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Month: April 2024

Formula E: New GEN3 Evo race car to be revealed ahead of Monaco E-Prix

by: Elsa Carpenter
22/04/2024
gen3

With the promise of improved performance characteristics among the upgrades to the current GEN3 car, already hailed as the fastest, lightest, most powerful and most efficient electric race car to have ever been made, Formula E and the FIA have announced that the brand-new GEN3 Evo race car will be unveiled at an exclusive event in Monaco ahead of this weekend’s E-Prix.  

The big reveal is set to take place at an exclusive evening launch event in the Principality on Thursday 25th April, just two days before the seventh edition of the Monaco E-Prix gets underway on Saturday 27th April. 

Very little is known about the changes and upgrades that have been made to the GEN3 race car, but sources say, “The all-electric championship is set to raise the bar even higher with a race car that will be pushed to the limit by the series’ world-class drivers across Seasons 11 and 12.” 

The GEN3 Evo race car is described as “an evolution of the current GEN3 race car… with improved performance characteristics that will highlight Formula E and the FIA’s role in pioneering technology and sustainable motorsport”. 

Major changes to the bodywork, increased power capabilities and a possible four-wheel drive option are among the rumoured updates to the future car of teams that include the Monaco-based Maserati MSG Racing outfit. 

Jeff Dodds, Chief Executive Officer at Formula E, says, “As we prepare to unveil the GEN3 Evo, we’re not just launching a car; we’re continuing to shape the future of racing. This next iteration not only exemplifies our dedication to innovation and pushing the limits of technology, but also enhances our commitment to delivering exhilarating, competitive racing for our fans. We are setting new standards in performance that will intensify on-track rivalries and fan engagement, keeping us at the forefront of global motorsport.” 

Read related:

The countdown to the Monaco E-Prix has begun

 

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Photo credit: Maserati MSG Racing Media Centre

Cannes Film Festival “pushes the boundaries of storytelling” with new Immersive category

by: Elsa Carpenter
22/04/2024
cannes immersive

Films at the cutting-edge of technology and innovation are to get their deserved moment in the spotlight at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, which has announced plans to dedicated a whole competition category to immersive productions. 

The Cannes Film Festival is no stranger to exploring uncharted territory in the world of cinema.  

In 2017, the prestigious festival made history by choosing Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Carne y Arena (Virtually Present, Physically Invisible) for its official selection. The groundbreaking and immersive virtual reality piece, based on real-life accounts and stories, explores the human condition of immigrants and refugees. By being selected at Cannes, Carne y Arena became the first-ever immersive piece to be presented at a major film festival.  

Now Cannes is embracing this new approach to filmmaking and storytelling, and is expanding its embrace of immersive content, with the introduction of a new category: the Immersive. 

The category celebrates productions that employ the use of new technologies such as virtual and augmented reality to create cinematic experiences that completely surround and involve audiences in new and compelling ways.   

For its inaugural selection, the Cannes Film Festival has enlisted industry experts and Festival representatives to select eight ‘In Competition’ immersive works that “utilise virtual reality, augmented reality and other cutting-edge technologies to transcend conventional storytelling and transport audiences to other worlds, narratives and eras”. Guided by the Festival’s General Delegation, these films will be joined by a selection of non-competitive movies to fully complement the overall programme.  

Over the course of the festival, which will be taking place between 15th and 24th May, the films will be screened at a 1,300m2 exhibition space at the Cannes Cineum, a cinema complex located in Cannes La Bocca, and at the Georges Méliès Campus, a centre dedicated to creative writing and film that forms part of the Université Côte d’Azur. 

The names of the films included in the Immersive Category are yet to be made public.

 

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Photo source: James Yarema, Unsplash

Monte Carlo Beer’s alcohol-free blonde ale wins gold at Frankfurt International Trophy

by: Stephanie Horsman
22/04/2024
monte carlo beer alcohol-free

Monte Carlo Beer’s innovative alcohol-free blonde ale has been awarded the top prize at the famous Frankfurt International Trophy, a highly regarded annual international beer, wine and spirits competition. 

The Principality-crafted beverage beat competition from more than 500 similar beers to claim the stellar gold award. 

Judges at the 2024 Frankfurt International Trophy scored the high fermentation and alcohol-free beer a remarkable 86 out of 100.

See more: Monte Carlo Beer adds new non-alcoholic brew and a tasty IPA to its cellars

This result included a near perfect 9.5 out of 10 for colour, an 8.75 in intensity of smell, a 9 in the quality of aroma, 8.75 in body and texture, and a 15 out of 20 for the taste.  

