F1: The Monaco Grand Prix is this Sunday
This week true jet-setting bonafides, and the world’s wealthiest converge on the terraces of Monte Carlo villas, hotels, and the fantails of mega yachts for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Preliminary action start Thursday (thought things are setting up now), the race runs through the city streets from 2:00p to 4:00p this Sunday, 29 May.
Monaco is the premier race on the Formula 1 calendar.
This street race has been held in one form or another in the Principality since Y 1929 and in modern form since Y 1950. With its 78 laps and 19 aggressive chicanes, it is the most technically demanding of any F1 race of the season.
Barring the night race in Singapore, it is the most exciting to watch, since Monte Carlo’s race emphasizes driver skill and racing car engineering more than the brute engine horsepower.
The fastest cars will complete the 2-mile lap around the Monte Carlo street course in about 75 secs (1min15secs)
Grace Kelly, Aristotle Onassis, and Elizabeth Taylor spent years attending. And now the modern set of young jet-setting notables are in attendance.
Tickets are not cheap. But they are not prohibitively expensive, either. Adults can set foot in the gallery of bleachers that rise high above the far turns of the race for as little as €71 ($79.52; children cost €24). Otherwise, pay as much as you can possibly afford, since you will get the view of the race you pay for.
The top tickets cost €2,799. That puts you in a balcony suite above the main straightaway with views of the entire racing course as far as the Sainte-Dévote Chapel.
The Formula 1 race cars will be flying past you just a few meters below the balcony ledge, as will be the starting line and Prince Albert II’s private box, where the podium ceremony happens. Champagne and amuses-bouchesare included.
Hotel rooms in Monte Carlo sell out a year in advance, and most attendants have standing reservations year to year. So if you are late to the game for this, try staying in Nice and arriving extremely early the morning of the race. The roads closed at 7:00a.
Airbnb condos in Monaco are another viable option. Or charter a small yacht for the weekend. Those boats have the prime view, and you can watch the race from the fantail or fly bridge if you wish.
If you stay in Monaco, leave your car parked and go out, walk around a and meet fun people, this is a super event, it helps if you know and can talk about motorcar racing.
This year all eyes will be on Scuderia Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, and MercedesAMG. Ferrari has not won Monaco since Y 2001, so the Scuderia is geared up with a new car for at run at the top prize, and if you are a F1 fan you know that Ferrari has a huge loyal following and always makes a big presence at the races
In individual standings, Nico Rosberg won last year for MercedesAMG. Mark Webber and Red Bull Racing won in Y 2012, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing won in Y 2011.
Look out for the teenage phenom Max Verstappen, 18 anni, who last week at the Spanish Grand Prix became the youngest F1 winner in history, the 1st Dutch driver ever to win a Grand Prix, and the youngest F1 driver to lead a Grand Prix, all in his debut for Red Bull Racing’s 1st team.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel believe he can win here at Monaco, and bring Ferrari up in the Championship standings. He has won it before, he can win it again
Stay tuned for all of the practice and qualifying updates on LTN.
Enjoy the week, and the race Sunday.
Paul Ebeling
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