Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali dropped a mini-bomb this week when he stated on CNN, “Monaco will be in three days, straightaway,” changing the long-held and much-loved tradition of a four-day event in the Principality.
One little sentence and just like that, the format of the Monaco Grand Prix has changed forever. Stefano Domenicali announced this week that Monaco would no longer follow the same schedule it has adhered to since 1950 of a four-day event.
Monaco has traditionally enjoyed an extra day for the race weekend, with two practice sessions on Thursday, followed by a day of rest on Friday. This went back to the days when the race’s original scheduling fell on a bank holiday and was subsequently continued to allow for the circulation of traffic and to help businesses prepare for the event, as well as to showcase the city to full advantage.
For decades, the extra day seemed appropriate due to the special location of the race, winding through the streets of one of the most glamorous places in the world.
This, however, is about to change. Starting in 2022, the F1 calendar will shorten the event to the conventional three-day format.
“So, Friday, Saturday and Sunday instead of Thursday, hold, and then Saturday and Sunday. That’s the change we’re going to introduce next year,” Domenicali declared.
In order to keep the extended day tradition, whilst conforming to the new dictate, Richard Micoud, Communications and Media Manager of the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), the organisers of the Monaco Grand Prix, told CNN in a statement that, “It (Monaco GP 2022) will be a three-day event for F1 and a four-day event for ACM. The Thursday will be dedicated to support races. Our organisation is actually working on the four-day timing which will be available soon on our website.”
This revelation about the new Monaco format is set to be a big talking point with regard to the 2022 Formula 1 calendar, which will be announced at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting on 15th October in Paris.
Domenicali, who recently took over from former CEO Chase Carey, has also said that the plan was to return to 23 races in 2022, which had been cut by one race due to the pandemic. He also indicated that the French Grand Prix would be back on the schedule.
“The plan is that we’re going to have 23 races,” Domenicali said. “We’re going to announce the calendar at the World Council, on the 15th of October. The idea is to finish earlier than what we finished this year.”
There were happy faces all around Wednesday night as AS Monaco, led by Yedderland, got their first home win of the season against Saint-Etienne, beating them roundly three to one.
AS Monaco is slowly climbing their way back up the Ligue 1 ladder after their two to two draw in Nice on Sunday and now an outright three to one win against Saint-Etienne at Stade Louis II.
Said Coach Niko Kovac after the match, “I saw a lot of good things”, which seems the understatement of the night.
The team gelled right from the start, with Krépin Diatta creating the first opportunity three minutes into play. It was not a conversion, but no matter, it set the tone for the night.
The first goal came at 28 minutes in when Kevin Volland fired a shot, sneaking in at the near post past the Stépanois goalie, Stefan Bajic. The goal gave him his first goal in Ligue 1 and his second of the season after the one he scored in Prague during the third preliminary round of the Champions League.
Things got exciting after this with a close-but-no-cigar attempt by Youssouf Fofana followed quickly by Etienne Green being red carded for a challenge on striker Myron Boadu.
Djibril Sidibé took the free kick, but Bajic was Johnny on the spot and blocked the attempt. Just minutes later, right before halftime, Saint Etienne’s Denis Bouanga beat out Alexander Nübel giving his team their only goal on the night.
After returning from the locker room, and despite having a one-man advantage, Monaco were nearly-caught out with a Bouanga near-miss, but the drama was short-lived.
Monaco was handed another free kick and Wissam Ben Yedder, who had only just came onto the field, easily made the conversion, giving his team a one point lead. He made it a two-point lead in the 86th minute of play when he scored again, sealing the win for Monaco.
“We are very happy,” said Coach Kovac, “first of all for the team because we win and we lose together, but also for our attackers because forwards always need confidence and to score — today both scored. This is what we need.”
The Mairie and municipal sites have released their programme for the upcoming European Heritage Day celebrations, opening their doors to the public completely free of charge.
