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Day: 7 December 2020

Leclerc gets smack on the hand for crash

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/12/2020

Charles Leclerc ended a not-so-great season with a three-place penalty for causing an opening lap accident in Bahrain on Sunday.
For Leclerc and Team Ferrari, 2020 is probably one they will be happy to leave in the rearview mirror.
Ferrari suffered technical issues, “structural weaknesses” and loss of engine power this season in their vehicles, often leaving them in the back of the pack. In addition, there was a shake up in the roster which saw Sebastian Vettel in his last year with the team, being replaced by Carlos Sainz, as well as mounting tensions between veteran Vettel and young Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc made his last race of the season at the Sakhir Grand Prix on Sunday one to forget. After qualifying in fourth place, things went downhill. Misjudging his braking point in the first lap, he locked his front wheel and rammed Sergio Perez from behind. This forced Max Verstappen to go wide, pushing him into the tyre barriers. Leclerc was out immediately, though Perez was able to continue and eventually clawed his way to the top spot, winning the race.
Verstappen called the move reckless, and the stewards clearly agreed.
Leclerc was summoned after the race and the stewards handed him a three-place penalty, docking him two points with blame landing squarely on his shoulders for the collision.
The Monegasque owned up to the mess saying, “I was in fifth I think, and I was side-by-side, a bit behind Max I think, and tried to overtake him into Turn 4. I had seen Checo, but I expected him to go around the outside of Valtteri and stay there, but I think he decided after to come back on the inside, and I was there. It was too late for me to slow down. I don’t think it’s a mistake from Checo, I’m not putting the blame on Checo. If there’s anybody to blame today, it’s me.”
Despite the hand smack, Leclerc isn’t in danger of a being taken out completely. He ends the year with three points on his license, well off the number for an automatic one-race ban. Better luck next year.
 
 

Record levels for retail in 2019

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/12/2020

Before the Covid crisis hit, Monaco had a booming retail trade, with turnover reaching an astounding €1.7 billion – its highest level ever – representing 11.5% of the country’s overall turnover.

According to the latest report by statistics body IMSEE, retail was the Principality’s fourth largest sector in 2019, landing just behind construction, and the eighth biggest contributor to the GDP, with more than €357 million.

Last year saw the number of retail employees increase by 2%. This translates to roughly 800 stable establishments, equalling 8.1% of all establishments in the country.

Retail is split into two sectors – one is vehicle and motorbike repairs, the other covers all other retail activity other than automotive repairs. The latter has the higher number of establishments under its umbrella by a country mile with nearly 700 shops representing it. This number is down slightly, but still strong overall.

The total number of retail trade companies held steady at 802 between 2018 and 2019. There were 38 new openings and, to keep it tidy, 38 closings in 2019. These establishments have an average age of 13.6, just above the national average of 12.8 years, and the majority of them (45.5%) are located in the Monte-Carlo district.

There were 465 employers in this sector in 2019 and the automobile trade sector recorded a 2.5% increase in employers, though the rest of the sector saw a small -0.5% downturn.

Employees in retail equalled 2,946, representing a 2% jump on the previous year. The auto trade saw a stronger showing on this, adding new workers to the tune of 3.4%. Traditional trade saw a +1.8 rise.

The report also shows that the employees’ nationalities are skewed heavily. French workers represent 70.6% of the employed, versus 62.8% over all sectors. By contrast, Monegasques only numbered 34 of the individual salaried employees in this sector, down from 43 the previous year. The next highest nationality represented were Italians with 438 workers. The gender split was not too high, with men being 1,368 of the total number and women coming in at 1,578.

Retail tends to attract younger workers and the average age is only 40.5 years. Only two other sectors have younger – accommodation and catering (39.8 years) and support services (40.4 years).

Retail equalled 5.4% of the Principality’s €6.63 billion GDP, increasing 6.4% over 2018. Turnover hit €1.7 billion and GSA revenue was up 10.1% compared to 2018.

Automobile retail average annual growth was the more dramatic of the two parts, with a 6.6% rise since 2010. The traditional sector saw 5.0% over the same period, still a good showing.

 
Photo source: Pixabay
 
 

New yachting industry book for owners, professionals

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/12/2020

Marcela de Kern Roya, founder of Onboard and YPY Monaco, has released the first ever textbook written about the superyacht industry.
Titled ‘The Superyacht Industry’, the book was written in collaboration with over 95 superyacht experts, giving readers a competitive advantage in understanding this unique industry. It was released by Onboard Monaco on 1st December and has already been welcomed by leaders in the yachting world.
“This book is a celebration of knowledge offered by some of the most influential people in yachting,” said Jonathan Beckett, CEO of Burgess.
Author Marcela de Kern Royer collaborated with experts who design, build, buy, sell, equip, support, operate and manage the world’s largest yachts. They share their experiences and “gold nuggets of information”, focussing mainly on motor yachts of over 50 metres, describing how the industry works, from yacht design to yacht building, to yacht sales and operations.
The Superyacht Industry book is designed to be an asset and a reference for yacht owners and people employed in the yachting industry.

