MONACO GRAND PRIX RACE
Speed is Formula One on the Boulevards of Monte-Carlo
Monaco
that magic name – a magic place – the little principality
on the azure coast - James Bond betting at the Casino,
Princess Grace, the Monaco Grand Prix. The FI Grand Prix of Monaco holds
a special place in the hearts those who love auto racing. For those of
a certain age, the crash scene at the chicane in the 1966 motion picture “Grand
Prix” with James Garner’s car crashing into the harbor is
imbedded in the synapses of the brain. That scene was based on the real
crash in 1955, when Alberto Ascari went into the harbor in his (Alfa),
a week before the Italian great was killed in a test at Monza. Spectacular
crashes raely happen at Monaco anymore, the racings scene just gets more
fabulous every year.
Dates for 2017 Monaco Grand Prix May 25 to 28
The
first Grand Prix in Monaco was held in 1929. The route hasn’t
changed much since the first race. The safety barriers, the cars and
the crowds have. When the Grand Prix comes to town, Monaco is transformed
into one of the largest temporary stadiums in the world. The tunnel along
the mediterrarian has lengthened since early days, two chicane turns
have been added. And the last turn at Rasgasse before the cars head
back toward the finish line has changed shape, making a turn around
the small
bar where you can get a drink and after the race and now infamous for
Michael Schumacher’s stall on the last lap of the 2006 race. You
can still see the older cars race in the streets every other year at the
Hicstocis races (see Monaco
GP Historique).
RACE VIEWING
The Monace Grand Prix is organized by the Automobile Club of Monaco the ACM. Seating for viewing the race over a 4 day weekend in May is in a massive array of stands, from the balconies of condos and hotels around the track, more expensive and hard to get (unless you get yourself invited to someone’s GP party). The private balconies rent out for the weekend from around 8,000 to 140,000 Euro! The owners advertise in the International Herald Tribune and the Nice Monaco Matin newspapers if you have a lot of loose change in your pocket.
TICKETS - BEST SEATS
If
ten grand is a little to rich for you, ordinary race tickets can be
ordered directly from
the ACM (Auto Club
of Monaco) starting as early as November or online from UK based BookF1.
Tickets are also available at ticket booths around the track during
the race event. Prices are
from 90 Euro to more than 500 Euro for the better seats. The best seating
sections are A1, A4, V, Z1, Z2 and O. Scalpers will
also be selling tickets on the street, but buyer beware. Restaurants
and hotels around the
race course offer special lunch menus that include
watching
from
their
terraces, so you can eat while snapping your neck at the cars screaming
by. But get an early reservation and prepare for a very expensive lunch.
You might have better luck during practice sessions than the race itself
getting a reservation. Some of the restaurants are almost exclusively
booked for hotel guests.
HOTELS
Hotel rooms for the Monaco Grand Prix are usually booked out, often every year by regulars. You should try to reserve at least six months or more ahead if you want to stay in Monte Carlo and prepare to pay. If you want a track view and have the serious bucks the Fairmont Hotel has hospitality views of the hairpin and offers several packages. The Hotel Metropole is offering 3 Night and 4 Night Packages (starting about €6,900).
If you don't have a high-roller budget, stay in Nice or Menton or other nearby Cote d'Azure riviera towns and take the train. The fare is about 6 Euro from Nice and you can get a day or weekly pass from the SNCF at the rail station. Don’t try to drive to the race, you might as well try to park on the moon. Busses run along the coast towns and there is a ferry boat from St. Jean Cap Ferrat. (See also Nice Bargain Hotels and Monte Carlo Casino)
GP Tickets and Info Monaco Grand Prix
Search for best deals on Monaco Hotels
TOURS
There are a number of tour operators providing FI race event packages.
U.S. based Racing Tour operators
GP
Tours is
based in Newport Beach California and offers packages to not only Formula
One but other racing events around the world, which include party events
with race personalities. ToursF1 is
based in Florida.
Race Tour operators
in Monaco
First Class Organisation ,
Miti EVOLUTION 21 , Incentive
Concept , and Sprint
Monaco hospitality companies are
all officed on Boulevard Albert 1er (the street where the start finish
line is located) near the Automobile Club of Monaco headquarters. Monaco
Auction also offers
exclusive
F1 packages to premiere properties on an auction basis and not only
for the race but year round. © Bargain
Travel Europe
Find
deals and travel packages in Monaco
on TripAdvisor
Find Nice and Menton Hotels on Travelocity
These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
SEE ALSO:
FORBIDDEN
MONTE-CARLO
Monaco Grimadi Palace Secrets
WARM
NIGHTS ON THE BAY OF THE SUN
Laigueglia - Romantic Hideway on the Italian Riviera
MAGNY-COURS
RACE TRACK
Racing, Karting and Formula One memories in the Loire
