The Monaco Grand Prix will host an F1 Sprint for the first time in 2027, adding another competitive race to one of Formula 1’s most closely watched weekends.
The 84th edition of the Monaco Grand Prix will take place from 4th to 6th June 2027 and will be one of a record 10 Sprint weekends on the championship’s 24-race calendar.
The calendar, approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council and announced on Wednesday, marks a significant expansion of the Sprint format, which increases from six events in 2026 to 10 the following season.
Bahrain, Australia, Japan, Monaco and Abu Dhabi will all stage Sprints for the first time. The format will also return to Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil and Qatar.
Two qualifying sessions on Monaco’s streets
A Sprint weekend replaces part of the traditional practice programme with an additional qualifying session and a shorter race.
Under the current format, drivers take part in one practice session and Sprint Qualifying on Friday. The Sprint and qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix are held on Saturday, followed by the main race on Sunday.
For Monaco, this means two qualifying sessions around the narrow streets of the Principality – a particularly significant addition at a circuit where starting position often plays a decisive role in the outcome.
The FIA highlighted the prospect of drivers contesting two qualifying sessions in Monaco, saying the format would place an additional focus on their “skill and precision” around the Principality’s street circuit.
The decision is also likely to attract attention because of the difficulty of overtaking in Monaco. While the shorter Sprint will create another competitive session, qualifying and race strategy are expected to remain crucial on a circuit where track position carries unusual importance.
Record Sprint programme for 2027
Formula 1 introduced the Sprint format in 2021, initially staging three during the season. That number increased to six from 2023 and will rise to 10 for the first time in 2027.
Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said the expanded programme would give fans more competitive action across the season.
The 2027 championship will begin in Bahrain from 12th to 14th March and conclude in Abu Dhabi from 10th to 12th December. Portugal and Türkiye will return to the calendar, while the season will again comprise 24 Grands Prix across five continents.
Monaco will be the eighth round of the championship, following the Canadian Grand Prix and preceding Formula 1’s return to Portugal.
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Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari Media Centre
Zhang Zhang to lead Monaco charity concert for Nepal relief
Monaco-based violinist Zhang Zhang, a former member of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, will take the stage at Stars of Monaco this Friday for a charity concert in aid of the victims of Nepal’s catastrophic floods, with all of the money raised going directly to relief efforts on the ground. The evening, on 18th September at 7pm, is the latest humanitarian appeal from Zhangmusiq, the Monaco NGO Zhang founded to turn live music into practical support.
The concert answers a tragedy that has shaken even seasoned observers. On 26th August, part of a glacier collapsed high in the Himalayas near the Nepal-China border, triggering a landslide and a wall of water and debris that tore down the Trishuli River valley. More than 1,300 people have been confirmed dead and thousands remain missing, making it Nepal’s deadliest natural disaster since the 2015 earthquake; scientists have linked the glacier’s collapse to a warming climate.
For Zhang, the footage was almost too much to take in. “Today, we are used to seeing so many AI-generated clips that, at first, I thought the footage was fake,” she told Monaco Life. “But I quickly realised that it was real.”
The decision to act, she said, came almost immediately. Born out of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and formally established in 2007, ZhangMusiq has built its work around moments like this. “Zhangomusiq was created in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, so disaster relief is in our DNA,” she said.
Where the money goes
Every euro raised on the night will be sent to Nepal, in keeping with the NGO’s founding principle that 100% of funds reach the ground. The proceeds will be entrusted to the Himalayan Buddhist master His Eminence Kyabje Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche and his Nepal-based Universal Peace Sanctuary, to fund emergency medical care, shelter and food for survivors at their most vulnerable.
Zhang is keen that no contribution be seen as too small. “Sometimes the price of a nice cup of coffee or tea for us in Monaco can make a huge difference for someone somewhere in the world,” she said. It is a conviction rooted in her own childhood: born during China’s Cultural Revolution, she grew up sharing a nine-square-metre room with her family. “No help is too small,” she said.
Leopoldo Giannola. Photo credit: Marco Strullu
Music as ‘the glue that keeps us connected’
On stage, Zhang will be joined by the jazz guitarist Leopoldo Giannola, her musical partner of some 25 years, for a programme that ranges freely from Bach to Bob Marley, taking in opera, film scores, French chansons, Chinese folk songs, tango and flamenco before the customary festive finale, when audiences are encouraged to sing and dance.
“Music is one of the few truly universal human expressions,” she said, describing it as “the glue that keeps us connected” in times of confusion and division — a way both to raise concrete support and to offer a shared moment of joy.
Beyond the immediate appeal, she hopes the evening also prompts reflection in Monaco on the mounting risks facing Himalayan communities as glaciers grow unstable. “We live in one of the most beautiful and safe places on the planet,” she said, “but climate change and environmental degradation affects all of us.”
