Grand Prix Glitz Draws Rising Stars

Monaco always attracts the world's biggestFerrari team. This year in Monaco, he played tour
celebrities with its natural beauty and refinedguide to French actor Jean Reno. The two
elegance. When the excitement of Formula Oneworked together on films like Le Grand Bleu and
racing hits the principality's streets at the end ofNikita.
May, top models as well as Hollywood stars andQuentin Tarantino recently attended the European
starlets come out in full force to enjoy the mostGrand Prix at the Nurburgring. When asked for his
glamorous race of the year; the Monaco Grandthoughts on racing, Tarantino said, ""I like all this
Prix.pageantry that happens beforehand. The guys are
Actors, directors and top models converge attrying to get ready to do a race, but then they
Formula One racing events year round to bask inhave all this carnival just before their do-or-die
the glitz of the world's most expensive sport. Thetime."
rich and famous seem to love the high-speedWhile the Grand Prix hasn't had a serious accident
thrills and excitement that surrounds the races,in years, the event certainly does get some of its
especially when the action is set in scenicallure from the danger of racing on narrow
European towns.streets with tight turns and changing elevations.
Hollywood and the Grand Prix have long goneThe race is held each year on the Circuit de
hand in hand, since actors and directors often visitMonaco, which consists of the city streets of
the race in conjunction with a visit to the CannesMonte Carlo and La Condamine and includes the
Film Festival. The festival, which runs at the samefamous harbour. It takes six weeks to build the
time of year just north of the race along thecircuit and three weeks after the event to tear it
Mediterranean coast of France, is an event that isdown.
never missed by Tinseltown's A-list. For stars thatOnly two drivers in the history of the race have
also love to watch racing, a visit to Cannes usuallyever crashed into the harbour, with the most
serves as a prelude to the Grand Prix. Forfamous of the two being Alberto Ascari in 1955.
instance, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and GeorgeAscari survived the crash into the water after
Clooney showed up at the 2004 race whilemissing a chicane. The other driver, Paul Hawkins
promoting their film Ocean's 12 at Cannes.of Australia, ended up in the water in 1965.
The Grand Prix and Fashion Unite event hasHawkins crashed his Lotus and flew over the wall,
recently become a fixture on the race calendar.after which he swam away from the accident to
The 2007 event brought together supermodelssafety.
and socialites to raise funds for the TerezaThe race was founded in 1929 by Anthony
Maxova Foundation, which benefits orphanages inNoghes, with the permission of Prince Louis II and
the Czech Republic. The event featured designssponsorship from the Automobile Club de Monaco.
by Isabell Kristensen, famous for her red carpetIt has become one of the most important races
creations. Actress Bai Ling attended the event, asin the world, alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the
did German model Lena Gehrke and Czech24 Hours of Le Mans. The three races are
beauty Petra Nemcova.collectively known as the Triple Crown.
Famous Hollywood directors Luc Besson andThe history and drama of the race is intriguing, as
George Lucas are Formula One regulars. Theis the opulence of its fans. The rich and famous
2007 Grand Prix also brought Jude Law toare treated like royals amongst the gorgeous cars
Monaco to enjoy the action of this year's racingin majestic Monaco at the end of May, tempting
season.many top models as well as Hollywood's brightest
Besson typically attends most Formula Onestars and starlets to take a trip to see the Grand
events with his friend Jean Todt, director of thePrix.