Bernie Ecclestone is not harbourside this year — he was at home in rain-soaked Gstaad when I spoke to him — but he summed up the magic of Monaco thus: ‘When someone new wants to hold a race they always promise, “We’ll do this better than Monaco”. It is seen as the gold standard.
‘When people wanted to go to one race, they’d pick Monaco.’
I can see why looking over the sun-kissed harbour, hundreds of boats bobbing in the Principality for which clichés were invented.
Among the questions I most often get asked, such as what is Lewis Hamilton really like, comes which is your favourite race? I was told a rule of thumb when I started on the Formula One journey: if it starts with ‘M’ it’s a good one. Monza, Montreal, Melbourne and, obviously, Monaco.
It is a good theory even if Montreal has lost some of its allure, given there are many other good city venues now whereas when I started there were not so many, plus hotel prices have spiralled into orbit and waiters expect a country estate as a tip for being so competent as to not spill your burger on your lap.
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The Monaco Grand Prix is back as F1 returns to the setting of its most glamorous event
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A shot taken over the Monaco street circuit shows off the glitz, glamour and tight street circuit
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Bernie Ecclestone is not harbourside in Monaco this year but summed up the magic of the GP
