Monaco Grand Prix 2018 Tour Report

As the most glamorous race in the formula one calendar was upon us, flights departed from Gatwick, Manchester and Luton on Friday as we headed to sunny Nice. Clients then were transferred to their hotels in one of three destinations we had on offer, either Nice, Cannes or Monte Carlo.

Everybody had time to enjoy the sunshine on Friday and settle in before heading to welcome drinks at each hotel in the evening. After everyone had a chance to mingle and catch up on each other’s predictions and excitement for the weekend ahead, it was time to head out to enjoy some lovely food before the early start on Saturday.

As the sun rose on Saturday morning, it was clear it was going to be a scorcher of a day as clients had a choice of catching the train or getting a coach transfer to Monaco for the qualifying day ahead. Pole position at Monaco is of paramount importance and as a result, Ricciardo owned this year's qualifying after leading all three practice sessions and all three knock out stages. This would be Ricciardo’s second pole position of his career. He was aided by teammate Max Verstappen crashing his car during the final practice session, from which Verstappen was set to start last.

On to the main event…It was looking to be another hot day in Monaco on Sunday, with a few more clouds than the previous day. A few spots of rain appeared in the early afternoon, but it stayed dry for the race and everyone was looking forward to the main event. Ricciardo maintained his lead at the start and for the first time since 2009, the race had no need for a safety car. It was a slow race (with Hamilton and Alonso venting their renewed frustration at the lack of overtaking opportunities post-race) but for the purist, the Monaco circuit will always be something special and offers a different set of challenges to the drivers than some of the faster, wider circuits. Ultimately, the 2018 Monaco race ended in sweet redemption for Ricciardo by leading from start to finish while battling power loss at one-third distance. Riccardo managed to hold off Vettel for the remainder of the race, while Hamilton took the third position. Six races into the season we now have two wins each for Mercedes (Hamilton), Ferrari (Vettel) and Red Bull (Ricciardo).

After a great two days in Monaco being involved in the action, Sunday evening was a chance for everyone to enjoy some dinner and catch up on the weekend's events before heading home the next day. Anticipation is now growing for the next Grand Prix weekend and then the return to Le Castellet and the Paul Ricard Circuit in France in a few weeks' time!

- Nikki H