When sun rays pass through raindrops in an area where it is raining it brings about

MANILA, Philippines — Expect strong wind and rain over portions of northern Luzon during the “crucial” days of Super Typhoon Betty within the Philippine area of responsibility.

This was the warning of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), saying that Monday (May 29) through Wednesday (May 31) next week will be the critical stage of Betty’s onslaught as it roars closer to the landmass of Batanes and Babuyan Islands.

“Pagsapit naman po ng Lunes hanggang sa Miyerkules, ito ‘yung pinaka-crucial na part dahil pinakamalapit ito sa ating kalupaan, particularly dito sa may Batanes and Babuyan Islands. Around 250 hanggang 300 km away na lamang mula doon sa kanyang mata,” state weather specialist Benison Estareja said in a report on Saturday.

( From Monday to Wednesday, this is the most crucial part because it is closest to our land, particularly here in Batanes and Babuyan Islands. Around 250 to 300 kilometers away from Betty’s eye.)

LIVE UPDATES: Super Typhoon Betty

He also advised dwellers in large parts of Cagayan Valley, the northern portion of Aurora, northern and eastern portions of Cordillera Region, Ilocos Norte, and even Ilocos Sur to brace for strong wind and rain from Sunday until Wednesday.

According to Estareja, Betty’s effects are seen to last longer as it is forecast to decelerate starting Monday.

“‘Pag mabagal ang isang bagyo, mas matagal ‘yung epekto ng hangin at ulan dito sa ating mga kababayan sa northern Luzon,” he pointed out.

( When a typhoon slows down, the effects of wind and rain on our fellow countrymen in northern Luzon last longer.)

READ: Super Typhoon Betty enters PAR

“Kasabay niyan ‘yung southwest monsoon or habagat na siyang magdadala po ng maulang panahon dito sa western sides of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Maaari pong magtagal rin simula sa Lunes hanggang sa Miyerkules,” he also said.

( At the same time, the southwest monsoon, which is locally known as habagat, will bring rainy weather to the western sides of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It can also last from Monday to Wednesday.)

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MANILA, Philippines — Super Typhoon Mawar, heading toward the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), may bring about monsoon rain over parts of Luzon and Visayas next week, state meteorologists said Thursday.

“Mawar is forecast to enhance the Southwest Monsoon and may trigger monsoon rains over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas beginning on Sunday or Monday,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 11 a.m. weather bulletin.

“However, the monsoon rains scenario may still change due to the dependence of Southwest Monsoon enhancement on the track and intensity of Mawar,” it added.

READ: Mawar strengthens into super typhoon again, says Pagasa

The state weather bureau said that as of 10:00 a.m., the center of the super typhoon’s eye is located 2,065 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon and that Mawar was packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

Mawar is forecast to continue intensifying in the next three days and may reach a peak intensity of 215 kph by Sunday, May 28, before weakening – “although it will remain a typhoon by the end of the forecast period,” according to Pagasa.

READ: LIST: Class suspensions on Friday, May 26, due to Mawar

Mawar is expected to enter the PAR on Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Once it enters the PAR, Mawar will be given the local name “Betty,” the second storm to hit the country this year and the first this month.

READ: Guam weathers Category 4 super typhoon without major damage

Betty was also used for a typhoon that hit the Philippines in 2015 and 2019. But Pagasa may reuse one of four sets of typhoon names on a four-year rotation.

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STORMZY will always push the boundaries with his visuals.

But the British rapper is about to spark fury with his next video — in which a monkey helps him prepare cannabis for a joint.

The Vossi Bop star shot the scenes in North London this week, appearing with the monkey that was trained to handle drug paraphernalia.

A concerned label executive told how the video’s directors intended to show the monkey using a “weed grinder” while sitting next to Stormzy on a sofa.

The device is used to break down cannabis into smaller pieces so it can be rolled into a joint.

It will be featured in the video to a new track, over lyrics about rolling cigarettes.

During the scenes, Stormzy raps: “I’m the black Kate Bush, the mandem don’t talk, they whoosh.

