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.

Stars 'N' Bars - the Kart on the Ceiling

Stars 'N' Bars is famous as a sports bar and restaurant - you'll see Mika Hakkinen's West McClaren Mercedes MP4-15 from 2000 on a wall and here - on the ceiling, no less -  is a kart.  You'll see, if you can read upsidedown, the names of Roberto Toninello and Jules Bianchi.

Stars 'N' Bars - the Entrance

As you enter Stars 'N' Bars you'll see this counter  on the right.  One of the friendly staff will find you a table or you can have a drink at the bar. You can also buy souvenirs here.  

More tomorrow ...

Stars 'N' Bars - Follow the Arrows ...

Not sure where to go?  Follow the arrows. 

 

Stars 'N' Bars - Kate!

Everyone knows Stars 'N' Bars, the sports bar and restaurant on the port of Monaco.  It's been going since 1993 when Kate and Didier renovated an old abandoned warehouse and started serving great burgers, great music and all in a fabulous buzzy atmosphere. 

It's been closed for three months for refurbishment and is now open - and I can tell you, it's fabulous!

And if you know Stars 'N' Bars, you'll know the delightful Kate posing for us outside the new entrance.

This is a hangout of the rich and famous in Monaco and particularly the sports stars.  Let's spend a few days exploring the inside --- a Grand Prix car on a wall, walls of photographs, great bar, stunning views over the Grand Prix paddock and harbour.

Come back tomorrow ... 

Monaco Yacht Club - Dining with Friends ...

Last night I was invited to a birthday celebration at the Yacht Club of Monaco.  Happy Birthday, Casper! Very good it was too - superb food and wines - which is why this post is late!

This is my darling friend, Donald, who lives in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer chatting to Marianne who is 90.  A beautiful Danish woman - oh, to have her bone structure and energy ...

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.

The Historic Grand Prix - the Allards and the 1957 Ferrari Spider that sold for $6.5 million

Today we see the three Allards entered for the Serie C race.  The red one is a J2X built in 1952, entered from America.  The one in the smaller photo is a J2, (1950) from the UK and the last one is a J2X (1952) from Italy.

Note, (in the photo below) how close the cars are to the yachts at Port Hercule. 

And in the last photo (courtesy RM Auctions) is a 1957 Ferrari 625 TRC Spider which sold at the Classic Car auction last Saturday at the Grimaldi forum for 4.5 million euros. It's one of only two built by Ferrari. The estimate was 1.5 million euros but with two determined bidders it went up and up and up ...  Total receipts at this auction were 33 million euros.  Recession?  What recession?

1957 Ferrari 625 TRC Spider (photo courtesy RM Auctions)

The Historic Grand Prix - the Old Lady Bugatti - 1925

This is the oldest car at the Historic Grand Prix.  She's a Bugatti 39 built in 1925.  I wonder why she has her entry number painted on rather than using the round sticker you see on the car alongside. Perhaps it's because her number plate is painted on too?

The neighbouring car, by the way - painted dark blue - is a Bugatti 37A built in 1926.

The Historic Grand Prix - Denny Hulme's McLaren

Not difficult to guess what this little boy wants to be when he grows up.

He's sitting in Denny Hulme's McLaren M14A from 1970.

The Historic Grand Prix - the Shiny Red Maseratis

Two sublime Maseratis and look at the shine.  And imagine fixing the bonnet with a beautiful old leather belt.

The model in the first photo is a Maserati 4 CL from 1939.  The car in the last photo is a Maserati 6CM/4CM from 1936.

Today is race day in Monte Carlo - the 8th Historique Grand Prix. There will be 226 classic cars competing in various classes, with entries from 20 different countries including 87 Brits and 31 Americans.  And the weather, after a misty start, looks good.  Vroom, vroom, vroom ...

The Historic Grand Prix - Jacky Icks' Brabham - and a reminder on the steering wheel

Don't you love this reminder ...

This is Jacky Ickx Brabham BT26 which won the German Grand Prix in 1969 - but it looks like it has a long way to go before racing tomorrow. I'm sure though it made it. These photos were taken on Thursday - the day the officials check out all the cars to make sure they follow whatever the requirements are in their particular class.

The Historic Grand Prix - Frazer Nash Bristol and Allard

It's Historic Grand Prix time again so Monaco is filled to the brim with petrol heads - many of a 'certain age.'  The car in the main photo is a Frazer Nash Bristol but I don't know what year.  The smaller photo shows part of one row of cars on display at Port Hercule - there were four rows of cars in this same category but others (the later Ferraris, for example) are using the pit lane garages that will be used in two weeks time for the Monaco Grand Prix. The car in the last photo is an Allard from 1950. 


The cars will be racing on Saturday and Sunday. More tomorrow ...

 

Planet Solar - Going Onboard

Visits on board Planet Solar were really well organised. I queued for about an hour - about 20 people were allowed on at any one time.  We had a quick look around with various crew members telling us all about the trip.

You can see the line of people waiting to get on - and don't you love the beautiful lines of this catamaran in the third photo.

More tomorrow as go on board and get a feel how the crew lived for the nearly two years they circumnavigated the globe.

...although depending on the photos I get today we may hop to the Historic Grand Prix as I'm popping to Monaco later to take shots of those wonderful old cars and their owners.  Vroom vroom ...

Planet Solar teaches the kids

The kids, and many adults, enjoyed the teaching facility at Planet Solar.  Here children lean how solar energy gives electricity or enables a fan to turn.