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Day: 23 April 2023

Formula E: Maserati MSG Racing secure first podium of the season

by: Luke Entwistle
23/04/2023
Maximilan Günther earns podium in Berlin ePrix.

Maserati Moncao Sports Group (MSG) Racing registered their first podium of the year, and Maserati’s first in a single-seater series in 66 years. 

At his home ePrix in Berlin, Maximilian Günther scored points in Saturday’s and Sunday’s races, including a third place on the first day of racing around the Tempelhof circuit.

Astonishingly, Günther, in finishing third, became the first driver to score a podium in a single-seater series since Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1957 German Grand Prix.

“Maserati made history today.”

The podium was hard-earned. After a topsy-turvy race in Berlin, marked by numerous safety car periods, Günther beat Sébastien Buemi in a drag race to the line, whilst Edoardo Mortara also scored points thanks to a ninth-place finish.

“Maserati made history today with our first podium finish in Formula E. We have celebrated many milestones in our long racing history, but today we made a mark in the championship and look forward to the future with optimism and resilience,” said Giovanni Sgro, head of Maserati Corse.

Günther gains 15 places in Sunday’s race

MSG Racing’s positive weekend continued on Sunday, with Günther once again leading the charge. The German driver started 21st on the grid but carved his way through the field.

Despite losing some ground in the dying stages, Günther held onto 6th position, whilst also securing the fastest lap. “We should be proud of our performance overall this weekend, especially after yesterday’s podium,” said Team Principal James Rossiter.

With 24 points gained for Günther alone, it was on the tarmac of the Tempelhof Airport that Maserati MSG Racing’s season truly took off.

 

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Photo by Maserati MSG Racing

 

The Monaco beach clubs you need to visit this summer 

by: Elsa Carpenter
23/04/2023
monaco beach clubs

Summer is just around the corner and many of the legendary Monaco beach clubs have opened in the last few days. It looks set to be an excellent beachside season in the Principality. Here’s a list of our favourites…

Grab your towel and head to the far eastern tip of the Principality if a blend of luxury and action is what you like. Monte-Carlo Beach’s Olympic-sized saltwater pool mere metres from the Mediterranean is ideal for a few peaceful laps before you relax in a private cabana on the sand, but the real deal is also in touching distance. For those that love the sea and all it offers, the beach club’s many watersports activities will keep thrill-seekers entertained all day long. It’s the ideal place for families to spend time together doing the different things they all enjoy.  

 

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Monte-Carlo Beach has three great restaurants: Elsa, its organic flagship eatery; Club La Vigie, which will take you back in time; and Le Deck, with its family-feel dining options that make the perfect seaside lunch. The beach club is currently open from 9am to 6pm, with extended hours during the height of the summer. 

 

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Next is the newly reopened Nikki Beach on the rooftop of the Fairmont Monte-Carlo. While not strictly a “beach-beach”, this spot promises all the trappings of a fun-loving beach club without the pesky sand. The pool is open from 11am to 8pm every day, and the restaurant from 12pm to 7pm. Beats from a resident DJ flow as freely as the champagne; this is the party beach club of the Principality.  

La Note Bleue, known for its great live music programme, has also opened up in recent days. This long-standing beach club has some of the most reasonable prices – a sunbed with parasol costs €30, or €40 for those wanting to be right on the water’s edge – and boasts an enviable spot on the Avenue Princesse Grace. And if that doesn’t tempt you, the combination of live music and generous seasonal dishes as well as the favourite beach snack, sushi, from the restaurant will.   

monaco beach clubs
Food and music are the main event at La Note Bleue. Photo: Facebook

Down on Larvotto beach, Neptune Monaco Beach is a favourite with families looking for a relaxed day out, but one with all the luxury extras you’d expect in Monaco. Loungers range from €25 to €35 depending on the location, and the beach club is open from 9am to 6pm. The restaurant offers a range of classic Mediterranean dishes, from fresh salads to sea bream with a citrus sauce and octopus with rocket, black olives and tomatoes. There’s also a children’s menu for €15.  

