 Feature: Monaco Still has Star Appeal Friday May 21st, 2004 By Alan Baldwin
Hollywood heart-throbs George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and his wife Jennifer Aniston are coming to town. All are expected to put in an appearance on the starting grid along with the familiar scattering of millionaire footballers and supermodels. Never mind that the race is the slowest on the calendar by some way, last year's winner Juan Pablo Montoya averaging a mere 152 kph over the 78 laps, or that overtaking is as rare as a cheap hotel in the plush principality. Never mind that Ferrari's Michael Schumacher could become the first Formula One driver to win the first six races of a season. Monaco, while offering a real challenge to the drivers with its unforgiving metal barriers and bumpy circuit through the city's tight and twisty streets, is far more than just a sporting occasion. As a race it is an anachronism with allure, a circuit that would never win official approval nowadays were it to be suggested for the first time rather than celebrating its 75th anniversary this weekend. From Casino Square to Prince Rainier's royal box, the highlight of Formula One's social calendar oozes glitz and glamour. Bicycle Manouvre Jaguar expect to be on pole position in the glamour stakes, with the above mentioned Hollywood lineup as part of a promotional tie-in with the producer of forthcoming blockbuster "Ocean's 12". The cars, each with a diamond the size of a small coin embedded in the nose cones as part of another sponsorship deal, also carry publicity for the film. There is a clear commercial logic behind all the razzamatazz. "As a business we are all very keen to crack America," explained Jaguar communications supremo Nav Sidhu. "We can either go there and try to get the American public to like Formula One, which isn't going to happen overnight. Or we can get some of the biggest names in America to help advertise Formula One to the masses in the US. "We're pretty confident that after this weekend, a lot of the Hollywood networks...CBS, CNN are all going to be broadcasting highlights of the Ocean's 12-Jaguar partnership to the American audiences. "And you can't buy that sort of endorsement. And that's what we need to be doing a lot more of." Monaco is the race everyone knows. It is a place where deals are done and high rollers, such as Chelsea's billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich with the biggest private yacht in a harbour of floating palaces, might rub shoulders with curious holidaymakers and race fans. On race weekend the whole place goes wild, reverberating to the sound of V10 engines echoing off the tall buildings and hillsides and late-night parties on the water's edge. Toilet Reservation "It's crazy," says Montoya. "If you want to go to a restaurant you have to book a reservation...if you go to the supermarket, you need a reservation. You want the toilet, you need a reservation." Brazilian Nelson Piquet likened the race to riding around one's living room on a bicycle - the key is keep it smooth, be gentle, don't hit anything. Schumacher, with five wins in the principality, is a fan while younger brother Ralf is not. Briton Jenson Button, despite a big crash last year as he came out of the tunnel, is another enthusiast. "The tunnel is great because our car backfires quite a lot, we get huge flames out of the exhaust," he said. "I could see it in the mirrors, everything just lights up around you, it's fantastic. "The maddest place on the circuit is probably into turn two, over the brow of the hill into the left just before Casino square," he added. "If you come here with a good car it's easy to find the limits because you've got the confidence in the equipment. If you come here with a bad car, you are never confident - just scared really. "All the corners are blind, so you've just got to hope there's nothing in the way. If a car crashes that's it but you can't think like that."
Published at 17:10:05 GMT
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The big names are gearing up for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix and the sense of anticipation is growing.
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