“I don’t jump on a tune and talk about shush.

“I’d rather make cigs and kush all of these fibs you push.”

I thought we had come a long way since the Eighties when Michael Jackson kept a chimp called Bubbles , and chimps were seen drinking PG Tips in telly adverts.

But it seems Stormzy thinks this strange use of wild animals is worth it for a cheap laugh.

Strangely, it comes three years after he revealed he encouraged people to stop smoking marijuana.

During a talk for South London charity Carney’s Community, he said: “If you’ve got mental health problems, stop smoking weed. It’s not good for your mental health.

“I have suffered with mental health problems for the past few years. When I used to feel depressed, I’d lock myself away and smoke weed and I’d just get worse and worse and worse.

“It does not help your situation. It will f**k you up. It feels good for 20 minutes, then after that . . . we all know, us weed smokers, we know how it goes.”

Stormzy’s new song will be his first release since his third chart-topping LP This Is What I Mean came out in November.

I just hope there’s no more monkey business in future.

Brit back with mum

BRITNEY Spears has made a shock U-turn and reunited with her mother after spending years bad-mouthing her online.

The Gimme More singer had partially blamed mum Lynne for the start of her conservatorship.

She accused her of not helping her escape the legal set-up that gave father Jamie control over Britney’s life and finances.

But in a surprising twist, the star met Lynne this week and said they had things smoothed out.

Britney wrote on Instagram: “My sweet mama showed up at my doorstep yesterday after three years. It’s been such a long time.

“With family, there’s always things that need to be worked out… but time heals all wounds!!!

“And after being able to communicate what I’ve held in for an extremely long time, I feel so blessed we were able to try to make things RIGHT!!! I love you so much!!!

“Psss… I’m so blessed we can have coffee together after 14 years !!! Let’s go shopping afterwards!!!”

In 2021, Britney said: “My dad may have started the conservatorship 13 years ago but what people don’t know is that my mom is the one who gave him the idea !!!!

“I will never get those years back …. she secretly ruined my life.”

When Lynne tried to make a public apology last October, Britney ranted: “! Mom take your apology and go f*** yourself!!!”

A Great Time for Red fans

SIMPLY Red fans are in for a treat with their 13th album, Time, which is out now.

Frontman Mick Hucknall wrote the 12-track record during lockdown – and it is clear the time he spent with his family has brought out the best in his songwriting.

The album’s first single, the catchy Better With You, is about meeting his wife Gabriella, and many of the songs on Time appear to be an ode to their romance.

Unrequited love and sadness resonate in It Wouldn’t Be Me and Never Be Gone, while Mick brings political views back into his music with protest song Hey Mister.

His silky smooth vocals are also still perfectly intact, 40 years into his career.

The record is charged full of emotion and although it’s a departure musically from the R ’n’ B soul vibe of his 2019 album Blue Eyed Soul, Time more than stands out in the crowd – with Just Like You bringing a touch of classic Simply Red.

Listen and enjoy with a drink in the garden. You won’t regret it.

Nelly turns up the eat

NELLY Furtado poses in this skin-tight mini-dress as she confirms her comeback.

It has been 23 years since the Canadian star sang I’m Like A Bird and her sixth album, The Ride, was released in 2017.

She appears in Fault magazine to mark her return, teaming up with Australian house music DJ Dom Dolla for the track Eat Your Man, which will be out next Friday.

It’s no secret that money is tight for many of us right now, what with the cost of living crisis.

However, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the festival fun.

Forget Glastonbury , there are plenty of ways to get your festival fix on a budget this year.

Check out our top picks of the most purse-friendly gigs, all with line-ups so exciting you’ll have to do a double take at the price tag…

When is it? July 15 and 22

Where is it? Herrington Park, Sunderland

How much are tickets? From £37

Kubix Festival promises the ultimate nostalgia fix this year, with Sugababes, Basshunter, Five, Blue, A1, and 911 on the bill.