Another beach club on the Larvotto stretch is Miami Plage, which prides itself on “authenticity, simplicity and service” and has been running since 1975. The restaurant is open year-round for those who love to eat in the fresh coastal air; its signature is wood-fired pizzas. The loungers come in at €35 during the summer season, but cost €25 on weekdays and in the low season.  

monaco beach clubs
Miami Plage has been open on Larvotto Beach since 1975. Photo: Facebook

 

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Photo source: La Note Bleue / Facebook

Football: Lackluster Monaco suffer consequential defeat against Lens

by: Luke Entwistle
23/04/2023
Monaco v Lens

AS Monaco were outplayed in all departments as they succumbed to a defeat of great consequence against RC Lens (3-0) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Saturday.

The gulf in intensity and class between the two sides both of whom are competing for a place on the Ligue 1 podium, was stark and wasn’t lost on manager Philippe Clement, who not for the first time this month, said that he “didn’t recognise [his] team.”

The same phrase was evoked during a home victory against Strasbourg (4-3) earlier in April, but whilst Clement’s men overcame the threat posed by Les Alsaciens, they couldn’t keep the Lens onslaught at bay.

Monaco were immediately under the cosh, and it was one of his former players, Loïs Openda, who dealt the damage. The Belgian forward first capitalised from a poor Alexander Nübel pass out to Vanderson to open the scoring before doubling his tally with a tap-in just minutes later.

There was no revolt. Monaco didn’t have the answers, and Seko Fofana almost scored the third before half-time, only the crossbar denied the Ivorian. Adrien Thomasson had the ball in the net shortly after the break but was denied by an offside call, but after more good work from Openda, he did have his third.

Monaco had chances to cut the advantage, but the overriding feeling was that any goal would have been inconsequential against a Lens side that were in cruise control.

“I didn’t recognise my team.”

Pre-match, Clement said that the match “wasn’t yet decisive,” but the defeat, and the manner of it, does huge harm to the Principality club’s chances of reaching the Ligue 1 podium for the third successive season.

“We were too weak this evening. When you barely win a duel in the first half and the intensity of the opponent is much higher, you can’t win a match,” bemoaned Clement.

“It’s not over. I am expecting a reaction from my team,” added the Belgian coach, who face Montpellier in a must-win clash at the Stade Louis II next Sunday. Monaco’s Champions League aspirations are dwindling, but they can yet be rekindled.

 

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Photo by AS Monaco

Basketball: Monaco win first Coupe de France in club’s history

by: Luke Entwistle
23/04/2023
AS Monaco Basket win Coupe de France

AS Monaco Basketball won the Coupe de France for the first time in the club’s history, beating Lyon-Villeurbanne (90-70) at the Accor Arena in Paris on Saturday. 

Manager Sasa Obradovic was pessimistic coming into the final after having suffered an overtime defeat to Strasbourg less than 48 hours earlier (89-98). “Honestly, I wasn’t particularly confident before this final because we had barely any preparation time,” said the Serbian coach.

Therefore, the Roca Team’s first quarter likely came as a pleasant surprise to Obradovic, as Monaco blitzed Asvel. Former Lyon-Villeurbanne player Elie Okobo (20 points, seven assists), who killed Monaco’s chances of winning the championship last season, came back to haunt his former side, leading his side into an early 12-point lead.

Monaco had free-reign inside Lyon’s key, with Donatas Motiejunas (17 points) doing much of the damage. By the end of the first quarter, Monaco had an 18-point lead (33-15), and their opponent couldn’t gain a sufficient foothold to recover.

“The celebrations won’t last long.”

The gap remained at around 20 points throughout. Last year, Lyon were on a level footing with Monaco, but a hierarchy has now been defined. The Roca Team are unrivalled within the borders of La Hexagone. 

“We’re bringing the cup home,” said captain Yakkuba Ouattara, who has been a part of the Monégasque project since its humble beginnings. The Coupe de France trophy is a notable milestone in the club’s meteoric rise, but there is plenty more to fight for this season.

“The celebrations won’t last long because we already need to think about the playoffs. We need to represent France and Monaco in the best way possible on the European scene,” said Obradovic.

The Roca Team are still fighting on two fronts, and the chance of a historic treble cannot be ruled out. A victory against Maccabi Haifa at the Salle Gaston Médecin on Tuesday, a homecoming for these Monégasque champions, will set them on their way to reaching the final four in Kaunas.

 

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Photo by AS Monaco Basket