Red Bull made history in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, winning a 12th consecutive race thanks to Max Verstappen, who drove serenely to take the chequered flag. Charles Leclerc’s aspirations of a considerable points haul were dashed in the pits.
Untouchable. No one has come close to Red Bull this season. The constructor was on the precipice of history going into Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, and whilst Lewis Hamilton gave Red Bull a scare on Saturday, putting his Mercedes on pole, Verstappen was unchallenged in the race.
It quickly became evident that Hamilton’s lap on Saturday was merely a flash in the pan. Verstappen made the pass down the inside going into turn one, allowing the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to leapfrog the Brit, who lacked pace on a scorching day in Hungary.
It was a largely uneventful race. Sergio Perez, with his seat rumoured to be on the line, led a strong and aggressive race, which took him onto the podium. The Mexican driver couldn’t overtake Norris in the closing, however, and therefore had to second for third place. Hamilton, who made a late charge towards the podium, had to settle for fourth.
Leclerc comes unstuck in the pits
However, the day belonged to his teammate. Verstappen has now won the last seven races, and his lowest finish this season has been second. It is largely thanks to the flying Dutchman that Red Bull have made history by winning 12 consecutive races. No other team has achieved such a feat.
In contrast, Ferrari’s struggles continued. Both cars made a strong start to the race before either plateauing or falling back. Leclerc’s race came unstuck in the pitlane. The Monégasque dropped positions due to a slow first stop of over nine seconds.
Charles Leclerc at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office.
His second stop represented a further blow. The Ferrari driver was guilty of speeding in the pit lane and was therefore handed a five-second penalty. With the Mercedes finally beginning to replicate Saturday’s pace in the closing stages, George Russell, who fought his way from 18th, got within five seconds of Leclerc, overtaking him to finish sixth. Carlos Sainz finished eighth just behind his teammate.
The summer break will come at the right time for Ferrari, who will be looking to regroup after another difficult weekend. Before that, the grid will head to Belgium next weekend.
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Here’s what to expect from the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo’s summer concert programme at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco.
Held in the courtyard by night, a beautiful setting made more so by the starlit scheduling, guests at this summer’s line-up will enjoy a thoroughly classical repertoire from some of the world’s most talented musicians and conductors.
It all starts on Sunday 16th July with pianist Daniel Trifonov performing pieces by Rachmaninoff and Brahms under the conductorship of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra’s own Kazuki Yamada. This scheduling has already sold out.
Then on Thursday 20th July, Fabien Gabel conducts Gil Shaham on violin as he takes on works by Mahler, Ravel, Strauss and Korngold.
This will be followed by a night of Kraus, Bach and Mozart on Sunday 23rd July with violinist Guiliano Carmignola and Matthieu PetitJean on oboe under the baton of Ottavio Dantone.
On Thursday 27th July, get ready for an evening of Mozart and Beethoven with Daniel Lozakovich on violin, conducted by Jean-Christophe Spinosi.
The first concert in August, set for Thursday 3rd, will see Lawrence Foster conducting Marc Coppey on cello for a night of select pieces by Brahms and Haydn.
Finally, on Sunday 6th August, Mozart and Beethoven will be revived by pianist David Fray under the baton of Jaap van Zweden.
Seats selling fast
Each of the concerts starts at 9.30pm sharp and tickets range in price from €22 to €110, although many of the premium Category 1 seats have already been taken.
For more information and to reserve your place at one of these spellbinding performances, please click here.
European holidaymakers have long been spoilt by cheap air travel options, and Greenpeace says these pollution-creating habits are wrecking the planet. So what’s the solution?
In a bombshell report released on 20th July, the environmental organisation revealed that European airfares are far less expensive than their less-polluting train counterparts, and that “outrageous” tax breaks for airlines are fuelling this practice.
In total, Greenpeace considered 112 popular routes and found that in only 23 was train travel a more cost-effective option. For example, the cost of a plane ticket from London to Barcelona is 30 times cheaper than on a train.
This stems from Europe’s airlines paying little VAT and no tax at all on kerosene, which goes some way to keeping costs down for passengers.
A study published earlier this month by eco-organisation Transport and Environment found that European governments lost out on a potential €34.2 billion due to a lack of proper taxation on aviation in 2022. This figure is set to rise to €47.1 billion by 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The desire to jump on a plane and escape to a holiday destination is something felt by millions each year and this, says Greenpeace, needs to stop.
“Aviation is one of the world’s most climate-damaging and inequitable industries,” reads the Greenpeace report. “While only 1% of the world’s population is responsible for more than half of global climate emissions from aviation, the consequences affect everyone around the world, from extreme weather events to pollution-related illnesses and disruption from noise.”
The report gets to the crux of the issue by stating the obvious: “One of the reasons people choose to fly rather than travel by train is price: why would anyone take the train from London to Barcelona and pay up to €384 when air tickets are available for the ridiculously low price of €12.99? Citizens deserve to have access to a clean, efficient and affordable transport system that does not harm the climate, people and our planet.”
