How to Attend The Canadian Grand Prix

 

It may seem like a lifetime away now, but only a few short months ago the Formula 1 circus made its way to Montreal, home of the Canadian Grand Prix, and I was there to welcome it.

First of all let me just say that Montreal is one of the most beautiful cities in the world during the summer months. I know that I’m probably a little bit biased seeing as it is my hometown, but members of Formula 1’s inner circle and tourists alike all rate Montreal as one of their favourite destinations on the calendar.

So what is it about Montreal that makes it special and how can you maximise your time in the city and at the same time have an amazing Grand Prix experience? The following are some of my tips on how to attend the Canadian Grand Prix:

 

1. Take The Metro Everywhere: In Montreal, the only way to travel if you haven’t rented a luxury sports car for the weekend is by Metro. It is fast, affordable and will get you to virtually anywhere you want to go. Taking the metro to the circuit is the easiest way to get there, but when leaving the island after the race, I recommend waiting a few hours as it can take a while to get out and your time will be better spent exploring the track.

 

2. Go to Pit Lane Open Day: Pit lane open day is a Montreal tradition. On the Thursday before the Grand Prix weekend begins the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve opens its doors to members of the public and fans can get up close and personal with the teams and even some drivers. I have fond memories of sitting on the unfinished Ferrari pit wall as a child and in 2010, I met Bruno Senna and chatted to the Red Bull mechanics. Unfortunately this year pit lane open day was cancelled due to interference from protesters, I hope that it will be reinstated next year.

 

 

 

3. Head to Peel and Crescent: During Grand Prix weekend in Montreal, the place to be when not at the circuit is on Peel or Crescent. Every year the two streets host a variety of events. From pit stop challenges to live entertainment on stage, there is something for everyone. If you want you can even eat at Newtown, which was once owned by Jacques Villeneuve. This year I was able to meet the legendary Emerson Fittipaldi. Along with posing for several photographs, he also signed a massive wad of pictures that my friend Rex, who is possibly Emerson’s biggest fan, had brought along with him. I thought that Rex was going to pass out, he was so excited.

 

 

 

4. Visit Mount Royal: For the most spectacular view in the city, go for a hike, cycle ride or drive up Mount Royal. The hill hosts some of the city’s most beautiful mansions and at night the entire city lights up, creating a fantastic photo op.

 

5. Eat in Westmount: Westmount may not be on every tourist’s radar but it is well worth a visit, especially if you are a fan of former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve. The outspoken Canadian owns a house in the area, as do famous hockey players, celebrities and even former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. I grew up there and still enjoy strolling through the lovely Westmount Park, revisiting memories of my youth whenever I visit. Aside from celebrity watching and some picturesque parks, Westmount also boasts several lovely restaurants. My current favourite restaurant in Westmount is a little Italian restaurant called 11 Scalini. Whenever my family goes there we get amazing service and the carbonara is to die for. Ask for Sergio if you love Ferrari, he is a massive tifoso and adores chatting about the red cars! **

 

 

 

6. Sit Anywhere: Having been just about everywhere around the circuit Gilles Villeneuve, I have to say that it is impossible to go wrong when it comes to seat selection. If money is no option, then you can’t beat the first corner, Senna S for drama and action, but even the most affordable tickets offer extremely good value for money. This year I sat in the modestly-priced grandstand 33 and thoroughly enjoyed my view and overall experience.

 

 

 

7. Buy a plastic poncho: In recent years, a plastic poncho has been the must-have accessory at a Canadian Grand Prix weekend. Fans who attended the 2011 race will remember it as a monsoon-like affair that went down in the history books as the longest ever Grand Prix and this year after Friday’s second practice session there was a similar downpour that caught many fans unaware. I have never been more thankful for a glorified plastic bag in my entire life!

 

8. Invade The Track: The end of the Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon is usually such a sad moment, but in Montreal the end of the race is when a lot of the fun that you can have as a spectator begins. The track marshals open the circuit at various points and if you are prepared to climb, crawl and get dirty, then you won’t be disappointed. Fans are allowed to walk all the way around the circuit, hang around outside the pit lane for several hours and even take photos next to the now famous “Salut Gilles” message at the start/finish line. Those who are sitting along the start/finish straight also have the opportunity to celebrate just beneath the podium and many drivers and teams who have performed well in the race will happily greet their supporters after the champagne. This year I caught up with an overjoyed Sergio Perez who was singing in Spanish with friend and fellow countryman, Esteban Gutierrez and was greeted by Heikki Kovalainen as he thanked his mechanics.

 

Although the above are just a few of the countless things to do in Montreal, I hope that my suggestions have been helpful if you are planning a trip to the Canadian Grand Prix this year. If you have a question about the event, please feel free to ask me about it and I will do my best to provide you with the information.

