Frankly Frankl - From Monaco Qualifying Day - Frankly Frankl-life, luck, love and automobiles

Many of you will have seen Daniel Ricciardo clinch pole position for today’s Monaco Grand Prix. This was expected. What we did not expect was that his team mate Max Verstappen would stuff the Red Bull into the barrier two hours before qualifying. The British lads who work for the team are probably the finest in the World but even they could not repair Max’s car in time. Of course Max’s loss is our gain, starting from last he will have to produce  a miracle to get on the podium.

F1 is full of young, hungry drivers such Leclerc and Ocon and they will be fighting their own race so letting Max pass is the last thing on their minds.

The start will be interesting because as you all know the first corner at St Devote has been tricky at the best of times so with three tigers from three different teams-Ricciardo, Vettel and Hamilton one of them could exit after a few hundred yards and seek solace as St Devote is under normal circumstances a beautiful church.

Monaco is not completely full, probably because it is very expensive to be here unless you are a sponsor or a sponsor’s guest. Or get a special rate at a hotel after 35 years  such as your reporter.

The new owners are trying very hard and I must say that their TV coverage, especially the instant replays are quite brilliant.

Would go as far as to say that unless you have plans before and after the Monaco GP-maybe a trip to the Ferrari factory- staying at home with a cold beer is a lot less hassle. And free.

So far there have been three highlights for me. One, the sight of Keke Rosberg in his championship winning Williams from 1982 alongside his son Nico in his winning Mercedes from 2016. To the best of my knowledge this is a first and it was quite magnificent. 

I know  that both Hills-Graham and Damon were also World Champions but unfortunately Graham was not alive when Damon clinched the title.

My other highlight was of course my annual visit to the Monte Carlo Country Club for a game of tennis. Has to be the most beautiful  location anywhere in the World.

I have been driving a Maserati for the last few days and the trip to the Monte Carlo golf club was very special indeed. Just to walk  a few holes with playing friends. Stunning location with the first 9 overlooking the Med And the second the mountains. It is of course inside France, Monaco are just leasing it. Don’t blame them. In case you do decide to  fly over next year and you are a golfer don’t miss it just make sure you reserve in advance. The course is special, the ambiance is unique and it is just half an hour from Monaco.

So enjoy the race tomorrow, this is THE one everybody wants to win because of the tremendous world-wide interest. Baku? Bahrain? Hands up all those who could name the winners.

Don’t miss the start or if you are in California at least make sure the alarm clock is set.

Andrew Frankl

Monaco

GP Editor-FORZA    

STOP PRESS! Anderson Cooper is here for 60 minutes. Logic dictates that he is here for a reason…Frankly Frankl

Frankly Frankl - From Monaco Day One - Frankly Frankl-life, luck, love and automobiles

I may have been coming here for 53 or so years the first sight of the blue Med its as special today as it was back in 1966.

I  am writing this before first practice and the place is eerily quiet. For now. Tuesday evening we had the traditional football -soccer-game between Prince Albert’s 11 versus a motley collection of F1 drivers past and present. As most of them live here  it wasn’t too difficult to put a team together. Old friend Mika Hakkinen, Felipe Massa, Nico Rosberg drove to the stadium in his race vintage Mercedes while others preferred their trusted scooters, for many just about the only way to get around town. Or what’s left of it. Every year there is a skyscraper missing only to reappear two years later taller and vastly more expensive.  I just feel sorry for the people who bought apartments  in  the one behind..years ago they were assured that nothing would ever block  their views. Well, not that sorry but you know what I mean.

That is not all. Monaco is expanding because they can only build so many skyscrapers so the next step as you can see from the enclosed picture is building outwards into the Med.  I am told that one day the racetrack itself might look different but I will report back on that as soon as I know more details.

As far as the race is concerned there is a lot of hype  concerning local boy Charles Leclerc. I’ve asked him how much he knows about the track, has he been around it? Oh, frequently he said, on the Number 6 bus. The number 6 is also my favorite, stops outside the hotel and takes you into town is a few minutes. And of course it is virtually free, there one thing Monaco can’t do is to double or treble bus prices. Everything else.. well will start tomorrow when suddenly the 10 euro menus will suddenly become 15 or 20. For those arriving from abroad the only thing to do is forget how much a coffee would have cost in New York or San Francisco, the quickest way to ruin the weekend is to start figuring it out. Frightening.

I came across a very interesting cast iron statue of my hero Ayrton Senna. Stunning.

Before you think that Monaco is one non- stop party, well, it may be for others. I am busy updating my book “Frankly Frankl which will publish just before the US GP in Austin.

I’ ve had a surprisingly large number of orders from people who’ve missed out on the first one.

In case this is the first time you’ve heard of it the price will be the same at 44.95 dollars and the book will be full of new stories about F1 greats such as Colin Chapman, Dan Gurney, more Cannonball pics and exclusive pictures from ace photographer Mark Sutton.

Print run 499 copies. 

Must go now, the Ferrari team are staying at the same hotel and the PR supremo just invited  me for an espresso.

Andrew Frankl

Monaco