Marcela de Kern Royer is the founder and owner of Onboard, a consulting firm based in Monaco specialised in sales and luxury marketing in the yachting industry. She is also the founder and first president of Young Professionals in Yachting (YPY) Monaco chapter, founder of charity association AMLA (Association Monegasque pour l’Amerique Latine), and a member of the Yacht Club of Monaco.

For more information, visit: https://thesuperyachtindustry.com/fr
 
 

Last minute goal prevents shut-out

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/12/2020

AS Monaco suffered a narrow loss to Lille OSC but prevented a shut-out with a last-minute goal made by 19-year old striker Pietro Pellegri in his first goal of the season. 
After four in a row, AS Monaco endured a disappointing 1-2 loss to Lille OSC on Sunday’s 13th Ligue 1 matchday.
Though the first half produced no goals, it was a tactical battle between two evenly-matched teams who saw plenty of exciting back and forth, including several spectacular saves by Monaco’s goalie Vito Mannone, notably one in the 42nd minute where in a full body leap, he blocked a shot by Lille’s Jonathan Bamba.
The second half saw all the action. At 53 minutes in, Lille’s Jonathan David opened up the scoring giving the opponent the lead. Then about 12 minutes later, Yusuf Yazici made another goal after a cutback from teammate Burak Yilmaz.
Things weren’t looking great for the Red and Whites, but they persevered. Finally, just as the game was at its end the young Italian player, Pietro Pellegri, scored his first goal of the season as well as the only goal for his side that game, leaving the final score Monaco 1, Lille, 2.
“We obviously know that Lille are a very good team, which played in the Champions League last year and which have qualified for the Europa League this season,” said Coach Niko Kovac after the match. “I think they also have a lot of respect for us, off the back of what we’ve shown in the last four games where we’ve had four wins. We were very close. In the end there is only one goal on the scoreboard that separated us and in my head a draw would have been fairer, because there was nothing very spectacular, from one side or the other. Obviously when you lose a game like this you can only be disappointed.”
 
Photo source: AS Monaco 
 
 

Closed 3-star Mirazur offering unique home experience

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/12/2020

Fans of the World’s Best Restaurant, the Mirazur in Menton, need not miss out this festive season due to France’s restrictions. Chef Mauro Colagreco is having his three Michelin starred cuisine delivered straight to people’s homes, taking the concept of “ordering in” to a whole new level.   
It’s fair to say that 2019 was a momentous year for Mirazur. After steadily rising on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list from its debut at number 35 in 2009, Mirazur finally took out the precious top spot. The accolade coincided with the restaurant gaining its third coveted Michelin star, and the beginning of a major three-year renovation project set to transform the dining room and extend the vegetable gardens. Everything pointed to an incredible year ahead for Argentina-born Chef Mauro Colagreco.
But, like all restaurants in nearby France, Mirazur was ordered to close for three months during the peak of the Covid pandemic in March, and again in October until at least 20th January 2021, when the country is set to lift restrictions, if the health situation allows.
That means no Christmas spoils or luxe New Year’s Eve celebration in nearby Menton.
But while the dining room remains eerily quiet, the kitchen is set to fire up again, with Chef Mauro Colagreco and his team of outrageously talented chefs formulating a festive menu true to Mauro’s inspirations of the sea, the mountains and the restaurant’s own gardens.
For the first time in its history, the Mirazur will be delivering a six-course festive menu to homes throughout France and Monaco, via the ChronoFresh delivery service. There is also a ‘click and collect’ option for pick-up in Menton.
Safe to say, “ordering-in” just hit a whole new level.

Mediterranean sea bream lotus flower with cold broth and citrus fruits from the garden, photo by Mirazur

The feast starts with grandma Amalia’s bread to share and soak in olive oil from Saint Michel. Next comes a Mediterranean sea bream lotus flower with cold broth and citrus fruits from the garden, followed by a capon and blue lobster ravioli in a light consommé with black truffle from Provence. The journey continues with Mediterranean sea bass caught by the restaurant’s fishermen friends Manuella and Lionnel with Champagne and Osciètre caviar, and a pithiviers of puff pastry with squab from the famous Madame Le Guen served with foie gras and Périgord truffle. To finish on a sweet note, there is a hazelnut chocolate and Alba white truffle treat, and traditional panettone from the Mitron Bakery.
It doesn’t get more indulgent for lovers of fine food, and it is a great way to support the restaurant during this difficult time.
Michelin star prices still apply: 240€ per menu, but in the true spirit of Christmas, 5% of sales will go towards supporting the victims of Storm Alex.
Pre-orders are available until 18th December. For details, visit the website: https://mirazur.shop-and-go.fr
 
Top photo: pithiviers with squab from the famous Madame Le Guen served with foie gras and Périgord truffle, picture by Mirazur