Gourmet Italian woodfired pizza on a French pebble beach whilst sipping an icy cold glass of fine Rose at sunset is how I began Monaco GP week. I revelled in the calm before the most talked about storm of the year. Many warnings had come from my fellow journos for this particularly famous event. Expect little sleep they said, as the multiple street and boat parties lure you like sirens into their menacing yet appealing arms each night.
Looking back, I can see how it may take many years to master the balance between work and play in this playground of the rich and famous. Adventure, new experiences and incredibly interesting people lurk around every corner and no two days are ever the same. Some love it, some hate it, but for me, nothing could compare to the crazy-amazing whirlwind of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Although I’d been to Monte-Carlo a few times before, the city was quite different to usual, with lines of fences and road blocks to make way for the iconic street circuit. My first impression as I strolled in the heat through the winding roads to the media centre was of a confusing maze, and one I got lost in more than once.
The paddock itself is quite tight and tiny compared to the others I’d seen this year and with the pit lane all the way across the bridge it’s no wonder it’s not a favourite of the logistics guys. What I did love was how close the extremely passionate fans can get to the action and drivers at any given time. You literally had to squeeze through a barrage of eager spectators waiting to catch a glimpse of their favourite driver dismounting their scooter every time you head for an interview. Frustrating at times, yes, but still pretty cool.
Concentrating on the task ahead of driver interviews on media day, all of a sudden my attention was snatched by a wild crowd of people running along the public fence line beside me. The cause of such a frenzy? A driver had emerged to head to pit lane. This was a common occurrence over the next five days but one I couldn’t quite get used to. Mesmerised by this phenomenon I was lucky to narrowly dodge walking into at least three poles, and that’s not the kind of pole you want to collect here with so many people watching. I’ll leave that for the boys on track. Yes, F1’s elite constantly being chased for selfies and autographs is weird but quite entertaining.
Racing on the circuit which resides within his adopted home of Monaco, I spoke briefly to Stoffel Vandoorne who seemed confident going into the weekend. “Here in Monaco I’ve been here before in GP2 and I’ve won here before so it’s a place I know.” Unfortunately the race didn’t pan out so well for him but with lots of promise it looks like McLaren are on the up.
Interview hopping the afternoon away I finished up with Daniil Kvyat in the Red Bull Energy Station who reminisced about his first time racing on streets of Monte-Carlo. “My first year driving here I went straight to Q3 so it was ok.” He also offered advice first-timers the challenging circuit which leaves very little room for error. “Just try and do as many laps as you can in FP1, FP2 and FP3 and build up to it and you will find the limit eventually. It’s no big secret the lap time counts only in qualifying and that’s where you have to be at the best, so that’s the best advice.”
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Advising Daniil it was my very first Monaco Grand Prix he offered me the kind of information I could use across the weekend. Nightlife! It included a great tip to check out Sass Café. Thanks Dani, what a guy!
Now the Red Bull Energy Station really was something else and definitely the place to be to enjoy the sunshine and the electric vibe that Monaco GP is known for. I feel like that big blue slice of heaven gave me wings when I needed them, throughout the entire week. It was my saviour when the dehydration and tiredness threatened to dull the smile on my face.
Crewed by 120 staff for the team and guests, the Energy Station is the perfect mix of classy but relaxed hospitality and entertainment. The structure itself took 21 days to build and was constructed 40 miles away in Italy. It was then transported for six hours via sea in two pieces. Weighing 800 tonnes, anchored down with 130 tonnes of weight, it’s seriously impressive.
The “floater-home” housed many celebrities and Red Bull athletes who rubbed shoulders with the ’who’s who’, both young and old. Lazing by the pool on the top deck of the mega-structure floating within Monte-Carlo harbour to watch the world’s greatest race, how could you not be loving life? It’s not where I watched the big race of course, but I would have liked to.
Come Friday, the sun warmed by body as Starlight Children’s Foundation warmed my heart. Starlight granted five seriously ill children their ultimate wish of experiencing the Monaco Grand Prix. The Starlight Wish Trip was hosted that morning by Red Bull and there I watched on as Christian Horner, Max Verstappen and an ever-smiling Daniel Ricciardo made the kids’ day, chatting F1 and signing autographs aplenty. This children’s eyes lit up and you could almost see their worries drifting away with every passing moment.
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Carlos Sainz even popped out to meet the eager fans dressed in yellow. McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes offered the same exciting experience for the Starlight kids and my respect for Daniel, Max, Stoffel, Carlos, Jenson, Lewis, Valtteri, Seb and Christian increased ten-fold by the end of the day.
“The Starlight Monaco Wish Trip was an incredible experience for our five wish children, Oliver, Rokas, Alexander, Jack and Cassie, and has given them magical memories to treasure,” said Starlight Wish Granter Hermione Ruff gratefully.
“They had an amazing four days visiting all the teams, meeting the drivers and other celebrities, as well as visiting the Paddock and Team garages. The positive focus that a Starlight Wish brings really does have a beneficial effect and helps to restore the fun and magic of childhood. We’re extremely grateful to Formula One Management and everyone in the F1™ community for making our five Starlight Children and their mums and dads feel so special and welcome.”
Ben, the father of 11-year-old Oliver who is in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, said he’s never seen his son smile so much. “The thought of the trip gave him a light at the end of the tunnel. It has been amazing to see how much Oliver has enjoyed the trip and see him do ‘normal things’ like swimming. Everyday exceeded the previous.”
With night descending, the track opened to the public and I manoeuvred my way through the quickly filling Rascasse. The fact that after each day of racing everyone spills onto the newly-formed wild bar strip to dance the night away makes this GP truly unique.
I left my jaw dragging on the tarmac as gorgeous girls dressed in very little danced on tables above hot dog stands to my left, pristine grandstands to my right. This place is crazy! And on this occasion the lure of the party was not as strong as the promise of food, bed and a surreal view of Monaco as my eyes closed….
Check back for Part 2 tomorrow // Click here to learn more about the Starlight Children's Foundation.