How to attend or give
The concert takes place at Stars of Monaco, the reborn waterfront venue on Quai Antoine 1er, as part of the ‘Emergency Rescue Support for Nepal’ initiative. Those who cannot attend can donate directly through a QR code linked to the appeal.
“Come join us on Friday at Stars,” said Zhang. “Let’s create some joy together, while offering friendship and love to the people of Nepal.”
A groundbreaking skincare technology inspired by coral’s extraordinary ability to survive environmental stress has been unveiled in the Principality, marking the first commercial application of a scientific discovery developed entirely within Monaco’s unique research ecosystem.
Revelation, the new ultra-luxury skincare collection from Margy’s Monte-Carlo, is powered by a patented biotechnology complex that reproduces some of coral’s most powerful natural defence mechanisms – without harvesting or damaging a single coral.
The range is the result of five years of research bringing together Margy’s founder Margie Lombard, Monaco biotechnology company Coraliotech and the internationally recognised coral expertise of the Scientific Centre of Monaco.
At its launch in Monaco on Monday, attended by press and international influencers, Revelation was presented as more than a new collection. It represents a significant leap into the emerging field of biotechnology-led skincare and a breakthrough that Margy’s says will ultimately transform its entire product line.
For Dr Rachid Benchaouir, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Coraliotech, the project is also a first indication of what coral science could one day contribute to cosmetics, healthcare and longevity.
“We are only touching the surface,” Benchaouir told Monaco Life. “Margy’s and CoralGen²Complex represent the first proof of concept showing what coral can offer from a scientific perspective.”
“We have known about the extraordinary properties of coral for more than 10 or 15 years, but transforming that scientific knowledge into an application is new.”
Dr Rachid Benchaouir, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer of Coraliotech with Margie Lombard, Founder of Margy’s. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti
Unlocking coral’s natural “superpower”
Coral has existed for hundreds of millions of years, surviving while permanently exposed to ultraviolet radiation, pollution, oxidative stress and dramatic variations in temperature and salinity.
Unable to move away from danger, it has instead evolved exceptionally powerful biological systems to defend, repair and regenerate itself.
This remarkable resilience became the scientific foundation for Revelation.
Rather than using coral as a conventional cosmetic ingredient, researchers studied the molecular mechanisms responsible for its survival. They then used biotechnology to reproduce and optimise selected coral DNA sequences under controlled laboratory conditions.
The result is CoralGen²Complex, an active ingredient created for Margy’s in Monaco and designed to transfer the protective potential observed in coral biology into skincare.
“Coral has developed extraordinary ways of protecting itself,” said Benchaouir. “The objective is to understand those mechanisms and see how they can be translated into benefits for human health and longevity.”
“We can reproduce in the laboratory the types of molecules we find in nature without destroying ecosystems. This is an entirely new concept, and it is something that can only be achieved through biotechnology.”
The process is entirely sustainable: no coral is extracted from the Mediterranean or any other marine environment. Biotechnology allows the molecules to be manufactured in the laboratory while leaving fragile coral ecosystems untouched.
Seven times more powerful than the human equivalent
At the heart of the breakthrough are two antioxidant enzymes found in coral: superoxide dismutase, known as SOD, and glutathione peroxidase, or GPX.
These enzymes help neutralise reactive oxygen species, commonly known as free radicals. When produced in excessive quantities by ultraviolet light, pollution and other environmental pressures, free radicals can damage cells and accelerate visible skin ageing.
In-vitro studies commissioned for the project and conducted on reconstructed human epidermis found that the coral enzymes significantly reduced the production of free radicals following ultraviolet exposure.
The results presented at the Monaco launch showed reductions of 61% with Coral SOD and 45% with Coral GPX compared with untreated or placebo models.
Most strikingly, Coral SOD demonstrated enzymatic activity up to seven times greater than the equivalent human enzyme under the testing conditions.
It is this exceptional natural potency that Margy’s is seeking to harness: using the survival mechanisms perfected by coral over millions of years to help modern skin defend itself against environmental and lifestyle-related stress.
An innovation that could only have emerged in Monaco
Margie Lombard began investing in the biotechnology programme in 2019, with the objective of creating a new generation of products focused on keeping skin healthy and resilient for longer rather than attempting to aggressively correct the signs of ageing later.
While the finished collection carries the Margy’s name, Benchaouir says its creation depended on a combination of expertise that is particularly concentrated in Monaco.
“Coraliotech has one area of expertise, the Scientific Centre of Monaco has another, and Margy’s brings its own knowledge and experience,” he said. “It is this combination that works.”
