Monaco GP Weekend Trip - I Triple Dog Dare You!

[Fugly M3]

So, I’m sitting at home last Thursday and I see friends I met on a BMW Ice Experience in Sweden are in Monaco for the GP. Mother-son team, Dawn and Keane, are major car folk who own a driving school in Dallas, Texas (Skills Driving - www.skillsdriving.com - worthwhile stuff and a shameless plug) and do all sorts of cool trips. I said gee, thanks for the invite. They said free lodging if you get your @$$ here. I waffled for a little bit. Dawn calls me a p***y. I said that's a dare, done! I’ll be on a plane tomorrow afternoon!

About $5k later on flights and tickets and I'm in cattle class Friday afternoon to Nice via Frankfurt. Plan was to arrive in Nice at 1:20 Saturday afternoon, train at 2:12 PM to Monte Carlo station arriving 2:41 PM, bag drop and then pick up tickets and qualifying starts at 4! Nuts! Beyond Nuts!

A few summary shots below.

[Fugly M3]

The qualifying gods had different things in store for me as the trip started off kind of bad. Lufthansa was 2 hours delayed out of LAX…that meant changed connection and missing quali. Ended up at the very rear of the plane. Great convo though with a new college grad but boy was it shit…see the bare feet beneath me. The full bore economy experience.

[Fugly M3]

Arrival Day – Saturday

Was able to score a pod at the Frankfurt myCloud transit hotel for 89 euro for 3 hours. Clutch. Set off fire alarm trying to steam wrinkles out of my shirt in shower. Full fire brigade of Germans shows up with their usual gruffness. Traveling with only a backpack here and trying to hit the ground running in Monaco.

Lufthansa was late again to Nice but I made it to Monaco before 8 just in time for dinner. PJs on the Nice runway were nuts! We squeeze in at a nice little Italian place where hosts Dawn and Keane have already been because food is fantastic, plentiful and Dawn had a connection to the restaurant owner via automotive artist Kevin Paige (www.kevinpaigeart.com - another shameless plug), who’s been going to Monaco and getting commissioned work for years. Dinner was plentiful and it gave me a chance to pick some good wine. Starting, of course, with a rosé.









Yes, I took a photo of a busted out Fiat Panda...below!









The best part…Zhou Guanyu is over at the table in the corner with his handlers. Keane and I were trying to snap photos and then Dawn just decides to do a little hand-written note asking for photo on post-it and have the waiter give it to him. Still pays to carry a pen I guess, as he very graciously obliged. We were able to get a quick shot with him as he left. Super chill guy.






After dinner, we wandered about the town looking at the scene…definitely not scening the look. ��

Some cool cars…the large and small of Mercedes’ range, a well parked Porsche Macan and a bunch of fancy shhhhh. Then the modern art…a piece of fencing just laying up against more fencing. ��

[Fugly M3]

Started coffee and pastries enjoying the view from the deck of the flat Dawn and Keane had rented in Beausoleil – about 100 yards from Monaco.

We left around 11, parted ways and I walked over to get my ticket. I was worried about this but it was easiest process in the world. I then went roaming around the port part of town and had some lunch where I, of course, had some more rosé and chatted with a Brit enthusiast called Richard at lunch for about an hour and got to the stands just at the tail end of driver’s parade but a fair amount walked in front of us, including both Ferrari drivers. Lots of cool cars about town before and after race.













I was in the third row of section V which is just after Rascasse looking into entrance of pit lane and a small glimpse of the start of the main straight where we could see the DRS wing opening. I got a great video of Stroll’s tire flying off entering pit lane that I attached a screenshot of. I got home last night and I was actually on TV during the announcer lead up – which I expected, but I’m just a blob of a fan in the background. Keane actually got Carlos’ lockup on a really cool video. Snapshot also attached.



Great people in the stands…the Tifosi were of course super excited. Sat next to Kiwis and Americans…good convos, bucket list item for all. I am a Max fan – inviting hate here – but more of a Ferrari team fan, so I was satisfied. The emotion and feel of the town to have Charles win was completely electric.

More wine – including rosé and massive meal followed. Then a race up the pictured stairs!

[Fugly M3]

Today was a rosé all day beach day! We got a taxi back to nice where Dawn and Keane had an Airbnb right near old town in a small building on Rue Napoleon where Napoleon allegedly spent tons of time in the garden whilst still a Sargent. I found us a great pizza place where there was a chance for more rosé. After lunch, I splurged on new shades and pounded an ice cream.



















Since I hadn’t had a workout before leaving and I’m a bit of a junkie, we went to the beach where I had a nice 2km or so swim – yes my goggles were included in the backpack only packing list. We then hung out on the beach in a pay-for waterfront service bar/restaurant which was great because they had rosé.









Got cleaned up and had a phenom dinner at highly rated “Le Frog,” where I did try frog legs. Not bad, but not much me! Rest of the meal was top of the mark! Paired with some rosé, duh.

[Fugly M3]

Woke up and had quite possibly the best croissant I’ve ever had – piping hot, crusty on the outside and the softest buttery goodness with in. Did a last bit of wandering around old town Nice before heading to the airport to start the journey home. Outstanding views of the Riviera from above en route to Zurich and a great lounge at Zurich. Swiss was early – finally someone was!























Overall, one of the best experiences you could have at an F1 race. Super easy to get around everywhere on foot provided you’re staying in Monaco or Beausoleil, as we were. Wouldn’t want to do the train thing in and out of Nice. That was a complete zoo. Thanks to Dawn and Keane for the invite and for putting up with me.

[Murf the Surf]

On my bucket list. Was well in the planning for my 60th birthday (which is race weekend) and then Covid. Now planning for my 65th in 2 years.