The Monaco Grand Prix from Above

Sometimes it is hard to explain the fascination of watching rich people drive around in circles, and the Monaco Grand Prix is definitely not the best entry into the world of Formula 1. The Monaco GP is an unusually boring race, since the narrow streets of the city make overtaking, the most interesting aspect of racing (apart from maybe crashes), virtually impossible. However, watching a race via TV or live are completely different experiences and when I worked in France last year (Read more) I took the opportunity to watch the Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious Grand Prix live.

Buying a ticket for a spot on one of the grandstands is prohibitively expensive, but there is another option. We travelled from Antibes by train to Cap d’Ail, one station before Monaco-Monte Carlo, (I went from Antibes because I lived there, but that was fortunate because the train was already completely full and did not take any more passengers from Nice). Cap d’Ail is a smaller place of Côte d’Azur mansions and nice beaches, and it also provides access to hiking trails in the mountains. We went up the Tête de Chien (literally dog head) on a nice hike (ca. 1.5 hours). This mountain overlooks all of Monaco and provides lots of viewing opportunities for the race. The sound of the engines was loud enough to still be oppressive at the top. There we were only joined by a few dozen people, including an official F1 photographer. I also brought binoculars, which made it possible to clearly see the cars, the grandstands and the paddock.

The race itself was predictably boring, after an early crash and red flag no more pit stops were necessary, and the rest of the race was only a procession of drivers trying to drive as slow as possible. At least the result was satisfying, with Charles Leclerc being the first Monegasque driver to win the race. So we missed nothing by not being able to follow everything as in the broadcast, yet I think we got the best possible experience for the Monaco GP. We descended on the side of the city while the race was still ongoing and got back on a train afterward, somehow getting a spot in a very crowded car.

This year’s Monaco GP is tomorrow, and since I am back in Germany, I will sadly not climb the Tête de Chien this year. But I would recommend the hike and the experience to everyone who happens to be in the area.