The brewery process for the ale combines “traditional know-how and high-performance technology” with a sterilising filtration system, centrifugation reaching 8,800 turns a minute to clarify, and a natural CO2 carbonation method to revive any sparkle potentially lost in the previous steps.  

“This gold medal represents much more than just an award for us,” say Anthony Orengo and William Scheffer, the founders of the popular brand. “It symbolises our ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality products to our customers while remaining true to our Monegasque heritage and modern identity.” 

Monte Carlo Beer sources all ingredients locally and sustainably, making it a sound environmental choice as well as a tasty one.  

Read related:

Brasserie de Monaco’s La Blanche beer wins top award

 

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France’s income tax return deadlines are coming up

by: Stephanie Horsman
22/04/2024
tax return

It is the season of income tax returns in France. Whether you are submitting your details via the traditional paper form method or online at impots.gouv.fr, here are all the important dates and deadlines you need to know about. 

Since 11th April, tax officials in France have been accepting income declarations for the 2023 tax year, but the final deadlines for submissions depend on where in France your main residence is located as well as your chosen method of submission. 

The final day for paper form-based declarations is 21st May.

The deadline for French departments numbered 01 to 19, which includes the Alpes-Maritimes, is 23rd May, while residents in departments 20 through to 54 get an extra week, with the deadline falling on 30th May. Departments 55 to 976, such as the Var, have more time still. Their deadline is set for 6th June.  

Everyone over the age of 18 who is considered to be a resident of France, i.e. you spend more than 183 days of the year in the country, must declare their income.  

If you notice an error on the form after it has been submitted, fear not. Corrections are possible in France until mid December. 

For more information on income tax declarations, click here.  

 

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Photo source: Christin Hume, Unsplash

F1: Less than satisfying weekend in Shanghai for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc despite decent points

by: Elsa Carpenter
21/04/2024
shanghai leclerc

Over the weekend, Shanghai celebrated the return of the Chinese Grand Prix, which hasn’t featured on the schedule since 2019. Excited as the grid might have been for the race, particularly Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu, for whom it was his first-ever Formula 1 race on home soil, Monaco-born driver Charles Leclerc has been left lamenting a difficult few days. 

The first Sprint Race of the 2024 season took place on Saturday 20th April, and Leclerc secured five points for Scuderia Ferrari while his teammate, Carlos Sainz, added four to the bag. 

Then came qualifying, less than three hours after the conclusion of the Sprint. 

“We compromised our qualifying by prioritising the race and struggled slightly more than we expected,” said Leclerc, who had to settle for sixth, a place ahead of Sainz. “Our race pace is strong and it will be a long one, with tyre degradation playing a big role here. Even the smallest change of wind can influence the car balance, so anything can happen.” 

The race itself, on Sunday 21st April, went much as Leclerc had predicted, but the Monegasque driver and his Spanish teammate both managed to gain two places on their start positions and ended in P4 and P5. 

“We’re not completely satisfied with our result as a team today,” said Leclerc post-race. “We have two things to focus on leaving Shanghai: one is our qualifying trim and the other our pace on the Hards, which was our main challenge today… What will be essential is the upcoming upgrades, as they will define the direction we will take for the next part of the season.” 

Leclerc is now third in the Drivers’ Standings, on 76 points, while the Ferrari team is in a strong second position in the Constructors’ Standings, with 151 points to Red Bull’s 195 and McLaren’s 96.

Next comes Miami on 5th May, then it will be time for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which was cancelled last year due to extreme flooding in Northern Italy, on 19th May. After that, it will be Monaco’s turn in the spotlight, with the most famous Grand Prix on the calendar set to take place on 26th May. 

Read related:

Special rates offered at new Salines carpark during E-Prix, Historique GP and F1 weekends

 

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Photo credit: Scuderia Ferrari Media Centre

Rainier III swimming pool set to reopen end of April

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/04/2024

The roll-out of re-openings across Monaco is in full swing, and next up is the popular Stade Nautique Rainier III. 

The Mairie announced on Friday that the Stade Nautique Rainier III on Port Hercule will reopen for the season on Monday 29th April. 

In addition to the pool reopening is all of the activities and lessons offered by the aquatic complex, including aquagym and aqua bike.

Exceptions include during the period of the Historic Grand Prix, from Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th May, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix, from Tuesday 21st to Monday 27th May, when the Stade Nautique Rainier III will be closed. 

For all information on prices, courses schedules and timetables, visit the website www.mairie.mc. 

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Photo by Monaco Life