Families gathered at Monaco’s Jardins d’Apolline on Saturday for the 11th annual Trott’n’Roll, with the popular charity event successfully combining entertainment with fundraising for paediatric cancer research.
Organised by Foundation Flavien, the day offered activities for all ages including scooter circuits for children, skateboarding areas, and bouncy castles. The event also featured creative competitions, face painting stations, and a motorbike and race car display that toured Monaco’s Formula 1 track.
Moving ceremony display
At 11am, the event’s most emotional moment unfolded as Monaco firefighters performed a rappelling demonstration down a building facade. During their descent, they revealed three large portraits honouring individuals who had died from cancer.
Firefighters during their descend, photo by Monaco Life.
The tribute remembered Cécilia, a 22-year-old who had participated in early trials of the MEPENDAX treatment, alongside Michèle, a local hospital nurse, and Manuel Amoros, a fire service member.
The event’s centrepiece was the presentation of a €100,000 donation to Monaco’s Centre Scientifique by Fondation Flavien, witnessed by Health Minister Christophe Robino. The contribution will advance the MEPENDAX clinical trial, an innovative therapy developed by Monaco for treating childhood brain cancers.
The treatment has already showcased encouraging results in early trials, offering new hopes for young patients and their families. Plans are underway for a documentary about the research to broadcast on TV Monaco before the upcoming oncology conference in January.
After months of weather delays, a Mediterranean window finally opened for Massimiliano Mordenti, which allowed him to finally complete his groundbreaking world record.
Mordenti, an official pilot with the Fédération Monégasque Motonautique and founder of the Offroad Club Monaco, successfully completed the journey from Monaco to Gallinara Island in Liguria, Italy, and back on September 15th. He departed at 1:10pm and retuned to Yacht Club de Monaco at 4:45pm.
The achievement, now pending approval from the Union Internationale Motonautique, represents the first world record attempt using 100% bioethanol for jet skiing.
Racing against time and tide
The challenge had been postponed several times due to poor weather conditions, but Monday’s conditions proved suitable enough for Mordenti and his team to take the plunge.
“The conditions were not particularly good, but the OCM team chose to go ahead with the challenge,” said organisers, driven by their determination to prove that high-performance water sports can be environmentally responsible.
Massimiliano Mordenti, his wife Erminia Fezia Mordenti and their daughters, photo credit: OCM
The technical breakthrough came thanks to a specially designed spill-proof refuelling system created by engineer Andrea Pezzini from Floating Life. Using 3D-printed recycled materials and brass fittings, the innovation allowed secure mid-journey refuelling without any risk of marine pollution.
The project was co-founded by Mordenti and his wife Erminia Fezia Mordenti, and aimed to send a broader message about combining sporting excellence with environmental sustainability. The attempt operated under the patronage of the Italian Embassy of Monaco and with backing from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
In a city where space is a luxury and passion runs deep, BPM Exclusive has opened the doors to its brand-new Ferrari workshop and pre-owned showroom in the heart of Fontvieille – but this isn’t just another service centre. It’s a place designed to spark emotion, celebrate excellence, and connect a community of like-minded enthusiasts around the unmistakable spirit of Ferrari.
Positioned strategically between Rue du Gabian and Avenue Albert II, Ferrari’s new site —comprising a certified Ferrari Approved showroom and a next-generation aftersales workshop —was unveiled to the media on Friday 12th September. The opening marked a new address and a new way to engage with Ferrari.
“We had the opening cocktail on Monday to share the site with our customers,” said Guido Giovannelli, Director of BPM Exclusive. “And before that, during construction, we also unveiled a new 12-cylinder Ferrari. But now, the idea is to present this exhibition of the Ferrari collection— with different cars from the ’50s to today, because we want to give customers and prospective customers the opportunity to come and see what we’ve built here in Monaco.”
The 1,300m² facility has been designed not simply to sell or service cars, but to immerse visitors in the history, innovation, and artistry that define Ferrari, from its Mille Miglia past to its hybrid-powered present.
The new Ferrari showroom in Fontvielle. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti
A deliberate move, a clear mission
In Monaco, where every square metre matters, opening a full-fledged workshop isn’t a decision taken lightly. Yet for BPM Exclusive, bringing Ferrari’s mechanical heartbeat into the Principality was essential, for both operational efficiency and something more intimate: proximity to the customer.
“It’s very important to have the service and mechanics right here in Monaco,” explained Giovannelli. “It was a tough decision, because as you can imagine, service requires a lot of space— and in Monaco, space is hard to find and it is very expensive. But we all agreed to have the workshop here, to stay close to our customers and serve them in the best possible way.”
The new facility has been built to Ferrari’s most exacting standards, capable of handling servicing, diagnostics, and repairs on all Ferrari models, from heritage vehicles to hybrids. Technicians trained directly by Ferrari handle the work, using only genuine parts and cutting-edge tools.
But while the quality of the service is uncompromising, the experience itself is remarkably relaxed.
“For customers living in Monaco, it’s easy to drive here, get the service done, stay with us for a bit, and then head back home. It’s almost like a Formula One pit stop!” Laughs Giovannelli. “We offer the chance for our customers to stay here during service, to see how a repair is done or how the suspension works. It’s a unique kind of moment that we can share.”
The workshop is currently exhibiting a Ferrari collection from the 50s to today. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti
From workshop to cultural salon
The showroom doubles as an event space, and it has already been activated in ways that go far beyond automotive tradition.
“We realised we had a kind of ‘black box’ where we could create different experiences,” said Giovannelli. “We’ll be able to host F1 GP viewings, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, even fashion events or cooking classes right here using our own kitchen. Sports events too. We have this crazy idea — that it’s not just a service centre, but a place where we can share our passion and emotion.”
The ambition is to make the space a fixture of Monaco’s social and cultural calendar, not just its automotive one. The current exhibition, open until 30th September, features 21 Ferrari models, including icons like the Testarossa and 250 GT Boano, alongside contemporary flagships such as the Monza SP2 and Roma Spider.
A brand experience rooted in community
If this approach seems unusually people-focused for a high-performance marque, that’s intentional. According to Giovannelli, Monaco’s culture lends itself naturally to Ferrari’s evolving definition of luxury.
“The idea is to offer customers a complete mobility solution — selling and servicing cars is our core business — but at the same time, we want to share everything associated with these cars,” he said.
“I’m Italian, so I like to say, it’s a kind of family. I believe our role is to listen to the customer, be present, and try to always meet the level of excellence they expect from us.
Engineering tomorrow
This new facility also supports Ferrari’s broader evolution, from its expansion into new markets to the challenges of electrification and talent development. For Giovannelli, this is where brand loyalty meets technical excellence.
“Ferrari remains a very strong, consistent brand. What I really appreciate — especially through projects like this — is the level of respect and engagement they bring.”
A brand on the rise
This moment marks not just the evolution of a space, but of a strategy. Since acquiring the Monaco dealership in 2021, BPM Exclusive has grown rapidly, doubling its turnover and now representing 15 luxury and sports car brands in the Principality, making it the market leader. It is a trajectory fuelled by clear vision and unwavering ambition.
“Our owner, Patrick Bornhauser, has a clear target: to become one of the leaders in luxury and sports cars in Monaco and France, eventually Switzerland and beyond,” said Giovannelli.
See more of the Ferrari workshop in Cassandra Tanti’s video below…