The festival runs over two days, with July 15 dedicated to pop and dance acts, while July 22 welcomes a rock and alternative line-up.

Squeeze, The Enemy, Terrorvision, and more feature on the latter, bringing their biggest tunes to Sunderland across two stages.

Tickets begin at £37 with camping and VIP options also available, as well as child tickets for ages 6-15.

When is it? May 31-June 4

Where is it? The Complex, Edinburgh

How much are tickets? From £25

Hidden Door is a five-day experience in Edinburgh, Scotland.

There are three performance spaces this year, with indie rock band Porridge Radio, Grammy-winning Hot 8 Brass Band, electronica and techno producer Max Cooper, and radical pop collective NiNE8 all performing.

There’ll also be sets from Irish rockers Pillow Queens, jazz collective Corto.alto, alt-pop singer Berta Kennedy, and more.

But music isn’t the only thing on offer, oh no, as there’ll also be visual art displays showcasing the work of local artists, poetry and spoken word readings, dance performances, film projections, and even opera.

Hidden Door markets itself as an arts charity that ‘opens up urban spaces to showcase new and emerging artists, musicians, theatre makers, performers, film makers and poets’, and that’s definitely true.

As for pricing, tickets start from £25 and they really don’t go much higher – everyone’s a winner!

When is it? Aug 18-28

Where is it? Victoria Park, London

How much are tickets? From £62

All Points East is held in Victoria Park in London over two weekends.

The annual 10-day event boasts a very impressive line-up this year, with rap royalty Stormzy taking the main slot.

There’ll also be performances from Dermot Kennedy, Haim, Girl in Red, Raye, and The Strokes.

While tickets for the music events start in the £60 region, there’s also plenty to take part in that won’t cost a penny.

All Points East has community activities known as ‘In the Neighbourhood’, a programme that is completely free to enter with an outdoor cinema, live entertainment, street food, pop-up bards, theatre, sports, children’s activities and more.

When is it? September 1 and 2

Where is it? Durdham Down, Bristol

How much are tickets? From £63

Forwards Festival will welcome performances from Raye, Arlo Parks, and Primal Scream to name just a few.

This September, some of music’s most exciting stars will play across three stages, as the festival prides itself in supporting both the biggest names in international music as well as emerging artists from Bristol and beyond.

The festival is child-friendly too, with tickets for ages 5-15 starting at around £18, while under fours go free.

General admission tickets for adults begin at £63, with weekend tickets also available if you’re keen not to miss out on a thing.

When is it? June 30-July 3

Where is it? Over Farm, Gloucester

How much are tickets? From £90

Barn on the Farm is held at Over Farm just outside Gloucester.

Over four days, attendees can enjoy performances from main stage headliners Lizzy McAlpine, Bleachers, and Holly Humberstone.

The final evening, however, includes a yet-to-be-announced secret headliner – and we’re very intrigued to discover who it is.

You can assure you’ll be in safe hands with Barn on the Farm, though, given that Tom Grennan, James Bay, Bastille, Hozier, and Ed Sheeran have all performed there in the past.

There’s plenty more where they came from too, as a whole bunch of acts will take to the stage, as well as some late night DJs and even surprise special guests.

Once again, it’s family-friendly, with children under 10 getting in for free and day passes and weekend tickets available for adults.

And if you fancy making a real experience of the whole thing, why not bring your tent and camp under the stars?

Boardmasters

When is it? August 9-13

Where is it? Newquay, Cornwall

How much are tickets? From £90

Boardmasters Festival returns to Cornwall this summer.

In true Newquay style, the event is a combination of live music and surfing/skateboarding competitions in and around the town.

This year, Lorde, Florence + the Machine, Example, Gabrielle Alpin, Nathan Dawe, The Vaccines, and Rudimental are just some of the stars taking to the mic.

Liam Gallagher will even be there!

Meanwhile, in between all the excitement of the live music, the Boardmasters Open will see the best of the UK and international surfers go head-to-head in the country’s biggest surf competition, which has been going since 1981.

