It was a Monaco Grand Prix weekend like no other, with not a single car racing around the Principality, save for a Ferrari being driven by Monegasque pilot Charles Leclerc with Prince Albert in the passenger seat.
The new Casino Square was closed off for the filming of short film Le Grand Rendezvous by French director and cinematographer Claude Lelouch on Sunday 24th May.
Ahead of the final take in his cameo role, Leclerc was joined by Prince Albert in front of the Hôtel de Paris, where the two ‘masked’ men bumped elbows before setting off in a Ferrari SF 90 Stradale, the roar of its hybrid V8 sending out a message of optimism and signalling a first step towards the return of motorsport, film and social life in the Principality.
Pictures and a video of the filming were shared on Monte-Carlo SBM’s Instagram page…
Ferrari Chairman John Elkann, Prince Andrea Casiraghi and Prince Pierre Casiraghi with his wife, Princess Beatrice Borromeo, also visited the set. Thanks to a progressive lifting of the lockdown in France and Monaco, the shoot was also watched by a group of excited onlookers from the balconies and the streets carefully supervised by the local authorities.
Le Grand Rendezvous is a sequel to the 1976 cult classic C’etait un Rendezvous, in which the director himself illegally raced around the streets of Paris at the crack of dawn clocking speeds in excess of 230km/h. The film languished underground for 26 years, as the city was none too thrilled at the driver’s dangerous antics, though without the proof, they were not able to convict Lelouch of anything more serious than a traffic infraction.
This time, the filming was completely legal, and the Prince’s complicity proved that beyond doubt. As Leclerc took to the Grand Prix circuit, he hit speeds of over 240km/h and completed a lap in one minute 51 seconds.
The short will be aired on 13th June on Canal Plus.
But wait! There’s more. Later in the day, the Virtual Monaco Grand Prix took place and saw 22-year-old baby-faced British Williams pilot George Russell win the day by over 39 seconds. Leclerc was in a comfortable second place, until with under three laps to go, Mercedes driver Esteban Gutierrez came up from behind and the two collided at the exit of a tunnel. Leclerc was pushed into third, giving Gutierrez his best finish of the series. This third place finish marks Leclerc’s fifth consecutive podium finish.
Arthur Leclerc made news as well, winning the virtual F2 race on his home turf, albeit on a technicality. He was sitting pretty behind Juan Manuel Correa, and would have surely been in the number two spot, except Correa was hit with two time penalties, raising Leclerc to the top spot. It should be noted the younger Leclerc brother also came in 5th place in the Formula 1 race.
The Princess Grace Hospital has unveiled its new €8.2 million Nuclear Medicine Department, housing the latest equipment to treat a wider number of pathologies faster and earlier.
Prince Albert II is among 64 world leaders who have promised to put the environment at the top of the post-Covid economic recovery list, joining the Leaders Pledge for Nature.
The health crisis is thwarting the recovery efforts of Monaco’s largest employer, SBM, which saw profits plummet this summer ahead of a “very difficult” winter.
An exhibit of 65 works by the legendary Spanish painter, sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miró is on display at the New National Museum of Monaco, Villa Paloma.
Italy has seen an influx of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) from around the globe, keen to take advantage of a recently introduced tax policy providing income tax relief.
The Princess Grace Hospital has unveiled its new €8.2 million Nuclear Medicine Department, housing the latest equipment to treat a wider number of pathologies faster and earlier.
Prince Albert II is among 64 world leaders who have promised to put the environment at the top of the post-Covid economic recovery list, joining the Leaders Pledge for Nature.
Faced with a “significant drop” in mammograms this year, Pink Ribbon Monaco is embarking on a new awareness campaign to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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Described as the “strongman” of Monaco’s basketball team, club president Ukrainian Sergei Dyadechko was the victim of a break in at his Monaco apartment, according to the French-language press.
A strongbox was stolen at his home during the night of August 12 and 13, although the robbery wasn’t discovered until August 26. The safe, weighing 250 kg, contained jewellery valued at €2 million, sources are reporting.
Register for amateur basketball club at asmonacobasket.com
AS Monaco have achieved back-to-back wins for the first time since February 2018 with a 4-1 victory over Brest.
Monaco's 3-1 success against OGC Nice in the derby on Tuesday had eased the pressure on coach Leonardo Jardim as the 2017 champions finally got that first win of the season under their belts. Now they were targeting back-to-back wins for the first time since February as Ben Yedder returned to the starting line-up along with defensive duo Fodé Ballo-Touré and Kamil Glik.
Brest were fresh from holding Olympique Lyonnais in midweek for a third consecutive draw but the hosts served notice of their intentions as both Ben Yedder and Islam Slimani drew saves from Gautier Larsonneur in the early stages.
The opening goal duly followed in the 26th minute as a Gelson Martins cross was flicked on by Slimani for Ben Yedder to score.
Gaëtan Charbonnier squandered a great chance to equalise for Brest and the one goal was all that separated the teams at the break. The Brittany side then saw their hopes of getting back into the game dealt a blow when goalkeeper Larsonneur was forced off just before the hour mark, with Donovan Léon coming on his place.
The substitute goalkeeper had not played in the top flight since he was at AJ Auxerre in the 2011-12 season and he was very quickly picking the ball out of net. Monaco won a penalty when Léon brought down Ben Yedder in the area and Slimani stepped up to score from the spot for his fourth goal of the campaign (62').
Slimani then released Martins to run through and score Monaco's third in the 73rd minute only for Alexandre Mendy - who had replaced Brest captain Mathias Autret in the first half - to volley in for the visitors and reduce the deficit (77').
Monaco were not finished there, though, and Keita Baldé wrapped up the win at the death, beating Léon after Slimani had again done the set-up work.
From their dreadful start to the season, Monaco are now level on points with Lyon and the outlook is far brighter for them. They also move above Brest, as Olivier Dall'Oglio's side suffer their second loss of the campaign.
Monaco are getting a quick return on their €40 million summer investment in France striker Ben Yedder. Back in the starting line-up after being rested in midweek, Ben Yedder already has five goals in six games for the club. He also won the penalty scored by Islam Slimani for Monaco's second goal.
Source: Ligue1.com
Photo: Facebook MonacoBasket[/caption]
