Membership-only wholesale warehouse chain Costco have raised eyebrows among the Formula 1 community, after it emerged that they are bizarrely selling tickets to the upcoming Austin Grand Prix.
For many fans, getting tickets to a grand prix to watch your favourite drivers in action race around the track is a life-long dream.
Going through the official F1 channels or the race organiser’s website is often your best bet of getting access to a race weekend.
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Yet for some fans with a Costco membership, they would have got a bit of a shock as they walked up and down the winding aisles of their local branch.
On their way to buy countless numbers of loo roll, enormous tubs of mayonnaise or even a wide-screen TV, shoppers in the USA would also have seen tickets for the upcoming Austin Grand Prix being sold.
A number of fans took to social media to express their concerns about the move – some wondering whether the race is struggling for sales, and others concerned that the prices are comfortably higher than the baseline for NASCAR tickets.
In fact, Costco are also selling them online, with a ‘Grounds Pass’ three-day ticket costing $349.99 (£275.63).
In case someone is wondering how F1 is doing in the US.
They are selling tickets at Costco 😂 pic.twitter.com/gklk6LTx56— Stefanie (@fastpitstop) August 4, 2023
And although fans won’t get a guaranteed seat in one of the coveted grandstands across the race weekend, they will have access to the track at some of the most exciting corners, including turns 1 and 2.
What Is Costco?
Well, in their own words: “Costco is a membership warehouse club, dedicated to bringing our members the best possible prices on quality brand-name merchandise.
“With hundreds of locations worldwide, Costco provides a wide selection of merchandise, plus the convenience of specialty departments and exclusive member services, all designed to make your shopping experience a pleasurable one.”
And with the latest addition of tickets to F1 races also hitting their shelves, it seems as if they are indeed providing a wide selection of goods.
So should you find yourself with a Costco membership card in the near future, keep your eyes peeled for a possible chance to snap up some tickets to a grand prix near you.
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