Left field

Monaco madness

You can charter Flavio Briatore’s Force Blue ‘yacht’ for $235,000 a week during the low season. For that, you get five decks, a gymnasium, Turkish steam bath, cinema and cabin space for 12 guests.

There’s also a mud bath and massage room.

Unfortunately it’s not available during Monaco Grand Prix week, but then life is full of disappointments.

Somehow I suspect that Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone and the team bosses, including Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, didn’t get the most out of the facilities during several hours on board on Friday talking about the future of the sport.

The irony of the fact that they were meeting on a boat that probably cost its owner a sizeable chunk of the 40 million pound budget cap that they were so opposed to was not lost on those waiting on the wrong end of the gangway.

I might as well come straight out and admit that I love the Monaco Grand Prix.

Interviewing Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton is resigned to the fact that his formula 1 world title defence could last only a handful more races and the McLaren driver has anointed fellow-Briton Jenson Button as his heir apparent.

“I think Jenson’s got a great chance, a great shot at it so I wish him all the best,” Hamilton told Reuters in an interview at the McLaren factory when asked who was going to win the championship.

“I think if I were to wish anyone (else) to win, it would be him.”

Click here for the full text interview, or see the rough cut video above.