JamesP

I only post in this forum so this is where I'm putting these photos. Mods, move it if necessary.

One of the benefits of living on the French Riviera for a couple of months is watching the preparations for the Monaco Grand Prix on 26 May. At the moment they are still building everything so whilst the traffic has been changed for some parts, we can still walk around and see things. The photos sort of follow the track although some may show in the opposite direction.

I've been to both the Melbourne and Adelaide races which are technically street circuits, however, nothing like this one. Even more respect for the drivers having walked all the track.

Nothing happening around the casino area yet and assume that's the last section to be completed. They have to leave room for all the supercars to park there each day...



































First one I have seen on the streets and looked to be enjoyed by the owner. Dirty windows etc showed it wasn't a garage queen out for an annual run.



And yes, I will be back there for the race, looking down from one of the apartments and hopefully sipping on champagne! Might make up for the fact my GT3 is in storage and won't get to drive it until July.

TRAKCAR

I was there last year. Awesome experience, fly to Nice and stay in Nice, take the heli to the paddock is the only way to go. I had passes for inside the pit by the pool, really was worth the trip.

ECS Tuning

I'm a little jealous, this is on my bucket list it looks like an awesome experience

wanna911

Me 2, thinking about going next year.

JamesP

Sorry, missed the last photo and problem with the link. Now fixed.

I'm living in Nice and went up last night for a party so stayed and wandered around today. Took the EUR1 bus ride instead of the heli...

P_collector

Hi James,

Thanks...superb pictures...now we want to see your cobalt blue GT3 on that track. By the way, my plan ist still to take either my GT3 3.8 or GT2 for a tour in the french riveria..Monaco would be also on the list. Would be nice if we could meet up then..in front of the casino ..

P_collector

PS: these pictures demonstrate agian what Nelson Piquet once said: "driving an F1 car in MC is like flying a helicopter in your living room"..

TRAKCAR

LOL, bucket list item to ship my car for a summer.
Maybe next summer? ;-)

Monaco GT3 story for the bored:
Last year I'm sitting with my wife at Cafe De Paris after the race.
Perfect view, we are sitting next to an orange Spyker while listening to Victor Muller yapping to his entourage while we watch people and one multi milion car after the other roll by and quickly the valet fills up at the Casino.

Bugatti, yawn. Ferrari emberrasingly bla, a few people pointed at a 70's Rally Porsche complete with dirt and mud all over it.

All of a sudden you hear REALLY loud (Way louder than the Ferrari's blipping the throttle) a flat 6 coming up the hill, he must have let a gap drop because he got some speed going..

Here comes a green .1RS with clubsport package green bar and everything. Everyone stops and looks. They move a Rolls and park the RS there. Immediately there was a crowd around the car, at least 4x more people than around the Spyker that was standing there in the middle of the street blocking traffic and demanding attention!

Made me smile big :-)

MishaDesigns

Tight and curvy.

(I know, that's what she said.)

ZAMIRZ

James, I was there about the same time a couple years ago. Had to leave mid-week just a day before Practice 1 . It is indeed a monumental amount of work they put into the setup for the Grand Prix.

TRAKCAR, I as well, have great memories of being in the Casino Square while cool cars came and went like it was no big deal. Although the guy is annoying in this video, it is Monaco in a nutshell. Guy comes out of the casino and hops in his Enzo and takes off with a cigarette hanging from his lips. Joie de Vivre.

DreamCarrera

Great pics...thanks for posting these James.

JamesP

It was just the normal run of the mill cars outside the casino as I walked by a couple of times. If you call two McLaren's either side of a Bentley normal. Except for the 959, the Porsche count was ordinary. Just stock 991 Carreras, Panameras etc. There was a 356 with Targa decals on it and sounded like it had come straight off the track. Went for the iPhone video rather than camera and pushed the wrong button! Awesome sound as he pulled away from the building entrance and up the street.

I was happy to get this without the all the people posing and about half a second to frame, focus and click, even if it is the wrong brand.

brake dust

Great pics. Who pays for the set up of the track? With the Monoaco GR being such an important/iconic event, wouldn't surprise me if the FIA picks up the bill instead of the government.

pissedpuppy

anyone been to the night race in Singapore?

M3EvoBR

Have fun James,

Don't come back with tons of pics and videos, I'm waiting for your come back ... let's have a barbecue and install day