‘Lights out in 5’

Automobiles and Gadgets have always been the first love for boys. You can say it’s in their blood, but they share a certain passion for it. Some explore and some love it as a hobby. Similarly, I was good at something, the game was seeing the car and guessing its name and brand. I had a passion for supercars and that led to watching Formula 1. My school friends introduced me to Formula 1, and it turned into an addiction very soon. Every weekend since that day, I watch the race and I’m loving it.

Years passed by, and one day I was watching the Silverstone Grand Prix with friends, Jake my friend suggested that we could go to the Monaco Grand Prix. At first, it seemed like he was kidding, but it was something serious. Luckily after a day or two, while random browsing I saw that the Monaco Grand Prix Pre-Season tickets were going live at 12:00 am on Jan 23. I called up my friends and then booked the tickets to Grand Prix as comparatively, they were less expensive because it is an early bird offer. We made plans for the entire week, and we decided to end the week by seeing the race. In that way, we could explore Monaco City, it seemed like a plan, and it was 5 of my best friends, what more could you expect? It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch Hamilton and Vettel racing, merely that was the only thing me and the boys dreamt of since we started watching Formula 1.

We took the flight from Denver to Monaco on 21st May, the flight was extraordinary since we also had booked business class long before, so it was a Win-win. We made our itineraries and then visited the Prince’s Palace. Martins gardens, there were beaches and nightlife and parties back to back. We ate good dishes like Barbagiuan and Daube, they were delicious, and it was a unique experience.

Days passed by it was the race weekend. Monaco Grand Prix is also known because it’s a street race and fans from all over the world come and watch it from the stands as well as they can enjoy the experience on a private yacht with some champagne. We took the Main stand, and we did go for the first practice which was on Friday, there was very less crowd at first, but later people entered as the cars rushed through the streets of Monaco City and made a sound that echoed around the skyscrapers. It was like the entire city has just a single event and that is the Grand Prix.

The next day, we woke up-ate breakfast and then made our way to the stand because it was the Qualifying, it falls on a Saturday and it’s the decider for who is going to be in what position for the final race on Sunday. It is also a chance for drivers to learn the track and know the competitor as well. It is mainly divided into 3 quarters and the driver who makes the fastest lap starts on pole position in the Main race. It was so energetic and fans from all over the planet came to cheer up their favourite drivers. It felt like a total festival in the heart of Monaco city. We had some fast food in the stands and at the end of the third quarter, Daniel Riccardo from Redbull Racing had secured the first position to start the race. Second in line was Sebastian Vettel who is one of my favourite drivers from Ferrari, down the lane were Hamilton, Bottas and Ocon and so on. This got me more excited for the race.

SUNDAY, popularly known as ‘Race Day’ in F1 terminology. We reached a little late because the city was crowded with traffic, there was a huge line to get to the stands, but the excitement had covered for everything. It was lights out at around 3:30 pm, 78 laps to go. It seemed like a tough fight between Riccardo and Vettel, with lots of overtaking attempts and sledging. Sirotkin received a 10-second penalty for violation and Alonso also gained up positions to bring heat to the race. Leclerc and Alonso were racing against each other and there was a crash. The stand was all silent and all of us wished for the drivers’ safety, after some time they announced that both were safe and that gave everyone relief.

At the end of the 78th lap, Riccardo crossed the finish line and Hurrah! it was a victory, fans started screaming at top of their voices, music was everywhere and there were shenanigans everywhere. It was a joyous moment; I and my friends grabbed some beers to celebrate the win and the feeling was extravagant. The podium ceremony was one thing to watch where the drivers are awarded trophies and they pop the Ferrari Champagne over the winners and the entire team. It was a huge celebration; I was lucky to witness this celebration and I cannot forget that moment ever in my life.