Monaco Grand Prix
GOAT and GOATS
I'm a fan of F1. Not the most fanatical, but I often watch, with great pleasure.
The GOAT of Grand Prixs must be the Monaco Grand Prix.
As for the Goat of F1 will you allow me a small objective note:
MR. 44
When I was a kid I used to watch races with Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. But my weakness is just one guy.
I consider Lewis Hamilton one of the greatest legends of our time, not only because he is definitely the Goat in F1, but mainly because he uses his influence in many ways to steer things in the right direction. And that alone would be enough to admire him indefinitely.
THE BEST THING ABOUT MARSEILLE
I spent 2 months of my life in Marseille, in difficult conditions. Although I gained unique experiences during my stay there, I can't say I had a good time. In fact, when people ask me, I say that the best things I did there were the long hike in Calanques and my visit to Monaco.
“Monaco always takes me back. I raced here for the first time when I was 19, in Formula 3, and I couldn’t believe I was finally here.”
ONE OF THE THREE
The Monaco GP is one of the most significant races in the world. Actually it is part of motorsport's Triple Crown (along with the Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans). The race is 78 laps between 19 turns in the heart of the principality. Here is also the home of the iconic Monte-Carlo Casino, the yacht-filled harbor and also the actual home for Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas and more.
We've all seen Monaco on our TVs somehow, but I think nothing prepares you for what you're looking at. It looks like a paper exercise by some imaginative architect or urban planner. It is essentially a steep Mediterranean slope with countless skyscrapers on such steep terrain that two roads are often joined by elevators for pedestrians!
SUPERCARS? NAH
It goes without saying that you see supercars everywhere all the time, but surprisingly not only. In the few hours I stayed I saw brands and types of cars I'd never seen before, but I speak the truth when I say this was the least dazzling thing to see in the city-state.
Proud for no reason.
The architectural oddity is the first thing that struck me, coupled with the unique landscape. It's very foreign to a Greek, like me, to see a sharp mountain going down to the sea and instead of having 1-2 small houses, there are so many towering behemoths crammed in. I even came across a Japanese garden somewhere!
What fascinated me, of course, were the streets of Monaco. The same roads that are probably the greatest F1 circuit since 1950.
I crossed it once on foot and twice by car.
Magic.
Unfortunately, as I've already explained, I didn't have any cameras with me so these are just pictures of the old iPhone SE.