For Monaco’s European Heritage Day celebrated on Sunday 26th September, visits to the City Hall, Botanical Centre at the Jardin Exotique, the Rainier III Academy, the Princess Grace Irish Library and the Superior School of Plastic Arts, Pavillon Bosio on will be possible throughout the day in conjunction with the event.
Additionally, the Monaco Media Library will also host an exhibit of documents from it’s Regional Fund which will be related to the theme of this government and Institute of Heritage organised event, ‘Women and Heritage’.
City Hall will be open to the public from 10am to 5pm featuring tours of the Marriage Room, the Council Room and the Mayor’s office. It is in the Council Room that the Media Library exhibition will be on display. There will also be short concerts given by a young violinist from Rainier III Academy in the Marriage Room at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 3pm and 4pm.
The Rainier III Academy is offering guided tours of their new facilities at 10am, 11am and 12pm of groups of no more than 15 people. Space for these tours must be booked no later than 20th September by ringing (+377) 93 15 27 11.
The Academy is also sponsoring off-site concerts. There will be a concert at the Roseraie Princess Grace at 11:30am as well as concerts at the Princess Grace Irish Library at 11am, where traditional Irish songs will be played, then again at 3pm and 4pm where Irish music featuring the harp, a recorder and a string ensemble.
Guided speaking tours at the Jardin Exotique’s Botanical Centre will be held at 10am and 2pm for groups of up to 20 visitors. The tours must be made by phone in advance by calling (+377) 93 15 29 80. Access to the gardens, outside of the tours, will run from 8:30am to 3:30pm.
Finally, the School of Fine Arts, Pavillon Bosio will be holding an exhibit featuring work from their 2020 and 2021 graduates that are pertinent to the ‘Women and Heritage’ theme. Access is free from 10am to 5pm.
The usual health protocols will be in effect at all locations. For a full listing of all the day’s activities and events, go to the European Heritage Day site at www.journeepatrimoinemonaco.com
While his classmates cowered when the career councillor loomed into view at school, Robert McFarlane was busy sketching boats. He always knew he wanted to design blue water ships.
His ‘ship’, as it were, did in fact ‘come in’ as planned all that time ago in the class room. These days, McFarlane is known as the “Yacht Doctor”, with clients often seeking his input into their projects built at some of the best known shipyards.
This year two of McFarlane ShipDesign collaborative projects are presenting at the Monaco Yacht Show: the 108m MY IJE, and the 62m MY Cloud Nine.
At the age of 17, Robert McFarlane went to sea aboard a 120-passenger square rigger. Says McFarlane, “I worked my way up from’“before the mast’ to deck officer. With that practical knowledge, I went to study naval architecture at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.”
McFarlane has been based in Monaco since the 2000s after operating offices and working with shipyards across the world. Since 1992, the company has specialised in small cruise ships, superyachts, tall ships and expedition ships. The team’s expertise covers sail and motor vessels ranging from 50 to 150m. They do conversions, refits and new builds from pre-purchase stage to delivery. They’re a leading authority in today’s hot topic of Expedition Yachts and Ice Class vessels.
“My experience with expedition cruise ships over the years means I have performed each of the tasks involved with expedition ships, such as onboard operation, design, building and shore side operation. I started working with yachts in the late 80s and have become more and more specialised in working with them, their builders and the ever evolving industry.” MY Ije, Benetti
For those of us wondering what the difference actually is between a naval architect and an exterior designer, the architect designs the yacht to work, and the exterior designer makes it look good.
“For a good design, both the naval architecture needs to be correct and the exterior design needs to be appealing,” says McFarlane. “And to achieve a stunning result, the exterior designer has to take into consideration naval architecture. It’s a collaboration between the two.”
He adds, “In refit work it is always a pleasure to surprise and show how one vessel can successfully become another, be it interior or exterior spaces. For new builds, I enjoy providing naval architecture consultation and concept design, but I especially enjoy the client meetings where we discuss and make their dreams and desires a possibility.”
