The Monaco Grand Prix is well known as the blue riband Formula 1 race of the year – the glamour, showpiece event that is
the highlight of the social calendar. Yet this year it was clear that the world financial crisis was taking it toll on even Monte Carlo &ndash with the whole event very much more low-key that it has been in the past. The harbour looked quiet, with the fewer than normal big yachts &ndash dominated once again by Vijay Mallya’s Indian Empress &ndash all shunted together in the middle. Elsewhere, there were gaps here and there in the normally packed water &ndash and the boats themselves were smaller than they had been in the past. Hotel owners were claiming that there were still rooms available on the normally sell-out weekend restaurants were less busy, the roads around the principality much quieter than in recent years, and the crowds down around 25 percent on previous years. That did not stop those who did attend from having a ball of a time at what remains one of the best grand prix weekends of the season. Stars from the past turned up, including Alain Prost, Mika Hakkinen, Nigel Mansell and Jacques Villeneuve &ndash with MotoGP stars Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden enjoying a look at action on four wheels. The usual barrage of celebrities were also in town &ndash with radio DJ Chris Evans, singers James Blunt and Geri Halliwell, film director George Lucas, plus 400m runner Michael Johnson all descending on the F1 world. With bars open late, numerous parties and people looking for a good time, it is little wonder why Monaco is so loved by all. As Kimi Raikkonen said over the weekend, when asked how difficult it was to stay away from temptation at the Monaco GP: “It depends which temptation you mean!”
Only at the Monaco Grand Prix could Formula 1 team bosses choose to talk about cost cutting on board a 32 million super-yacht.