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LEADER

model remains based on the commitment of
volunteers?
For a marshal who is present at all the events,
that represents more than a month of work. The
generations who are 30/40 years old still accept
that there are rules to respect, that they must
learn and they must also have an employer that
is willing to give them the time to participate.
We have some 20-year-old recruits – but they
seem less reliable. For that Generation 2.0,
track marshalling is stupid: it's less exciting
than handling a joystick in front of a screen. We
are lucky to compensate for this disaffection of
young people by the commitment of women –
there 62 in the team at the moment. .

Your 50-year presidency has been marked by
power struggles with the FOM and the FIA.
Did you have to play it smart to negotiate
1975 - Me Michel BOERI, SAS La Princesse Caroline et SAS Le Prince Albert contracts with personalities like Bernie
Ecclestone?
asked the government to define the projects length would not enhance anything and would With Ecclestone, it was all very British. He
that may modify the available space at the require us to have additional cover in terms of was a decent guy. Once we had agreed, we
Esplanade des Pêcheurs, and to discuss directly volunteers, marshals and doctors. In addition didn't need a lawyer, we just signed a contract
with Formula One Management (FOM) the to the general doctors from the Principality and for show. He kept his word and I kept mine.
spaces that are necessary for them. The ACM the Monaco hospital, we have an additional 32 There were hard discussions. I remember a
needs 1,000 m² for the media coverage – not resuscitators from outside of the Principality. It Grand Prix in the 1980s when Ecclestone, then
only for the Formula 1 but for other events such is very difficult to find volunteers. The medical boss of the FOM, announced to us: "If the grid
as the Historic Grand Prix and the E-prix - plus coverage we supply is completely exceptional. fees are not increased… there will be no Grand
we need 500 to 1,000 m² to store spare parts Prix. We are on strike." He had forgotten that
or railings that may be damaged. In the end, we “… the ACM deals the F1 garages were located under Le Portier
file a request from the FIA for 1000 m to stock [he smiles]… I threatened to block the exits of
2
the F1 tires. From now on, things are clear: the only with the the garages with lorries if he went on strike…
ACM deals only with the sporting parts. The sporting parts.” adding that he wouldn’t be leaving Monaco
government, depending upon building permits anytime soon… He then relented and, in the
they give out for the Esplanade des Pêcheurs, end, we reached an agreement. The mechanics
will propose to Formula 1 the remaining space When you mention accidents, you're probably got angry, they were fuming. As I had to join
that must satisfy the very strict requirements thinking of the Bandini crash, following which him at the garages to sign the agreement, I
of the Formula 1that the government are the ACM created its own marshal army asked the chief of police to intervene if things
already aware of. It's like it was yesterday – but every cloud, went wrong. Ecclestone signed the document,
as they say. We did indeed have the idea of handed it to me and I knelt down to sign it –
Obviously you're not keen on the Esplanade creating our own body of marshals, which and the police immediately came charging in,
des Pêcheurs project, which would jeopardise this year received the FIA trophy for the best thinking I'd been pushed and injured…
holding the Grand Prix? F1 field marshals in the world championship.
The cards are in the hands of the Government. These 650 marshals are trained in how to TV rights have been the sinews of war in F1.
They know perfectly well the needs and the intervene on a track, including new intervention Was the Monaco Grand Prix was ever called
stakes. In the end – they will assume the result techniques from the F1 hybrids with the risk into question because of the conflict over it?
of their choices. of electrocution. They are a great help to We had the TV rights until the end of the
firefighters. They are regimented because that Ecclestone contract. At the present time,
Will the Monaco Grand Prix circuit be modified is the only way it works! I would like to point after various changes, it is one of the only
with the offshore land extension? Are you out that 14% of the workforce is female. They privileges that we have been able to partially
planning any other changes to capture the are often more motivated than the men. maintain compared to other Grand Prix – but
public's interest? we know perfectly well this could change in the
No. A circuit does not work just any old how. Your marshals have three Grand Prix this future contract. For example, up until 2021, we
There are specific rules that affect braking year. Do you have to search for available managed alongside the Formula 1 the television
and run-off areas. Adding 300 metres in people, particularly as the Monaco Grand Prix images. We had our own control room that

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