Monaco GP - Help please
Discussion
I've got far too excited about this years GP Season (V. competitive championship so far, but I'll admit Hamilton is a factor) and I've decided to fulfill a lifetime ambition and I'm off to Monaco at the end of next month - Day trip flights and grandstand seats booked.
Has anyone who's been before got any tips? I'm particularly interested in:
1) Can we expect radio commentary like Radio Le Mans / Silverstone?
2) Are you pretty much assured of having a big TV in front of you if you are in a grandstand?
3) Are there big debris fences in front of the grandstands? Am thinking of photo ops.
4) How easy is it to move around town after the race (our flight isn't until 10pm after the race).
5) Do a lot of the normal bars get turned over to hospitality for the weekend? If so, do you have any tips for a good venue for lunch / post race beers?
6) Are the prices going to be more bonkers than normal (we paid EUR14 a pint at Cafe de Paris in September)
7) Anything more you can tell me - If you've been before what worked for you / what was a nightmare? I can't afford to go back next year to cover the stuff I miss!!!!
Many Thanks
John
Has anyone who's been before got any tips? I'm particularly interested in:
1) Can we expect radio commentary like Radio Le Mans / Silverstone?
2) Are you pretty much assured of having a big TV in front of you if you are in a grandstand?
3) Are there big debris fences in front of the grandstands? Am thinking of photo ops.
4) How easy is it to move around town after the race (our flight isn't until 10pm after the race).
5) Do a lot of the normal bars get turned over to hospitality for the weekend? If so, do you have any tips for a good venue for lunch / post race beers?
6) Are the prices going to be more bonkers than normal (we paid EUR14 a pint at Cafe de Paris in September)
7) Anything more you can tell me - If you've been before what worked for you / what was a nightmare? I can't afford to go back next year to cover the stuff I miss!!!!
Many Thanks
John
Its been a few years since I went but ill try and give you some answers as I did exactly the same a day trip by air with a grandstand seat in casino square.
1) I don’t think there is any radio commentary or if there is it would probably be in French. Having said that it seemed surprisingly easy to follow the what was happening, more so than any other race I’ve been to.
2) There wasn’t a big screen in front of the grandstand I was in (casino square) when I went but every year since I have noticed there has been! Not sure of the case with the other areas.
3) I was near the top of the grandstand (still close to the circuit) and I could take photos over the fencing un-obscured.
4) Straight after the race they remove the armaco and open the roads when you can walk the full length of the track – This is one of the highlights of the day.
5) Only went in I small back-street bar after the race and it seemed business as usual.
6) The drinks were expensive but no more than normal I guess.
7) I did the day trip and loved all of it! Apparently Nice airport on the Sunday evening is a nightmare so we flew to nice in the morning and after the race traveled to Genoa and returned from there, cant remember who the travel operator was but they assured us the couple of hours drive to Genoa was better than trying to get out of nice airport!
As I said this was a few years ago so thing may have changed.
1) I don’t think there is any radio commentary or if there is it would probably be in French. Having said that it seemed surprisingly easy to follow the what was happening, more so than any other race I’ve been to.
2) There wasn’t a big screen in front of the grandstand I was in (casino square) when I went but every year since I have noticed there has been! Not sure of the case with the other areas.
3) I was near the top of the grandstand (still close to the circuit) and I could take photos over the fencing un-obscured.
4) Straight after the race they remove the armaco and open the roads when you can walk the full length of the track – This is one of the highlights of the day.
5) Only went in I small back-street bar after the race and it seemed business as usual.
6) The drinks were expensive but no more than normal I guess.
7) I did the day trip and loved all of it! Apparently Nice airport on the Sunday evening is a nightmare so we flew to nice in the morning and after the race traveled to Genoa and returned from there, cant remember who the travel operator was but they assured us the couple of hours drive to Genoa was better than trying to get out of nice airport!