SOLUTIONS?
Paris-based International Energy Agency, headed up by the energy ministers of predominantly wealthy countries, has called on law makers to “tax aviation according to impact, acknowledging that only a minority of the world flies”, as well as suggesting that airlines start utilising sustainable aviation fuel options.
Greenpeace, meanwhile, wants to see a shift from subsidised air travel tickets to train tickets and proposes “national, simple and affordable climate tickets.”
France is making some efforts towards this transition and the country recently initiated a ban on short-haul flights for any journey that can be taken by train in less than 2.5 hours. The ban, which came into effect on 23rd May, also includes a crackdown on private jets.
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Monte Carlo is perhaps the most well-known neighbourhood in all of Monaco, so much so that those unfamiliar with the Principality tend to mix the two names up. Let’s get to know the real Monte Carlo.
Monte Carlo is so iconic that it is often interchangeable with Monaco to outsiders.
It is home to many of the most recognisable buildings and sites in the Principality as well as a slew of luxury brand boutiques and restaurants, making it a hugely desirable place to live. In fact, it has the highest population density in Monaco and is home to 7,482 or 20% of all people living in the Principality.
The Casino at the centre of it all
The reigning queen of Monte Carlo is the Casino, which has been a focus point of the Principality since its opening in July 1863.
Princess Caroline (1793 – 1879), the business-minded wife of Prince Florestan, was the brainchild of the Casino, and proposed the idea to bring Monaco’s financial woes under control.
Her son, Prince Charles, then took it upon himself to devise an entire redevelopment plan for the Plateau des Spélugues area, which until then had been little more than arid land used for growing citrus fruit and olives.
At the time, the local press remarked: “The new Société des Bains de Mer Casino will soon rise up on a monumental scale. Around the Casino, beautiful hotels will be built that will have nothing to fear from comparisons with those in Paris, London and New York.”
Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie was brought in to design the establishment, and the project was completed in 1863. The architect was also responsible for the beautiful Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, which was finished and inaugurated the following year.
Enjoy a view of the iconic Casino de Monte-Carlo from the terrace of the Hôtel de Paris. Photo credit: Carassale Matteo / Monte-Carlo SBM
By 1868, the Carré d’Or was almost complete, with the opening of a predecessor to the Café de Paris.
The original Casino building was torn down and replaced with a new design in 1878, which was complemented by a concert hall created with the vision of architect Charles Garnier, who is best known for building the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris. Today, it is known as the Salle Garnier.
The opulent glamour of the Salle Garnier in Monaco’s opera house. Photo credit: Monte-Carlo SBM
The Casino has more than stood the test of time, and this gorgeous Belle-Epoque edifice has been the location for a long list of films, including the two James Bond thrillers of Golden Eye and Never Say Never Again, Ocean’s Twelve with George Clooney and Brad Pitt, and the comedy mystery Once Upon a Crime starring John Candy and Jim Belushi to name but a few.
The Café de Paris and Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Either side of the iconic entertainment venue stand the Café de Paris, which will soon reopen with a new look, and the Hôtel de Paris, home to Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse restaurant, a three-Michelin star marvel that is the treat of a lifetime, and the biggest hotel wine cellar in the world. Some 350,000 bottles are stored here!
The Hôtel de Paris is home to the largest hotel wine cellar in the entire world. Photo credit: Carassale Matteo / Monte-Carlo SBM
The trio of the Café de Paris, the Casino and the Hôtel de Paris dominate the Place du Casino, which recently got a facelift in 2020 that included an Anish Kapoor-designed fountain. It is the setting for an increasing number of large concerts and events, such as the F(ê)aites de la Danse festival that took place in early July.
The 2023 edition of F(ê)aites de la Danse in the Place du Casino. Photo credit: Alice Blangero
So much to do
Step outside the Place du Casino in any direction and a plethora of haute cuisine experiences await. Monaco Life highly recommends a visit to Chef Yannick Alléno’s Pavyllon at the Hôtel Hermitage, La Table d’Antonio Salvatore at the Rampoldi, and Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac and Yoshi at the Hôtel Métropole.
Michelin-starred Chef Yannick Alléno at work in the Pavyllon of the Hôtel Hermitage. Photo credit: Monte-Carlo SBM
For shoppers, Monte Carlo is, quite simply, heaven. Near the Place du Casino is One Monte-Carlo, a vast modern complex that is home to boutiques from some of the world’s top fashion houses, such as Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Fendi, Prada, Bulgari and Alexander McQueen. To get even more of a fix, clients can take a short walk through the Jardins des Boulingrins and the Jardins de la Petite Afrique to get to the Métropole Mall, featuring 80 shops and six restaurants.
Luxury shopping galore at One Monte-Carlo. Photo credit: Monte-Carlo SBM
Car spotting and people watching
For Formula 1 fans, the Place du Casino will be an easily recognisable feature of the Monaco Grand Prix, as is the famous hairpin turn outside the Fairmont Hotel on Avenue des Spélugues.
