The centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race will be kicked off by NBA star LeBron James, who joins a host of other celebrities who have previously done the honours.
Two legends in one: on the one hand, there is the Le Mans 24-hour car race, which has been a can’t-miss event in the motorsport world’s calendar since its inception in 1923, while on the other is Los Angeles Lakers’ power forward, LeBron James, the all-time leading scorer in America’s National Basketball Association (NBA).
AN HONOUR
This year, they come together as James will be the celebrity opener at the centenary edition of the famous endurance race, joining other household names such as Steve McQueen, Brad Pitt and Rafael Nadal who have opened the race in past years. It has been a habit to invite stars to be the honorary starter since 1949.
James will signify the start of the race by lowering the flag at the Circuit de la Sarthe in northwestern France.
“It’s an honour for me to be part of this historic moment in motorsport and help celebrate the centenary of one of the biggest sporting events in the world,” said the basketball icon. “I look forward to kicking off this iconic race and watching its world-class drivers compete on Le Mans’ global stage.”
TOP NAMES IN CARS
The list of participating teams reads like a who’s who of the automotive world as well, with Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota and Peugeot in the running, as well as the return of Cadillac, who will field three cars in 100th anniversary event.
The two-times around the clock race is being held on 10th June with a 4pm kick-off.
The Ocean Race has returned to Europe. After travelling around the world, the flotilla arrived in Aarhus, Denmark last week with Monaco’s Team Malizia within touching distance of the overall lead.
Monaco Yacht Club’s (YCM) Team Malizia are just four points off first-placed 11th Hour Racing, the current leaders of The Ocean Race. But it could have been even better for skipper Boris Herrmann and his team.
The Malizia-Seaexplorer closed the gap on second-placed Team Holcim-PRB from 40 nautical miles to just one in the dying stages as the flotilla approached the Danish shore, but ultimately, the Monegasque team couldn’t sufficiently close the gap and therefore finished third in the fifth leg of the prestigious sailing tournament.
Team Malizia are now third in the overall standings. They are three points behind Holcim-PRB and just four points off 11th Hour Racing. Everything is still to play for as the flotilla embarks on the sixth – and shortest – leg on Thursday, which runs from Aarhus to The Hague, The Netherlands.
“The fight is on,” said Herrmann. “We can still win this race. It will never be over, the final result will be decided at the finish in Genoa and we will fight until 1st July.”
However, in the meantime, the teams were involved in an in-port race in Aarhus. Team Malizia came fourth and therefore remains second in the in-port standings, behind the dominant 11th Hour Racing. Whilst the points accrued in the competition don’t count towards the overall rankings, they can be used to separate the teams in the case of a tie.
The secrets of the world’s coral reefs are slowly being uncovered thanks to the ambitious TARA Pacific Expedition, co-led by the Centre Scientifique de Monaco’s Denis Allemand.
The project began in 2016, when the research schooner Tara left France on a voyage that would see it sail some 100,000 kilometres, visit 30 countries and study 32 different sites, from the isolated coral reefs of the Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Wallis and Futun to locations much closer to urban centres.
The schooner Tara pictured during its 2016-2018 expedition across the Pacific Ocean. Photo credit: François Aurat
70 scientists from eight countries and representing 23 institutions and research laboratories spent time onboard, while hundreds more backed them up on land.
One of the leading figures was the Centre Scientifique de Monaco’s (CSM) Denis Allemand, who is continuing to unpick the fascinating findings of a project that is unique in its scale and objectives: to study biodiversity of coral reefs and their evolution in response to climate change across the entire Pacific Ocean.
“This was a highly ambitious project,” says Allemand. “Two and a half years of sailing that crossed the Pacific Ocean, 58,000 samples taken… Almost the whole Centre Scientifique de Monaco team was involved… A brand new technique had to be developed to achieve the project.”
Scientists diving for samples on a coral reef off the coast of Tuvalu. Photo credit: Pete West
Coral reefs cover less than 0.2% of the surface of the oceans, but are home to 30% of known marine biodiversity. The Pacific Ocean alone contains around 60% of the world’s coral reefs, from far-flung atolls to the barrier reefs beloved of the tourism industry, which made it the obvious choice for a project that seeks to better understand the nature and workings of coral reefs.