For Benchaouir, Revelation demonstrates what Monaco can achieve when its scientific institutions, private businesses and environmental priorities – led by Prince Albert II – converge around a shared project.
“There are many different elements in Monaco that demonstrate why this is exactly the kind of place where such research should begin, expand and be explored,” he said.
The results
Clinical and instrumental evaluations commissioned for the range reported reductions in the appearance of wrinkles of up to 22% after four weeks of serum use and up to 23% around the eyes following use of the eye treatment.
Margy’s also reports that internal testing showed an apparent reversal of two years of visible skin ageing after 14 days of using the Revelation programme.
The beginning of a biotechnology revolution
The implications of the project may ultimately extend beyond Revelation. Benchaouir believes cosmetics is at the beginning of a major transformation.
“Biotechnology is beginning to become extremely important within the global cosmetics industry,” he said. “We are only at the beginning of a biotechnology revolution in cosmetics. Until now, biotechnology has mainly been applied to pharmaceuticals.”
He believes one of the greatest opportunities lies in connecting academic discoveries with real-world applications.
“When it comes to coral, research organisations tend to focus on issues such as the effects of global warming on the oceans,” Benchaouir said. “That is, of course, extremely important. But researchers are not necessarily being encouraged to pursue specific practical applications arising from that work.”
Margy’s now plans to use the discoveries behind Revelation to progressively reshape its wider skincare portfolio – potentially making the Monaco-born coral complex a foundation of the brand’s future.
For Benchaouir, Margy’s is at the forefront of a new frontier in skincare.
“Wait another three to five years and I believe you will see biotechnology expand considerably throughout the cosmetics industry,” he said. “I am certain of that.”
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Main photo source: Margy’s Monte-Carlo
Monaco’s new super-rich are fewer, wealthier — and more demanding
Monaco is attracting a smaller number of internationally mobile clients than rival jurisdictions such as Dubai, Milan and Switzerland – but those choosing the Principality are bringing considerably greater wealth, according to senior executives at CFM Indosuez Wealth Management.
The shift was among several international client trends outlined by the bank’s leadership during the presentation of its new six-point strategy in Monaco on Monday by new CEO Bénédicte Chrétien.
Jad Bardawil, Co-Head of Wealth Management, said CFM Indosuez had recorded a major influx of clients moving away from the United Kingdom. They were not exclusively British, he explained, but included international families who had previously used London as their base.
“Monaco has attracted a smaller number, but greater fortunes,” said Bardawil. “That is the real change we have seen.”
The arrivals form part of a broader movement of wealth towards jurisdictions perceived to offer long-term political and financial stability. But according to the bank, Monaco is emerging with a particular type of client: highly international, financially sophisticated and accustomed to premium levels of service in cities including London, Dubai and New York.
Anglophone growth accelerates
Bardawil described CFM Indosuez’s growth among Anglophone clients as “spectacular”, particularly among ultra-high-net-worth individuals relocating to Monaco.
The term Anglophone, however, disguises a much wider geographic mix. International residents departing London have included clients from countries such as Brazil who had used the British capital as a financial and residential base before moving to the Principality.
This has required banks in Monaco to look beyond nationality and consider the increasingly complex international structures behind each family’s wealth. Assets, companies, homes and family members may be distributed across several jurisdictions, creating demand for coordinated tax, succession, governance and investment expertise.
“Our clients are becoming increasingly multi-jurisdictional,” said Deputy CEO Sophie Armando. “We need transversal experts in order to provide a global, 360-degree approach.”
CFM Indosuez supports that reach through the wider Indosuez network, which operates across 18 jurisdictions. Within Monaco, its private-banking team represents almost 20 nationalities and speaks around a dozen foreign languages.
“We are a bank that is profoundly Monegasque through our history and roots, but resolutely international through our organisation and our clientele,” said Vincent Cartillier, Co-Head of Wealth Management.
Its bankers regularly travel to markets including the United Kingdom, Northern Europe, Switzerland, Latin America, the Middle East, South Africa, French Polynesia and New Caledonia.
Monaco gains from global uncertainty
CFM Indosuez is also seeing rising interest from the Middle East. Bardawil said some clients who had previously chosen Dubai as a base were now reconsidering Monaco as uncertainty in the region continued.
For these families, relocation does not necessarily begin with an immediate permanent move. It can mean establishing what Bardawil described as a “Plan B”: opening a bank account in Monaco, purchasing an apartment in the Principality or acquiring a second home on the Côte d’Azur.
“Monaco offers political and financial stability at a time of uncertainty, when clients are looking for genuine diversification,” he said.
Bardawil argued that Monaco had benefited repeatedly from periods of international instability during the past decade. The current movement is not simply bringing more capital into the Principality, he added, but raising expectations across its banks, property market, hotels and other service industries.
