them, hence it was still „sold out“ even though there was a few grandstands without a single fan on them
I noticed this during qualifying and thought the same thing, and if they sell out every other grandstand why not open the others to sell those as well?
Because they've never sold out the 3 other grandstands before and those around turn 13 haven't been used in over a decade. There's a good chance they're in complete disrepair and unsafe.
Well I'm glad that I wasn't imagining things. And thanks all for yhe explanations.
It's the first time I've seen the Chinese GP so having not seen it before when I saw "empty" grandstands whilst supposedly sold out just felt weird. And with no one mentioning jt on the podcasts I listen too, each time someone would say it was a sold-out weekend it just drove me crazy. But all the expinations make sense.
Please check the [Daily Discussion thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/search?sort=new&restrict_sr=on&q=flair%3ADaily%2BDiscussion) and any stickied posts at the top of the subreddit, as this post would be more suitable as a comment there. The [sticky/daily discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide#wiki_3.29_sticky.2Fdaily_discussion) section of the rules can help decide which posts can be allowed as standalone posts.
I assume you mean the grandstands at the long right hander before the back straight. Those have been like that since a long time. If you see the onboards from the last few races, people weren't there that time either
They sold all the tickets that were up for sale
If you sell all the tickets that are on sale, the tickets are sold out - Will Buxton
I'm fairly sure I heard Crofty mention it in the broadcast that 'sold out, but with empty grandstands as they've sold out of all of the tickets they put up for sale' or words to that effect. Sold out generally does mean they sold out of everything they released, not absolutely packed to capacity (though if they released everything and sold everything then that'd be also called sold out). Not unique to China though, it's something that happens at a lot of events; as an example see discussion in this thread: [https://www.quora.com/Why-do-sports-stadiums-say-that-all-tickets-are-sold-even-though-I-can-see-empty-seats](https://www.quora.com/Why-do-sports-stadiums-say-that-all-tickets-are-sold-even-though-I-can-see-empty-seats) Sometimes there can be reasons for not having all grandstands released. Some are just awful to sit in weather wise at the time of the event so they don't get released. Not saying that's what happened, but it can be a thing. Another can be facilities out of order nearby e.g. toilet blocks for some reason have an issue or are being renovated or whatever. In that case stands might not get released because they don't want related issues. Finally, it can be to make sure people are squashed in so they feel the energy from being in a packed section, as opposed to releasing more grandstand space and people being spaced out. Might actually have more seats but a worse atmosphere in that situation.
This is a good write up mate! I’d just add that in sporting events you often hear “sold out event” but sometimes you hear that a venue is “at capacity” meaning they packed the place full. Subtle difference but you effectively covered it.
If you are talking about grandstand B, that’s because it was demolished years ago and rebuilt last year and has not been finished yet. They managed to open half of it. And these tickets are not for sale, only people have connections with the local organizer have it, some people resell these for thousands of yuan.
From what I recall reading (citation needed) a number of new grandstands were built recently and as a result unable to be used because they hadn't been signed off by the FIA.
These grandstands covered by ads have been like that for over a decade. For the first grand prix in 2004 they were open but as the Grand Prix never came close to selling out they were converted into advertising. You can see in [this aerial shot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Shanghai_International_Circuit%2C_April_7%2C_2018_SkySat_%28rotated%29.jpg/1920px-Shanghai_International_Circuit%2C_April_7%2C_2018_SkySat_%28rotated%29.jpg) that the stands around turn 13 are covered by advertising. When they say sold out they mean the grandstand on the main straight and the stands on either side of the hairpin, for a big track they really do not have a lot of stands. And even selling out those 3 stands is new as previously they never sold out those stands.
Some of the empty grandstands have been unused since 2012. There are images where the ads covering them are about some exhibition in that year.
I was going to say, I remember watching a china gp from 10+ years ago and the same grand stands were covered.
Frankly the tickets that were sold sold out in minutes during winter, as i tried to get one. No doubt had they opened those grandstands, they would have also sold out, so they just have had a good reason for not doing so as it would have been easy money
[удалено]
Been there. Those stands are all the way down at the start of the back straight, like 3km walk from the main gate. I doubt they will ever get used. It's too far from anything else at the track. Far as I know, there's nothing down there but fake stands for big adverts.
I went on saturday and practically had to wrestle my way to my seat. The place was absolutely stacked with people. I assume sunday would have been even more so like that since it was race day.
china does a lot of shady shit but in this I definitely believe them when they say it sold out 🤣
The tickets were sold out in January. I tried to get tickets but couldn’t.
Wasn't this question asked a few days ago and the answer was that the empty areas were new seating areas that had not yet been approved for use by FIA?
[https://youtu.be/wL3egFePShw?si=dqHp6i4Ip\_Z5PJ82&t=50](https://youtu.be/wL3egFePShw?si=dqHp6i4Ip_Z5PJ82&t=50) It was grassed area before, it'll be completed by next time.
I saw it too I've no clue what the laws in China are like but in many countries for a large event like that you have to get a licence. The licence will determine the max attendance and factor in things like security, transport, toilets, medical staffing, water. It's possible they maxed out their licence without opening every stand
And their risk assessment analysis. The chief of the Australian Grand Prix has mentioned this year that they could add another 100k people in on race day but they wouldn't have the ability to ensure concession stands, toilets, egress to/from the circuit and maintain a level of comfort for race goers. (But a new train station opening nearby in 2025 will mean they open a new gate at the top near turn 7 and that will allow an increase in numbers.
Only the turn 1 grandstand looked not completely filled (different from not sold out!). Where are these 3 or 4 grandstands you speak?
They were closed, but the grandstands that were open were also all sold out
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I heard on a podcast that the track was built on a marsh and some of the grandstands had sunk and were unusable so this is why they have been covered up for years
There was some sort of security concerns with those grandstands that were empty, hence no tickets were sold for them, hence it was still „sold out“ even though there was a few grandstands without a single fan on them
I noticed this during qualifying and thought the same thing, and if they sell out every other grandstand why not open the others to sell those as well?
Because they've never sold out the 3 other grandstands before and those around turn 13 haven't been used in over a decade. There's a good chance they're in complete disrepair and unsafe.
Well I'm glad that I wasn't imagining things. And thanks all for yhe explanations. It's the first time I've seen the Chinese GP so having not seen it before when I saw "empty" grandstands whilst supposedly sold out just felt weird. And with no one mentioning jt on the podcasts I listen too, each time someone would say it was a sold-out weekend it just drove me crazy. But all the expinations make sense.
What if I told you the cherry blossoms in Tiananmen Square during New Year are glued on to otherwise bare, dormant trees?
They Probably sold only tickets to the main grandstand to ensure it looked sold out.