Five years of intense analysis
During the expedition, scientists systematically sampled the same three coral morphotypes, two fish species and planktonic communities in various locations to assess reef microbiome composition and biogeography. The results – the product of five years of intense analysis – were astounding.
“We found almost 20% of all known microbes on these species alone,” says Allemand. “If we amplify that across all the coral species of the Pacific then the total microbe diversity amongst corals is in line with the numbers for all known microorganisms on our planet. That tells us that our knowledge of terrestrial microbes is vastly underestimated.”
Essentially, life on coral reefs could well be as rich and diverse as the entire known world.
A Pacific Gorgone Fan coral pictured during the expedition. Photo credit: Vincent Hilaire
This is but the first major finding of the TARA Pacific Expedition. Thus far, only one report of eight has been published in the journal Nature, and the others will soon come its heels. Among them will be the results of studies into the effects of climate change on coral reefs.
Climate change and coral reefs
Corals across the Pacific are already struggling with climate change. The biggest threats facing them today are rising temperatures and ocean acidification, along with pollution, overfishing, coastal development and subsequent sedimentation. A rise of 1°C over just a few weeks can cause coral bleaching while a change in pH can significantly limit the growth of corals as well as impact the ability of the animals that live in and around them to grow their skeletons and, ultimately, survive.
“The coral ecosystem could be the first to disappear, from the face of the Earth, because of humans,” says Allemand, “so it was important to us to study the capacity of coral reefs to adapt. We were able to identify some elements of adaptation amongst these organisms thanks to the breadth of the samples and data collected. There are those who have suffered from the phenomenon of rising temperatures, but have changed part of their microbiome and have been able to adapt, some more easily than others, which we must take as a positive. This adaptation could prevent the total destruction of coral reefs in the future.”
An Acanthaster coral. Photo credit: Vincent Hilaire
How that will play out remains to be seen. Figures already released by the project show that 20% of reefs have been destroyed and show no signs of possible reconstruction, 15% of reefs will be in great danger in the next 10 to 20 years, and a further 20% of reefs will be threatened in the next 20 to 40 years. Just 25% of those observed appear to be in good health.
While on a tour of the Haute-Loire in central-southern France, Prince Albert II paid a visit to the Château de Lavoûte-Polignac, a charming estate that remains in the family and belongs to his cousin, the Duke Armand-Charles de Polignac.
Last week, Prince Albert spent two sunny days visiting a number of Haute-Loire locations that have historical connections to the Principality of Monaco. Amongst them was the town of Lavoûte-sur-Loire, where he met with Mayor Jean-Paul Beaumel and the department’s Prefect Eric Etienne on the morning of Thursday 1st June.
Later came a visit to the Château de Lavoûte-Polignac, which is owned by the Prince’s cousin, the Duke Armand-Charles de Polignac. Between 1915 and 1917, Prince Albert’s grandmother, the Princess Charlotte (1898-1977), spent many happy times at the picturesque property and it was here that she met her future husband, the Count Pierre de Polignac.
Prince Albert unveiled a plaque commemorating his 21st century visit in the town’s main square before heading off to the nearby village of Polignac, which is closely tied to the history of the Polignac family. Mayor Jean-Paul Vigouroux was on hand to receive Monaco’s Prince as well as Princes Alain and Ludovic de Polignac for a tour of the village’s fortress. Prince Albert was given honorary citizenship of Polignac at a ceremony later that day.
The second day of the visit saw Prince Albert head to the Prefecture of the Haute-Loire in Puy-en-Velay for a private tour led by the town’s mayor, Michel Chapuis, and the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez.
Prince Albert’s two day affair concluded with the unveiling of another commemorative plaque in the village of Saint-Pal-de-Chalencon in the presence of its mayor, Pierre Brun, and locals who turned out to see the Prince.
It really is festival season here in the Principality, with everything from a red carpet TV event to a street art celebration and the brand-new thought-provoking Green Shift Festival lined up for the coming month.
Monaco loves a bit of urban street art. Artist Mr One Teas, who will be attending this year’s UPAINT Festival alongside many other international artists from across the genre, is a firm favourite on the Principality’s scene and will be showcasing his talents once again between 4th and 7th June. There will also be plenty of public events down on the Promenade du Larvotto, so grab a can and get involved. Click here for more information.
