TravelNotes.org - The Online Guide to Travel.

Travel-Write.com: The Monaco F1 Grand Prix

About Travel Notes™ Budget Travel City Guides Countries Feedback Travel Photos Travel Videos Travel Writing

Car Hire Cruises Flights Hostels Hotels RTW Tours Vacations Weather Where To
Search The Web Travel-Write.com: Submit an Article - Travel Blogs - Travel News - Travel Writers - Writers Guidelines..
Subscribe to Travel-Write.com - Travel Articles Travel Notes: Travel Articles: General: The Monaco F1 Grand Prix

Travel Writers - Writing About Travel

Glorious sunshine, gleaming white yachts, and Lacoste a lot t-shirts on suntanned bodies, this small Mediterranean principality closes its streets and opens her heart to you.

Welcome to the Grand Prix of Monaco.

The Principality of Monaco

Unashamed wealth lines the streets, with designer clothes and luxurious cars equivalent to the average mortgage. The Grand Prix is best followed on television, but to really feel the atmosphere, this is the place to be.

Luxury Yacht with helicopter in Monaco harbour - copyright Travel Notes.

Catching the rays on the deck of a yacht..... The gentle lapping of the waves is drowned by roaring, high-powered engines going through their paces. The atmosphere is warming up, and the distinct aroma of burning compounds fills the air.

Slight traces of fuel vapour drift up to the otherwise cloudless blue sky. Saturday is the final practice day, as the drivers battle for pole position.

With only 20 starting places on the grid available - due to the hazards of fast-paced, formula one machines, racing through the narrow streets around the Casino - there are losers before the start.

Watching the Grand Prix

Watching the Grand Prix in Monaco can be tricky, as even tickets for the practice days go quickly!

The helicopter arrival of Prince Rainier and his family forge regal links with the race; Princess Stephanie even named her swimwear collection Pool Position.

The tribune along the start-finish straight is considered by many to be the best; where you could even sneak a peak at Princess Stephanie urging on her favourites - many of the Grand Prix drivers have homes in this tax-free haven.

Around The Circuit

Another exciting tribune is at the first curve. As the lights turn, front grid drivers step on the gas to get the tightest line first. Even Michael Schumacher's race was ended here one year.

Then it's a long, climb uphill; yet the drivers reach the top almost as fast as they've clicked through the gears.

There are seats along here, although you'll never get a good picture, unless you're an expert with the pan. This is a place to feel the raw energy of the racing machines in your eardrums.

A quick left, and then a right-hand swing around the Casino. The tribune here is a great place for some palm trees and ocean backgrounds in your shots.

At the Casino you can also book a table for a race day menu with ice-cold champagne, or if you have a room at the Hotel de Paris, look down from the balcony.

The cars descend towards the Mirrabeau curve, where Michael Brundle once had a car go over his head, and coolly said that it was one way to find out which tyres the driver was using.

There are shops and restaurants along here that offer places at a price too.

How about watching the flames shoot out of the exhaust? At this tribune, that's what you'll see as the cars reach the Mediterranean and enter the slightly curving tunnel.

Tunnel access is only for stewards, emergency crews, and lucky photographers with accreditation.

Wherever you are, you will see agency photographers walking the course during the race. They will be lucky to get an incident, but they are working on the unique scenery pics that make the Monaco Grand Prix so special.

Feel the force as the drivers come out of the tunnel, and watch them manoeuvre through the chicane.You're right by the marina at these tribunes, and can even watch the party people getting drunk on their yachts. Every year someone goes overboard.

Past the moorings, the drivers cruise along the harbour road and around the open air pool (the majority of tribunes are here); slowing right down for the Virage de la Rascasse then gearing themselves for the home straight acceleration, (or previously) a visit to the pits.

The standing area on the rock-face of La Pelouse affords a superb view of the most scenic race track in the world, but transferred onto film the cars may look minuscule in the frame; unless you have telephoto equipment.

There's always an opportunity for some candid photography though.

As well as a few memorable pictures, you'll get a roasting tan over the long weekend. For some of us, this is called work.

Each night the circuit is opened and people can drive around the streets in their own Ferrari cabriolets; though 30kmh is the speed limit for you.

Whether it's Luis Crystal Roederer - the King of Champagnes - on ice, or Heineken in a can, the Monaco flavour remains the same; even the Germans sing out the Grand Prix toast in an almost French accent: Prost!

Formula One Travel:
Combining major sporting events, like Forumla 1, with travel plans appeals to many. If you're like me, you might want to visit a Grand Prix race or two on your travels. So, with one eye on the F1 calendar, I've done the research for you.

By Michel.

Related Links

Monaco Travel Notes:
Additional travel links to get you on your way to the Principality in the South of France.

Regional Directory - Search The Web.

Travel Notes Hub

Donations Greatfully Received

Search City Hotels

Search 1800-Hostels

 

Travel Articles

Join the founder of Travel Notes on Facebook Connect With Travel Notes

Car Hire Cruises Flights Hostels Round-The-World Specials Tours Vacations Weather
Travel Notes Index: Travel-Write: General: The Monaco F1 Grand Prix - Toolbar

Travel Notes on Twitter