Money rules

Engines, models, money: Luxury madness in Monaco

Stars and starlets meet up again in the noble principality.Pop giant Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are on their way. A journey through engines, models and money.

Monaco and Formula 1 - the contradiction could hardly be greater. Racing cars with around 950 hp roar through the narrow streets of the principality on the Côte d'Azur. "It's like flying a helicopter in your living room" - the quote from three-time world champion Nelson Piquet is cult. Nevertheless, the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo is THE event of the entire motorsport year. Because it's about more than just sport: it's about engines, models and money.

3600 old tires
It takes around six weeks to build the race track. Among other things, 33 kilometers of crash barriers, 20,000 square meters of safety fencing, 1,100 tons of grandstands and 3,600 used tires are installed. This does not change the fact that, strictly speaking, the race does not comply with the regulations: with 78 laps, the Grand Prix has the most laps on the racing calendar, but with a length of 260.286 km, it does not have the prescribed minimum race distance of 305 km. The average speed is around 150 km/h, which is over 100 km/h slower than Monza.

Champagne and caviar
The organisers overlook all of this - it is Monaco after all. Where the surroundings are almost more important than the race. Which is also reflected in the prices. The cheapest ticket for Sunday's race, a standing area with restricted view in the "Rocheur" sector, costs 155 euros. A "Gold" seat in Grandstand B costs 1210 euros. Even VIPs have two categories: Gold costs 3300, Platinum comes in at 4550 euros. At least with this package, you have an unrestricted view of the track from the terrace of the Heracles building block and can enjoy champagne and caviar until 6 pm.

13,818.75 euros 
But it gets even more exclusive: with a ticket for the Paddock Club including entry to the (far too small) pit lane. With this package, you can experience the race weekend from a yacht and get a glimpse behind the scenes. Which this year costs the pittance of 13,818.75 euros.Coveted bedsWhat also makes the weekend special is the parade of stars and starlets. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Tom Brady have already been attracted by the unique flair, Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk (Hol) visited his compatriot Max Verstappen yesterday before qualifying, and former tennis ace Maria Sharapova also strolled through the pit lane.

Pop giant Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce are to fly in for today's race, and they can also afford to stay overnight. A night in a hotel costs an average of 6000 euros, while four nights via the Airbnb platform are almost cheap at 1160 euros.