Saturday, May 30, 2009
Of all the sporting events in the world, none can match the glamour and excitement of the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix.
More than just a car race, it transcends sport to become Europe’s premier sporting and social event. Even just the name conjures up images of sun-soaked celebrities, expensive yachts and even more expensive living. But this image is somewhat misleading. Monaco is far more accessible and affordable than it appears.
F1 Grand Prix weekend is definitely the best time to visit Monaco. This may go against all the advice you’ve ever heard about travelling in the off-season to avoid crowds. But it is the crowds – the spectators – who lend this event the carnival atmosphere it’s so famous for. Everyone from self-made millionaires to budget backpackers is there for the pivotal race on the Formula 1 calendar.
Even if you have no interest in motor sports, you can’t help but get swept up in the atmosphere.
The Monaco F1 Grand Prix has been held on the first Sunday after Ascension Day since its modern inception in 1950. It determines the staging of the races for the entire Grands Prix season.
There are three real options for viewing the race. You can watch it from the grandstands; this offers the best views of the race, the yachts and the giant screen televising those parts of the track you can’t see. The stands situated opposite the harbour, which run from Tabac Corner to the Swimming Pool, offer the most encompassing view. While the stands at the chicane, facing towards Tabac Corner, provide a different picture altogether and give a clearer view of how hard the drivers really work. Depending on the Grandstand, tickets can be expensive, so you may care for the next option.
You can buy a General Admission ticket offering access to Old Monaco, which is situated on The Rock and provides a bird’s eye view of the track. Your best bet is to wedge yourself firmly against the parapet and stay there for the rest of the day. It helps to be part of a larger group, because if you move from your spot for any reason, it will soon be occupied.
It also helps if you get there early as all the best spots are snapped up quickly.
An easier option with General Admission tickets is to find a shady tree on The Rock hillside, just below the parapets of Old Monaco, and enjoy the race among the Tifosi. These Italian fanatics follow Ferrari to all the European Grands Prix and are as remarkable to watch as the race itself. You can always tell how well or badly Ferrari is doing by the expression on their faces.
Watching the race from the leafy hillside requires the surefootedness of a mountain goat. However, it does offer some of the best views of the race. Just remember, no matter how strenuous it may seem climbing up, it’s getting back down that’s the challenge.