With refits, the trick is to be able to work with certain limitations and yet deliver a new concept. “We find having good class and flag knowledge really makes a difference to the timeline of the refit works and can save a lot of the budget,” he says.
For new builds, McFarlane explains that architects need to be aware of what is in the industry in the “now” and what the industry will look like in the future. Which toys are popular? Which places are owners wanting to visit? Which technology advancements are being made? Those are the questions you need to ask.
Previous projects include a complete refit of the Amels 76.6m MY Boadicea, the conversion of a patrol vessel into a luxury expedition yacht, now MY Enigma XK, and two major refits on MY Artic P. MY Cloud 9, San Lorenzo
So, what lurks impatient to leap into life on the McFarlane ShipDesign drawing board right now? He explains: ”Several expeditions cruise ships have new routes opening and we are designing vessels able to discover more of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. There’s also an expedition yacht, MY Seahawk, for Swiss Ocean Services, currently on the drawing board.”
“Sustainability is a big issue that I think the industry is really starting to embrace. More and more clients are approaching me asking for a greener yacht, or alternative fuels, and the industry in regards to technology and regulation needs to continue improving in this aspect.”
After the trajectory from school boy fantasist to the “Superyacht doctor” of the Monaco Yacht Show, McFarlane’s plans are now simple: to stay healthy and keep building boats. “I just like seeing my clients happy. That makes me feel proud.”
At Close Quarters with Robert McFarlane:
If you weren’t a naval architect, what would you be?
A teacher, I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience to the next generation. What’s your advice to someone looking to break into a career like yours?
Take your theoretical to practical and get onboard some yachts and vessels. Your worst career moment?
Luckily it has not happened yet. Most difficult part of your job?
Climbing into some tanks or small spaces in the yachts. Yachting is not always glamorous for the naval architect. Best part of your job?
Meeting new people and projects around the globe who share the same love for the sea. What are you most proud of?
The fact I have been able to share my passion for the sea and sailing with my daughters. Favourite meal?
Anything spicy A figure you admire?
The original explorers and cartographers of our oceans. A favourite place/restaurant in Monaco?
The water in front of the Oceanographic Museum (great spot for free-diving).
French Scientist Jean-Pierre Petit has told a meeting of MEB members that the world economy has held up surprisingly well despite the health crisis, giving hope and sound advice to Monegasque investors.
The Monaco Economic Board (MEB) and Jutheau Husson, a top Monaco insurance brokerage firm, organised an eye-opening talk given by Jean-Pierre Petit, President of the Cahiers Verts de l’Economie (LCV Research), on 19th September on the state of the world economy.
Focusing on the impact of Covid, and more recently the Delta variant, he spoke to a crowd of about one hundred business leaders and MEB members about what the pandemic means to the overall global economy and its recovery.
When asked if the new variant will hinder recovery, Petit, a former IMF consultant who was voted best market consultant in the world six times, was clear, saying, “We will continue to live with this virus, we will not eradicate it. Certainly, the cases can increase strongly with the Delta variant, but vaccination considerably limits the risk to the hospital system. Almost 30% of the world’s population is already doubly vaccinated, or nearly 50% of global GDP.”
Petit went on to say that the world is heading toward +4% growth in 2022 and has held up surprisingly well despite the health crisis. He noted a +6% annualised growth in the third quarter of 2021 with expectations that the fourth quarter will be equally successful, estimating +5.5% growth.
This optimistic picture stems mainly from the rebounds made in East Asia citing that the Delta variant would have “played more negatively on supply constraints than on demand via the decline in mobility.”
With the lingering effects of Covid on production chains, such as those for raw materials, semiconductors and the like, high inflation, and the Taliban victory, which has become synonymous with diminished credibility of the United States in competition with Beijing on a global level, the global situation is far from perfect.
Despite the negatives, Petit has been positive, though, betting on the continued rise in equity markets, giving hope and sound advice to Monegasque investors.
Photo source: MEB
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