But even a walk around the cars parked outside the Casino will be enough to thrill any car lover. This is where you’ll see some of the rarest – and priciest – vehicles in existence.
Celebrities of all genres are an equally common sight in this prestigious enclave of Monaco. Stop for a coffee or a cocktail and you’ll be sure to see a famous face walk by!
Nightlife in Monte Carlo
At two ends of the nightlife spectrum is the vibrant fusion vibe of Buddha Bar, which takes inspiration from both the Opera house and eclectic Asia, and the upmarket Le Bar Américain of the Hôtel de Paris with its thoroughly 1920s outlook, replete with signature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres of the age.
The view from the terrace of Le Bar Américain. Photo credit: Vergely Benjamin / Monte-Carlo SBM
Next in the Monaco Life district series is the home of Monaco’s iconic port, La Condamine.
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Mayor Gérard Spinelli has refused two building permits for housing development projects in the heights of Beausoleil. Here’s why…
In the heights of Beausoleil, near the Route des Serres and the Chemin des Rainettes, plans for a big housing project were being cooked up by local developers. The scheme, according to Monaco Matin, was to build 296 dwellings on 1.5 hectares of land in a part of town that currently houses more olive and fruit trees than people.
Outcries from the local community regarding environmental damage and a lack of infrastructure in place as well as concerns over traffic and loss of tranquillity were vocally made, but Mayor Gérard Spinelli initially remained quiet.
MAYOR TAKES A STAND
Now, according to a report from Monaco Matin, Mayor Spinelli has made his thoughts clear, officially refusing to sign off on the two building permits required to realise the project.
The developers, Ogic and Munegu Real Estate, had at first been granted permission by the municipality in February 2021 for 109 housing units, which has not been contested. It was two further permits for 187 units that came under fire and have now subsequently been blocked, according to the local press.
“These are points of non-compliance with the PLU (Local Urban Planning rules) linked to the location in relation to the road network, the height rules, the consideration of the presence of the Vallon de la Rousse located near the project [and] also to public domain,” explained Spinelli to the paper.
Beausoleil’s Director General of Services, Jean-Luc Dalcher, delved a bit further into the complexity of the situation, stating, “We cannot build on the public domain, except with the prior agreement of the community, and such agreement has not been requested or obtained.”
RESIDENTS REACTIONS
The residents who opposed the project are reportedly ecstatic.
“It is with a certain jubilation and relief that we welcomed the news from the mayor himself on the refusal of a building permit,” the collective of the Route des Serres, the organisation who bucked against the project, told Monaco Matin. “This is a victory for ecological balance and rationality. We thank all the stakeholders mobilised, their insights and arguments, in having participated in this decision.”
As for the mayor, he stated he will not be drawn into a debate and that his focus is, and has been, for the betterment of the town.
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Scuderia Ferrari may be languishing in the midfield on track, but the Italian manufacturer leads the way in terms of valuation, according to Forbes.
After bouts of revival last summer, Ferrari’s 2023 challenger is yet to live up to expectations, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggling to reclaim ground from the frontrunners. The manufacturer are currently fourth in the Formula 1 constructors standings, behind Aston Martin, Mercedes and Red Bull. The latter has a mammoth 254-point lead over the Italian team.
However, the team continues to enjoy great financial success off the track. Based on 2023 revenue estimates, Forbes have ranked Ferrari as the most valuable team on the grid. The team, led by Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur, is valued at $3.9 billion or €3.5 billion, a 189% jump from 2019.
Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur. Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari Media Centre
However, Mercedes is hot on Ferrari’s tail. The Toto Wolff-led team had fallen back in the last two seasons, following years of dominance, but is now valued at $3.8 billion, a 274% jump.
Values explode across the grid
The increases in value experienced at Ferrari and Mercedes aren’t isolated cases.
All teams have witnessed stratospheric growth in recent years. According to Forbes’ report, the average valuation across all of Formula 1’s 10 teams is $1.88 billion, a 276% increase from the $500 million average when the publication last valued the teams back in 20219.
The introduction of a cost cap is a large factor in this financial growth felt by the entire grid, as is the increase in popularity of the sport. The arrival of Liberty Media in 2017 signalled a change in strategy. The product has significantly changed. The Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’ has brought in new audiences, as has the increased focus on the American market. This season, there will be three races in the United States, including the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.
There are no signs of Formula 1’s exponential growth slowing in the coming years, and with the expanding calendar and more lucrative sponsorship deals in the pipeline, representing the new realities of the sport, team values are destined to increase further. Mercedes and Red Bull will certainly be aiming to knock Ferrari, Formula 1’s most iconic brand, off its perch in the coming months and years.
Formula 1 team valuations in full:
1. Ferrari – $3.89 billion
2. Mercedes – $3.8 billion
3. Red Bull – $2.6 billion
4. McLaren – $2.2 billion
5. Alpine – $1.4 billion
6. Aston Martin – $1.375 billion
7. Alpha Tauri – $1.125 billion
8. Alfa Romeo – $900 million
9. Haas – $780 million
10. Williams – $725 million
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