Prince Albert II adding his mark to the previous UPAINT Festival in 2022
Tweens and teens from 12 to 17 years of age can get into the holiday spirit a little earlier than usual this summer with the annual Splash Party at the Stade Nautique Rainier III from 2pm to 6pm on 7th June. Tickets are €20 for Monaco school-going residents and €25 for non-residents attending with a local friend. Drinks and full access to the pool, diving board and inflatables is included.
Brand-new in Monaco for 2023 is the Green Shift Festival, which is set to take place over four consecutive nights from 7th to 10th June. Each evening, between 7pm and 8.30pm and out in the fresh sea air on the Promenade du Larvotto, important green and environmental topics that range from the philosophical to the generational will be presented through short films, performances and open discussions in the presence of experts. Find the full programme here.
With the adrenaline of the Monaco Grand Prix still fresh in memory, Top Marques will be reviving the Principality’s love of all things “moto” and innovation from 7th to 11th June at the Grimaldi Forum. Expect numerous world premieres, a collection of rare and classic cars, the launch of a lunar rover, hydrogen-powered road vehicles, a 100% electric submersible and much more. Click here for more information.
Monaco will host a number of its former “fiefdoms” on 10th and 11th June for the fourth edition of the Rencontres Grimaldi, an occasion that brings people together in a cross-commune celebration of historical and cultural links with the Principality and its dynastic Grimaldi family. The event is open to the public as well as its guests of honour. Click here for the more information.
The 62nd Monte-Carlo Television Festival will take place from 16th to 20th June. This well-established event, which was an early champion of the now irrefutably successful media, always attracts top stars and decision-makers in the TV industry so expect to see plenty of celebs out on the streets of the Principality during the festival. Read a history of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival here and discover its business-focused side events here.
A long-time favourite date in the calendar, the Fête de la Musique is held each year on the Summer Solstice. Music is the focus here, with everything from jazz to rock and classic to folk to be expected from the troupes who will line the streets of almost every post code of France and Monaco. Monaco Life is putting together a guide to this year’s Fête de la Musique in the Principality, so watch this space!
Saddle up and grab your best Longines for this year’s Jumping International de Monte-Carlo. Between 29th June and 1st July, the best show jumpers in the world will descend on the Port Hercules for a series of competitions and events, including a special charity-focused night that will mark the 60th anniversary of the Association Mondiale des Amis de l’Enfance, AMADE, a cause close to the hearts of the equestrian-loving Grimaldi family.
For more Monaco events, click here to see the complete calendar.
Photo source: Longines Global Champions Tour
Formula E: First win of the season for MSG in Jakarta
Max Günther took the chequered flag in Jakarta, Indonesia on Sunday to secure Maserati MSG Racing’s first win of the season and Maserati’s first single-seater victory since 1957.
Whilst MSG haven’t hit the heights of last season, the steady improvements in performance are now reaping tangible rewards. As it has been throughout the season, it is Günther who is leading this team, despite the fact that last season it was Edoardo Mortara that was in the title race.
The omens were positive on Saturday, with Günther securing his first-ever Formula E pole position in qualifying. Whilst the German couldn’t hold the position during the race, he nonetheless took third place, whilst Mortara finished six.
However, it was during the second race of the weekend that history was made. Maserati haven’t won a single-seater race since Juan Manuel Fangio took the chequered flag at the German Grand Prix in 1957, but that changed on Sunday.
“Days like today show why you should never give up”
Once again, Günther was on pole, but this time he converted it into a race victory. Mortara added to a successful weekend for the Monegasque manufacturer, finishing eighth. The points accrued in the Indonesian capital allow MSG to rise to sixth in the constructors’ standings, overtaking McLaren and Nissan.
Günther is seventh in the drivers’ standings and has earned 70 of MSG’s 87 points this season.
“I’m absolutely over the moon with this victory. It is a fantastic moment for us as a team and a great milestone for Maserati,” said Günther.
“Today completes an incredible weekend, and our strongest performance as a team, being top in every session apart from Race One. We’ve been through many highs and lows this season, and seeing everyone pull together in the difficult times has made this victory so much sweeter. Days like today show why you should never give up,” said Team Principal James Rossiter.
MSG will be looking to carry their form into the inaugural Portland ePrix, which will take place on 24th June .