Someone spending €15 million or €20 million on an apartment in Monaco after living in Dubai, London or New York arrives with established expectations concerning technology, amenities, views and service. The same applies to wealth management.
“These clients are accustomed to being served in high-quality jurisdictions with extremely demanding standards,” said Bardawil. “That is an opportunity for us, but it means every part of Monaco’s economy has to raise its game.”
Clients arrive better informed
The relationship between private bankers and their international clients is also changing. New arrivals increasingly conduct their own research before meeting an adviser and expect the bank to add insight beyond information they can obtain independently.
“They no longer come to listen to the bank as though it were delivering the only authoritative view,” Bardawil said. “They have already done their research and they arrive prepared.”
That shift is changing the role of the private banker from a source of information into an interpreter of increasingly complex choices. Technical expertise remains essential, but Bardawil said the relationship ultimately depends on whether clients trust the bank sufficiently to bring their wider network into it. At CFM Indosuez, one in two clients has recommended the bank to someone close to them.
The future of Monaco
For Monaco, the trend presents both an opportunity and a challenge. The clients now choosing the Principality may be fewer in number than those heading to rival jurisdictions, but, according to Bardawil, they are bringing greater fortunes and the high expectations formed in cities such as London, Dubai and New York. How Monaco responds to those expectations will help shape the next phase of its international growth.
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo credit: Benjamin Vergely, Tourism Department of Monaco
Monaco United and AS Monaco FF set for first-ever women’s football derby
Monaco women’s football will see a first for the Principality as Monaco United takes on AS Monaco FF in the first official derby between two Monaco-based women’s football clubs.
The teams will meet on Sunday 20th September at 3:30pm at the Stade Didier Deschamps in Cap-d’Ail as part of the league championship, with the match free and open to the public.
Sunday’s match will mark the first official meeting between the two clubs, with a new local rivalry beginning to take shape within Monaco’s growing women’s sport scene.
For Monaco United, the derby comes during its first season competing at Regional level following promotion. Led by Marco Simone, the team made an impressive introduction to the division earlier this month with a 9-1 victory over AS Cannes.
The strong start continued in the Coupe de France on Sunday 13th September, when Monaco United defeated Aubagne 11-0 in the first round of the competition.
With a combined 20 goals across its last two competitive matches heading into Sunday’s derby, Monaco United will now look to carry that momentum forward into a history-making match in the Principality.
Supporters will be able to attend the derby free of charge at the Stade Didier Deschamps, with kick-off scheduled for 3:30pm.
Former BBC journalist and academic Colleen Murrell will come to Monaco in October for a talk exploring how women fought their way into foreign correspondence – one of journalism’s most prestigious and historically male-dominated fields.
The event will take place at the Princess Grace Irish Library on Thursday 1st October at 7pm and draw on Murrell’s latest book, BBC Women Reporting the World: Conversations with Foreign Correspondents.
Published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2025, the book profiles 10 BBC journalists of different generations and nationalities, including Kate Adie, Lyse Doucet, Orla Guerin and Shaimaa Khalil. Through their experiences, Murrell examines the institutional barriers and gender assumptions that once kept women away from reporting and presenting roles, often confining them to work behind the scenes.
The book traces the evolution of women’s foreign reporting from the BBC’s early decades through to the expansion of opportunities in the 1970s and 1980s, before turning to more recent questions surrounding pay inequality, race, class and power within international news organisations.
From the newsroom to academia
Murrell brings direct industry experience to the subject. Before entering academia, she worked as a producer, reporter and news editor for international broadcasters and news organisations including the BBC, ITN, Associated Press, TF1, CBC and ABC Australia. Her assignments took her extensively across Europe and the Middle East.
She has been Professor of Journalism at Dublin City University since 2020, where her research focuses on international newsgathering, crisis reporting, public-service broadcasting, news production and digital media. She was also research lead for the Reuters Digital News Report in Ireland between 2021 and 2024.
The Monaco talk will combine Murrell’s academic findings with her experience inside international newsrooms, examining how female correspondents secured access to overseas assignments and how the profession has changed between the 1980s and today.
It will also consider parallels with women working in entertainment during the same period. While female stars in Hollywood were often underpaid and controlled by powerful studios, Grace Kelly established an enduring career before becoming Princess of Monaco. The library says her ability to communicate on both sides of the camera provides a local point of connection with the evening’s broader theme.
The talk begins at 7pm at the Princess Grace Irish Library, 9 rue Princesse Marie-de-Lorraine in Monaco-Ville. Tickets can be purchased through the library’s event page.
Signed copies of BBC Women Reporting the World can also be pre-ordered for €20 by emailing info@pgil.mc. A limited number will be available at the event, with payment accepted in cash.
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo source: Princess Grace Irish Library
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