As I said this was a few years ago so thing may have changed.
if you have a look here: www.formula1monaco.com/Page/index.aspx?param=22
click on prices and it will show you which stands have big screen TVs
click on prices and it will show you which stands have big screen TVs
balhamlotus said:
I've got far too excited about this years GP Season (V. competitive championship so far, but I'll admit Hamilton is a factor) and I've decided to fulfill a lifetime ambition and I'm off to Monaco at the end of next month - Day trip flights and grandstand seats booked.
Has anyone who's been before got any tips? I'm particularly interested in:
1) Can we expect radio commentary like Radio Le Mans / Silverstone?
Has anyone who's been before got any tips? I'm particularly interested in:
1) Can we expect radio commentary like Radio Le Mans / Silverstone?
No idea. This year there will be kangaroo tvs for rent at each GP - you'll get live timing and scoring, video feed, and onboard cameras iirc.
said:
2) Are you pretty much assured of having a big TV in front of you if you are in a grandstand?
If you booked through the ACM their webpage shows you what each view is like when you select each grandstand:
www.formula1monaco.com/Page/index.aspx?param=22
Find your grandstand and have a look.
said:
3) Are there big debris fences in front of the grandstands? Am thinking of photo ops.
There are big catchfences at every GP, it's an FIA regulation. I think that big crash in 1955 at Le Mans scared them.
said:
4) How easy is it to move around town after the race (our flight isn't until 10pm after the race).
Very easy. If you're just flying in for the day you'll just take the train from the airport to Monaco and back again. The train station at Monaco will be crowded for a few hours after the race. If it's a nice day, I'd wander over to the public beach for a few hours and catch some rays.
said:
5) Do a lot of the normal bars get turned over to hospitality for the weekend? If so, do you have any tips for a good venue for lunch / post race beers?
Anything with a view of the track will be having a GP party and you'd need a ticket to get in, but then you wouldn't need a grandstand ticket. The place will be swarming, just find a bar and have a drink. Expect prices to be a little more than normal.
said:
6) Are the prices going to be more bonkers than normal (we paid EUR14 a pint at Cafe de Paris in September)
Shouldn't be that expensive if you don't drink in Casino Sq or the other main Sq. We found a cool place on the harbour called Miramar.
said:
7) Anything more you can tell me - If you've been before what worked for you / what was a nightmare? I can't afford to go back next year to cover the stuff I miss!!!!
Might be wise to bring a small cooler and sandwiches - the selection at the concessions is crap and expensive. You can't bring your own beer though. Take sunscreen, and ear plugs, and a hat. Enjoy, it's a blast.
edit - stupid PH modified UBB
Edited by Dr JonboyG on Sunday 22 April 20:55
Wherever you are you'll have the time of your life. 
I've posted a few pics from last year so you can see some of the layout of the stands. There are a good few screens dotted around, the biggest one is going up the hill towards Casino Square. The square itself has a good size screen and there is one just before La Rascasse and maybe near the entry/exits from the tunnel. The debris screens don't seem to obstruct the view very much and the stands tier steeply so you should get a great view.
When the race finishes the circuit reopens to traffic very quickly within the hour so you can start to move around again but it will be crazy so I would highly recommend walking everywhere. You will see much more exotica walking and save so much time. The city is built into the hillside so walking can be tiring if you are going up the hill! Get some good maps beforehand as there are public lifts dotted around allover the place which will save you lots of time and walking. 2 mins walk from the top of the start/finish straight there is a church and just behind that is the lower entrance to the train station.
Have a great time!
I've posted a few pics from last year so you can see some of the layout of the stands. There are a good few screens dotted around, the biggest one is going up the hill towards Casino Square. The square itself has a good size screen and there is one just before La Rascasse and maybe near the entry/exits from the tunnel. The debris screens don't seem to obstruct the view very much and the stands tier steeply so you should get a great view.
When the race finishes the circuit reopens to traffic very quickly within the hour so you can start to move around again but it will be crazy so I would highly recommend walking everywhere. You will see much more exotica walking and save so much time. The city is built into the hillside so walking can be tiring if you are going up the hill! Get some good maps beforehand as there are public lifts dotted around allover the place which will save you lots of time and walking. 2 mins walk from the top of the start/finish straight there is a church and just behind that is the lower entrance to the train station.
Have a great time!
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