Monaco Grand Prix - a seat in the stalls ...

If you are in Monaco today - Grand Prix time! - this is one of the places from which you might decide to watch the race.  We're in Casino Square - the cars whizz up from the port, past where you are sitting and on down to the hair-pin bends of Loew's Casino.  The concave/convex mirror is called Sky Mirror by Anish Kapoor and is reflecting the casino building.

Monaco Grand Prix - Not a Ferrari!

This looks a good way to get around Port Hercule at Grand Prix time.

Grand Prix - Fencing and Ferraris

Even the Casino is fenced off at Grand Prix time.  Of course it doesn't stop the obligatory Ferrari being parked in front of its doors.

Grand Prix - Fenced in

Almost Monaco Grand Prix time - next weekend. And so Monaco is encased in its ring of steel. Here the Cafe de Paris on the left and the Casino in the distance are fenced in with gates for people to walk through.

Grand Prix Historique de Monaco - Alfa-Romeo Tipo B (P3) - 1934

This is the Alfa-Romeo Tipo B (P3) made in 1934 - it won the A class race. What a beauty!

Clouds hung low over the Principality on Thursday but it didn't detract from the beauty of the cars. And always such a great atmosphere at the 'historique' with everyone happy to chat, mechanics and owners alike.

Grand Prix Historique de Monaco - Ferrari!

Red! Mostly Ferraris from the 1950s although the car in the foreground is a Maserati.

Monaco Grand Prix - No Pedestrian Crossing

Preparations for the Monaco Grand Prix means the road, which of course becomes the race track, has been re-surfaced - hence these school kids are walking across a pedestrian crossing that at the moment isn't!  You can see where the lines have been drawn to eventually paint in the white zebra stripes.

Monaco Grand Prix - Ferrari reflection

It's a bit of a grey day in Monaco, so here is some Ferrari red to cheer us up.  This guy is one of many Ferrari workers, cleaning-up after the Monaco Grand Prix.

Red Bull

One side of the Red Bull hospitality area and heavy cloud on the mountains ... where is summer?

Monaco Grand Prix reflections

If you going to show up in a reflection, best choose Ferrari red hospitality to frame you.  As you see, it's in the process of being dismantled following the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend.

Monte Carlo Daily Photo is back ... with Ferrari Red

Well... it looks like Monte Carlo Daily Photo is back!  For how long, I don't know, but I missed it! And work on my book continues regardless.  Time management would appear to be the answer ...

Last Tuesday, I had to go to Monaco and as I'm incapable of going anywhere without a camera, here goes ...
 
The Monaco  Grand Prix is over and the clean up is underway. So, come with me and see what happens.  This as you can see is part of the Ferrari hospitality area on the port - in the area known on race day as the Paddock.  You don't get in here unless you pay a lotta money.   Don't you love that everything, including these guys, are in Ferrari red ...

See you tomorrow ...

Grand Prix de Monaco - the Back of the Stand

If you get bored looking at the pit lane, you can turn around and look at the boats ... not that any Formula One fan would, of course ...

Grand Prix de Monaco - the Pit Lane Stand

Monaco is wearing her usual mantle of steel as she prepares for the Monaco Grand Prix which takes place on the 26th May.  Here you see the stand that faces the pit lane.  Behind this stand is Port Hercule.  We'll see a photo of the other side tomorrow.

Monaco Grand Prix - the Twizy

This tiny Renault electric car, the Twizy, can be seen on the Monaco roads - somewhat smaller than the Formula One cars we saw yesterday ... but with one thing in common, they each accommodate only one person.  Renault's answer to the Smart, I suppose.  

Congratulations to Mark Webber - 2nd Monaco win! 

Monaco Grand Prix - Vroom vroom ...

It's race day in Monaco which is abuzz with excitement - who will win? 

This photo was taken at the Historic Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago but it seemed suitable for today even if it is a much older version of today's cars - and a little smaller!

Have a great day everyone and enjoy the race.

Vroom vroom ...

Monaco Grand Prix - Take the Train

If live or are staying outside Monaco, the easiest way to get to the Monaco Grand Prix is by train.  Forget driving - you'll never find anywhere to park.

Once off the train, all you have to do is check your Stand ticket, look at the sign and follow the relevant arrow.

Qualifying today ...

Monaco Grand Prix - the Stands

If you are a Formula One fan you can't but be excited as you enter the stands - massive steel structures that, from this viewpoint, mask the harbour.  The stand in the smaller photo faces the pit lane (its back to the sea) and the third photo gives you an idea of the security involved - this is the base of the long stand that faces the harbour, just before the swimming pool.

Stars 'N' Bars - Mika Hakkinen's McLaren Mercedes

With the Monaco Grand Prix on this weekend, let's get in a racing frame of mind with Mika Hakkinen's West McLaren Mercedes MP4-15 2000 car which is fixed to a wall in Stars 'N' Bars. I didn't have a wide-angle lens with me, hence you see only the middle of the car!

There's no better place in Monaco to get in the mood for motorsport than Stars 'N' Bars - so many of the drivers go there.

The Historic Grand Prix - The Decorated Gordini

This decorated car is a Gordini T11/15 built in 1947.  Seems a sacrilege to me that a beautiful old racing car should be painted like this but perhaps other people don't agree.  It certainly stopped me in my tracks!

(Thanks so much to Jean-Michel who informed me the art is by Patrick Moya, a well-known local artist.)

The Historic Grand Prix - Make Do and Mend ...

 
A finger of grease, duct tape and pink kitchen roll all seem essential in the world of Classic Cars.