Infographic: Superyachts of Monaco Grand Prix
Round Six of the 2014 Formula 1™ World Championship takes us to Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix de Monaco™, held at the Circuit de Monaco.
This weekend takes us to the Grand Prix de Moanco™, the sixth race of the 2014 Formula 1™ World Championship in Monte Carlo. First held in 1929, Circuit de Monaco is arguably one of the favourite tracks not only for F1™ fans, but the drivers too.
Nico Rosberg says “Driving a Formula 1™ car there is simply fantastic and it’s an event every driver looks forward to each year.” And Daniel Ricciardo agrees: "It’s just amazing. The atmosphere in town and down at the harbour, the history of the race, the massive crowd, it’s a real buzz. The track is properly old-school. Driving an F1™ car anywhere is special – the speed, the power and the acceleration just blows you away – but here it’s…cool."
The city circuit through the winding streets of Monte Carlo is unique. Aside from the grandstands, there are hundreds of balconies overlooking the track, and superyachts lining the harbour chicane, tabac corner and the swimming pool. The harbour chicane is a favourite for overtaking, and drivers have said it's all about patience. It is known to be the most difficult circuit in Formula 1™. Due to the layout with 19 turns, it is the slowest on the calendar, and despite having 78 laps it is also the shortest overall at 260.52km.
So far 2014 has been an interesting season, with Mercedes™ overtaking Redbull™ as the top dogs from last year. Their turbo set-up maximizes the potential of the new hybrid technology and there's little any other team can do to match up to it. Lewis Hamilton is leading the driver championship, having won four consecutive races, and he will be hopeful for a fifth. Hamilton won for McLaren™ in Monaco in 2008 and this year, with Mercedes™ team-mate Nico Rosberg hot on his tail, it won't be a dull race! This year will be different though, with the new, quieter, hybrid engines making much less noise. This has created such a backlash that Mercedes™ has been testing a new exhaust system in an attempt to amplify the noise. Featured on their twitter is a picture of the new design with a flared exit.
So will the lack of noise change the atmosphere in the Principality? We doubt it, although it accounts for much of the charm of Formula 1™, especially on city circuits where the sounds thunder off buildings lining the track.
The Grand Prix de Monaco™ is still a highlight in the calendar, and for lots of reasons. No other race exudes luxury in quite the same way, and many of the drivers live (or at least own homes) in Monte Carlo, which creates a sense of rivalry for the 'home victory'. As soon as the race is over the track is cleared of debris for the massive party to commence, with bars such as Rascasse (of Rascasse corner) completely full until the early hours of the morning, and parties on board yachts all over Port Hercule, including a live set every year from Eddie Jordan's band 'Eddie and the Robbers'.
So where is the best spot to watch the race from? Well, for those lucky enough to have access to a yacht it's an unparalleled view, but that's not an option for most of us. Another coveted spot is inside the tunnel, but it's restricted to stewards, emergency crews and a handful of accredited photographers. However, you can access the tribunes on the exit of the tunnel where you'll see drivers zip through the chicane.
Sadly tickets for Monaco sell out very quickly but there are still a few options available for 2014. There are official tickets for some of the more expensive grandstands left (no general admission) and lots of Monegasque residents rent out their balconies. As these are unofficial you often have to take a chance and find one on the morning of the race. If you want a guaranteed spot, with hospitality befitting the occasion, it's better to book a package through one of the many hospitality organizers. This is usually the best option for larger groups, where you’ll have a great view from one of the many high rise buildings in Monaco with a range of options for catering and refreshments.
Are you going to be there? Let us know about your experience on Facebook or Twitter and share your photos with us. Watch out for our review after the race!
2014 PROGRAMME
Thursday 22 May 2014
06:00 Closure of track to road traffic
08:30 to 09:15 Free practice session Formula Renault 3.5
10:00 to 11:30 1st Free Practice Session F1
12:00 to 12:30 Free practice session GP2
14:00 to 15:30 2rd Free Practice Session F1
16:15 to 16:55 Qualifying GP2
17:30 to 18:15 Free practice Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup
19h00 Openning of track to road traffic
Friday 23 May 2014
07:00 Closure of track to road traffic
09:45 to 10:15 Porsche Supercup - Qualifying session
11:15 to 12:25 GP2 - First Race (42)
14:00 Opening of track to road traffic
Saturday 24 May 2014
7:00 Closure of track to road traffic
09:00 to 09:25 Formula Renault 3.5 - Stage A - Qualifying sessions
09:30 to 09:55 Formula Renault 3.5 - Stage B - Qualifying sessions
11:00 to 12:00 Formule 1 - 3rd practice session
14:00 to 15:00 Formule 1 - Qualifying sessions
16:10 to 17:00 GP2 - Start of the 2nd Race (42 laps)
19:00 Opening of track to road traffic
Sunday 25 May 2014
07:00 Closure of track to road traffic
09:45 to 10:20 Porsche Supercup - Race start (16 laps)
11:10 to 12:00 Formula Renault 3.5 - Race Start (44 mins + 1 lap)
12:30 Formula 1 - Drivers parade
14:00 Start of the 72th GRAND PRIX AUTOMOBILE DE MONACO (78 laps)
19:00 Opening of track to road traffic
NB : These schedules are likely to be modified
For further information please visit:
The official Formula 1™ site: f1.com
Official organizers, Automobile Club of Monaco: acm.com
RACE SUMMARY AND COMMENTS here
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*Berth rates courtesy of Ports de Monaco
*Average weekly charter costs courtesy of Bluewater Yachting and Fraser Yachts
*Image credits: Infographic: Fraser Yachts, LaurenRose Creative, Wikimedia Commons [1,2,3,4,5,6], Gossip Italiano, Sailing Boats Croatia, OnEdition, LittleGate Publishing, Alien2nrs, SV Zanshin, Webgarden, Epice&Spice, Grand Prix Events, Monte Carlo Daily, all via C.C. 2.0
*Image Credits :Article: Port Hercule, Monaco Race Track, Red Bull - Red Bull – Mark Webber 2010
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