 

 

** If you decide to take the Metro to Westmount, get off at Vendome.

AFL Grand Final Week in Melbourne

Spring has finally sprung and I am really looking forward to some warmer weather after my few months of winter! As you have probably already guessed from the photos in my previous blog post, I am in Melbourne, Australia; land of kangaroos, Crocodile Dundee and these awkward looking pick-up truck mutations known as yutes.

I said goodbye to Italy in June after experiencing an amazing year living in Lodi and taking every opportunity to travel around the country. I will miss the home of Ferrari so very dearly and I have to thank the people who I came into contact with while I was there a great deal for showing me how to truly live with passion and helping me to understand the team that I have loved my entire life more than ever before. In the past year I have gotten closer to Ferrari than I ever dreamt was possible, I have made some amazing memories and I have been reminded that anything can be achieved if you believe in it and single-mindedly pursue that goal. I know that I will be back to Maranello someday soon and I am looking forward to that day with all of my heart.

 

 

It’s been tough moving to Australia and I would be lying if I said that there weren’t obstacles but who ever said that following your heart was easy? Thankfully I can now say that I feel settled in Melbourne and have begun to look forward to the fantastic amount of events that the city has to offer and also learn more about some of the things that are uniquely Australian.

At the top of my list of fascinations has to be what the locals here simply call “football” but the rest of the world refers to as “Aussie Rules”. The most confusing thing about “football” has to be the name since apparently only people in Victoria call it football, the rest of Australia calls rugby “football”. Lost yet?

If you can get past the name and the ridiculously short shorts that all of the players seem to wear, try understanding the rules. Am I the only one who wonders how a team can still score points even if they don’t get the ball in between the designated posts and what’s with the referee throwing the ball in backwards sometimes and then other times simply smashing it into the ground like a mouldy watermelon?! Why are there so many birds in “football” and why is one of the teams known only as the cats? Not the wildcats, not the tiger cats, not even the slightly agitated cats…just the cats. I could go on, but before I begin dissecting the random words that commentators use to describe various plays (for example: “Ooooh he soccerd it!” What does that even mean?!) let me just say that I am absolutely in love with this game!

I found out recently that Aussie Rules is in my blood and even though it was only a distant cousin of mine who once played for Collingwood, I definitely feel as though the revelation warrants me learning a little bit more about the sport and perhaps even trying it out for myself. Who knows, maybe someday soon you’ll see me violently thrashing my hands around like a lunatic in the stands of the MCG or maybe even prancing about on the Brownlow Medal red carpet. Stranger things have happened.

 

The Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final takes place this Saturday and all throughout the city, locals will be proudly sporting their colours of allegiance. There is even a parade on Friday and the tourist information centre boasts a large banner that features the AFL trophy on it. I can’t wait to see who emerges victorious this weekend, whether it’s the hawks or the swans. I’m putting my money on the swans simply because I reckon that in the wild a swan could absolutely take a hawk, I’ve been chased by one before and those things are bloody vicious.

 

 

Put some shrimp on your barbie, it’s going to be a cracker! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

Where Am I?

What a month to be a tifosa and what a crazy month for me in general. Since I last wrote I have been travelling...and travelling and having more of my random adventures. Ferrari has somehow managed to find speed in the car, Felipe Massa has managed to put in a half decent drive and yes, who could forget Fernando Alonso's spellbinding Spanish victory? So where am I now? I won't tell you just yet because I still have jet lag and honestly don't know if I'm on foot or horseback, but I will leave you with some of my pictures from the past month and the promise that I will return to tell all of my tales in the near future!

Maranello Celebrates Gilles Villeneuve 30 Years On

When I was in Maranello yesterday for the Mille Miglia race, I couldn’t help but take note of one of the town’s tourist attractions in particular. The bronze Gilles Villeneuve bust, situated on the street that bares his name, was once again sporting a new look. Gone were the massive potted flowers that adorned the monument less than two weeks ago for the celebrations which marked 30 years since the little French Canadian died in a horrific accident during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend and a large Banner had been placed beneath the memorial, “Ciao Gilles” it read simply.

Italians have constantly impressed me with their knowledge and enthusiasm for motorsports since I arrived in this country less than one year ago. In fact, I remember once being told that I could not possibly hope to understand Ferrari until I had lived in Italy. While it is true that many tifosi are only partial fans at best, it was upon the anniversary of Gilles Villeneuve’s death that I came to see the true passion that many Italians have for Ferrari and its drivers. I also came to see that Gilles was loved in Italy possibly more than any other driver to have donned the famous scarlet overalls.

In the week running up to May 8^th, every major sporting newspaper and magazine ran at least one article dedicated to Villeneuve and his legacy. The Gazetta dello Sport even sold a large book dedicated to the former Ferrari driver, filled with pictures detailing his life and career. People who I spoke with about the anniversary all knew the legend of Gilles Villeneuve. “He was the pilot who Enzo loved the most.” One of my neighbours commented upon noticing my purchase of the above mentioned book. “He loved him like a son.”

Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated event that was held to mark thirty years without Gilles took place on the day of his death in Maranello. Villeneuve’s son, Jacques took to Fiorano to drive his father’s Ferrari 312 T4. When I heard about this tribute, I made it my mission to attend. I grew up watching Jacques Villeneuve race and I remember being thirteen and painting a huge mural on my wall to commemorate his 1997 World Championship. He wasn’t a Ferrari driver, but he was Canadian and to me that was worth cheering about.

It wasn’t until I began to learn more about the history of Formula 1 that I truly first encountered the story of his father, Gilles. I think that I have already written about my admiration for Villeneuve, who is remembered for his passion, his speed and his courage. He died before I was born and yet I have seen the videos of him working his magic behind the wheel of various cars and came to identify with him as I identify with Ferrari. Gilles Villeneuve was not simply a driver, no, he was a driver who embodied the very things that I love about the prancing horse itself and the qualities which drew me in and made me a life long fan of this inspirational team. It helped, of course, that Gilles was also a Canadian but had he been from Romania, I think that I would have still come to idolize him.

On the day of the tribute I was surprised to find Maranello bustling with people and not just any people, but true tifosi. These spectators were genuine fans with genuine memories. A few of them donned Gilles memorabilia and many more toted around various copies of magazines and spoke fondly of what Gilles Villeneuve had meant to them. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed and when, at approximately 10:30am, Jacques Villeneuve began his tribute, the knowledgeable crowd watched in awe.

It was the perfect day to be Canadian in Maranello and once the Italians nearby me detected my accent, they were full of questions about what Canada is like and if Canadians still think of Gilles as they do in Italy. Interestingly enough, although Gilles Villeneuve is far from forgotten in Montreal (they named the Formula 1 circuit after him.) I do think that the Italians really adopted him as one of their own and took him into their hearts in a way that the average Canadian has not. It was lovely to see the real emotion displayed from those in attendance.

After the handful of laps, I joined a group of fans outside the gates of Fiorano, hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the Ferrari celebrities in attendance and hopefully Jacques Villeneuve himself. My expectations were more than met when the gates opened and out came Luca di Montezemolo in his silver Ferrari. The car rolled along slowly as people shoved magazines and pieces of paper into the car’s passenger seat window, where Montezemolo was sitting. “Luca, I’m Canadian!” I shouted in Italian without really thinking about it. The moment the words left my mouth, it seemed as though the world froze and Luca di Montezemolo himself leaned forward in his chair to greet me personally and thanked me for coming.

After my brush with the Ferrari president, I didn’t really expect to see many more things, but the celebrities kept pouring out of the Fiorano gates. Fernando Alonso made a mad dash out the alternative exit to the circuit in his car, much to the crowd’s great displeasure. When the next vehicle attempted to leave Fiorano, the congregated tifosi refused to make way. “Go the other way!” one cheeky fan exclaimed in Italian to roars of laughter. “It was good enough for Alonso!” Mauro Forghieri, who was technical director during Gilles Villeneuve’s time at Ferrari, also experienced humorous crowd problems of his own. As the Italian attempted to sign autographs, the car behind him began honking at the swarmed Forghieri, who laughed at the joke.

All those in attendance were in a fantastic mood and as Gilles’s former mechanics left the facility, the tifosi erupted into applause, acknowledging the service that the men had given Ferrari. The crowd was in fact so respectful, that the team treated us to a special viewing and photo session with the car as it was taken back to the factory, with several of us crossing the forbidden threshold, beyond the gates of Fiorano, for and unforgettable few minutes!

After several hours of stories and laughs with the fans around me, finally the Villeneuve family and their entourage came into view. Melanie Villeneuve, Gilles’s daughter, was the first to greet the crowd with a warm smile and friendly wave. Her mother, Joann walked a few feet behind her, chatting happily with friends. Both women embraced the crowd immediately and spoke in Italian. I was fortunate enough to speak with both of them, who were shocked to discover that I too am Canadian. Melanie in particular was especially down to earth and it was a joy to hear a Canadian accent for the first time in almost a year!

Suddenly the focus of the crowd shifted when a flashy yellow Ferrari, containing 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve in it, approached the exit. I managed to exchange only the briefest few words with him before the fans climbed all over his car…literally. “Is it always like this?” I asked Melanie Villeneuve as she watched her brother get mauled by the tifosi. “Yes.” She replied, while glancing at her mother.

As the cars containing Jacques Villeneuve, Melanie Villeneuve and their mother, Joann made their way out the Fiorano gates, well wishers approached Joann in particular and began to tell Gilles’s widow how much her late husband had meant to them. Obviously touched by their words, both Joann and Melanie seemed to really appreciate the love that the fans still have for Gilles Villeneuve.

As her car was about to disappear from view, Melanie Villeneuve greeted me one last time. She gave me the thumbs up and exclaimed “Go Canada!” while beaming broadly. I like to think that if Gilles could see the way that he was remembered, he would have been extremely proud. For me, it was a very special day in Maranello that I will not likely forget anytime soon.

2012 Mille Miglia: Pictures