Monaco Grand Prix: People of the World, Spice Up Your Life

The sight of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell arm in arm with the mad hatter that is Bernie Eccleston was the one thing I never expected to see tuning into the glitziest Grand Prix on the F1 calendar.

But it’s what I got! And to be fair to the girl her knowledge of the sport also kindly took me by surprise. It highlighted the reputation of the streets of Monte Carlo and of the sport itself.

With all the fraught talk of a breakaway series due to mainly Ferrari’s immature and childish ramblings the Monaco Grand Prix did much to try and repair the sports bruised ego.

Celebrities and F1 fanatics united in unison to witness the continuation of Jenson Button’s inspired rebirth of his career. Obviously some just turn up for the glamour. You can ask them what the Kers system is and they will probably respond with a silenced state of confusion and perplexed glances.

Yet the street circuit itself envelops within most a sense of fantasy becoming a reality, accompanied with the dramatics of a sporting event. To have such a glorious back drop to an F1 event allows us to appreciate the finer things in life in a time where economic crisis encompasses most of our thoughts. The aesthetics speak for themselves.

Stands were packed; the harbour was electrified into life, and for those whose budget doesn’t reach the five star hotels and yachts that the drivers themselves are use to, steep and muddy whilst at the same time homely hills above the track provided an alternative viewpoint to the weekends events. It has always been a dream of mine to become such a spectator.

They weren’t given the most entertaining of Monaco Grand Prix’s, which when you have an example such as Panis’s 96 glory is to be expected.

But the sight of the drivers actually earning their money, driving to their limits of dehydration and focused concentration, must have made it all worthwhile.

Button himself now has the title fight by the scruff of its neck and only a determined risk taker would bet against further glories. His team mates recent opinions on team orders in retrospect seem completely in need of being disregarded.

How can Barrichello expect to bring forth his views on such orders into the equation with a team mate that has dominated him to the extent he became use to as Ferrari number two.

Ferrari themselves also showed much improved progress and childish sulks aside gave food for thought as to what they should be doing provided they stay with the sport.

It is still somewhat disheartening to see BMW’s fall from grace continue however, although such an event proved to be a blessing for Force India. The unexpected issues of pace at Toyota also gave spectators a surprise to accompany Force India’s entry into the second phase of qualifying.

It was a solid weekend of sporting action overall, in what is described as the "jewel in the crown" for the F1 calendar.

The season continues to the street circuits of Valencia and Singapore as the season progresses but neither will be able to match the off track and on track events of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Jenson heads into the next race in a highly commanding position as the rest of the field continue to play catch up. As well all know the longer the domination continues the smaller the title fight becomes.

Yet at least the sport itself has benefited from a much needed confidence boost with an enticing sporting event mixed with the glitz and glamour of a Monaco racing weekend.