Monaco has long been one of the most respected circuits on the Formula 1 calendar, not only for the extreme technical difficulty of the track but also the extravagance, beauty and glamour by which the fans and citizens of Monte Carlo live. It is the ultimate in what is commonly referred to as a lifestyle of excess and lavishness. Multi-million dollar yachts, exclusive clubs and restaurants, and a night life second to none make the small island country a hot spot for the rich and famous.
On May 25th, the F1 circus once again touches down in the breath-taking city of Monte Carlo for the 2008 running of the Grand Prix de Monaco. I'm reminded of a young up-and-coming photographer who got to experience the sights, smells and sounds of Monte Carlo firsthand and in a way that most people do not. Please note that the following contains sexual situations. It's a fantastic story, but you've been warned.
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La Rascasse restaurant faces out onto the penultimate turn before the start/finish straight. I don't know what the food's like, but try getting a table over a race weekend -- you'll find the Eurotrash beat you to the reservation by about twelve months.
A high fence protects the diners from flying tyres and suspension bars, in case of an accident. Men sit at tables and drink champagne, and girls stand pressed against the fence, with their fingers poking through. The men watch the girls. The girls have arms so slender that (if they could stand to risk such slender arms) they could reach through the chain links and touch the carbon fibre bodywork of the cars as they pass by.
Over on the other side of the track, on the outside of the turn, there is a small grandstand. This, by contrast, is one of the least desirable spots to follow the Grand Prix. Here you see the Rascasse corner for what it is: a slow corner, with no real view of the cars' approach or retreat. The grandstand spectators won't see an overtaking move, unless it is the passing of a backmarker. They won't see a bounce over a chicane, or a feint left, or a jink right, or a late brake. Instead, they will see an unvarying procession of high-speed vehicles moving at a sluggish pace, and they will see the diners at Rascasse.
Finally, there is a narrow strip between La Rascasse and the grandstand. No-man's land as far as the public is concerned, the strip runs the entire length of the Monaco circuit. It is there to service the race marshals and medics and fire crews and journalists. It also allows drivers who have crashed their ride to walk back to the paddock.
To stand here, you must first sign a piece of paper that says you take full responsibility for any harm that befalls you in this exposed position. Only an Armco barrier separates the strip from the track itself. Lean against the low metal guard, and be warned that if a car so much as clips the Armco the force of the vibration could break your ribs.
This is where I stood: a safe step back from the Armco, my back to the grandstand, facing the track and La Rascasse.
La Rascasse. The guys watching the girls watching the cars pass by.
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