It’s the perfect holiday festival, super chilled, super relaxed, and just all-round great vibes.

Tickets are available in tiers and, once again, it’s family-friendly.

When is it? June 6-17

Where is it? Tudor Courtyard, Hampton Court Palace

How much are tickets? From £66

Hampton Court Palace Festival is welcoming a wealth of world-class acts to the stage once again this year.

Not only will Sir Tom Jones be returning, but there’ll also be sets from Soft Cell, Kool & The Gang, Kaiser Chiefs, and Rick Astley.

The performances all take place in a super intimate setting for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Artists take to the stage in Base Court, set against the backdrop of Tudor history with a 3,000-seated auditorium.

Meanwhile, depending on your vibe on the day, there’ll also be chilled acoustic sets outside from up-and-coming artists.

Tickets range in price with VIP experiences also on offer – you can even order a picnic!

When is it? June 10 and 11

Where is it? Heaton Park, Manchester

How much are tickets? From £84

Parklife is one of Manchester’s most exciting annual events.

This year, the two-day event will welcome some of the biggest names in music right now, celebrating the very best of dance and electronic music.

The 1975, Little Simz, Aitch, Becky Hill, Self Esteem, Mimi Webb, Raye, and The Prodigy will all perform.

Festival-goers can also expect DJ sets from the likes of Annie Mac, DJ Paulette, Honey Dijon, Eliza Rose, and Shy FX.

There really is something for everyone and while it might not be the cheapest of all the budget festivals (general admission is £84.50), it definitely offers value for money.

But you need to be quick, because Parklife tickets sell like hot cakes…

When is it? July 7

Where is it? Crystal Palace Park, London

How much are tickets? From £54

Community Festival is back for one day only this July.

The annual London event boasts an impressive not-to-be-missed line-up, as indie rock legends Two Door Cinema Club and The Wombats will co-headline.

Performances will also come from The Vaccines, Sea Girls, and Baby Queen.

While children are welcome and go free, general admission tickets for adults start at £54.

But if you do fancy splashing a bit more cash, VIP packages are available, which give you access to a chill out area, cocktail bar, food trucks, and cloakrooms.

When is it? July 20-23

Where is it? Henham Park, Suffolk

How much are tickets? From £96

Latitude is another hotly-anticipated festival, set within the grounds of Henham Park, near Southwold, Suffolk.

The festival hosts music artists spanning across a multitude of genres, meaning there should be something that takes your fancy, no matter what you’re into.

The 2023 bill includes Pulp, Paolo Nutini, and George Ezra as headliners.

Are you attending any festivals this year? Comment Now

Meanwhile, The Kooks, The Proclaimers, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Lightning Seeds also perform.

Latitude doesn’t stop at music though, as the likes of Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe, Romesh Ranganathan, Russell Kane, and James Acaster will also be on hand to provide the belly laughs with comedic routines.

A range of tickets are available, including family weekend packages and camping packages, while standard day tickets start in the £90 region.

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MORE : London festivals this year are absolutely jam-packed – our top 10 to help you pick and choose

MORE : Slowthai removed from Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds festival line-ups following rape charges

Red Bull maintained its perfect victory sweep at the start of the 2023 season, with Max Verstappen ‘s commanding victory in last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

But, as ever, there was plenty more to the overall event story – with Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin taking to the stage even more centrally than usual this season and Sergio Perez having an awful weekend that may have already blown his 2023 title hopes. Plus, there was much news to cover off-track and major car developments to analyse.

This, then, is this pick of what we learned from F1’s latest visit to Monaco.

1. Verstappen, Alonso and Ocon show the most Monaco magic

Starring drives for Alonso, Verstappen and Ocon earned well-deserved rostrum visits

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

The Monaco weekend places demand on drivers like no other, with qualifying having extra importance, the tight confines of the track meaning zero chance to relax across 78 gruelling laps, and added threat from the barriers if rain arrives to spice up the action.

It did so for the second year in a row here, which enlivened the (typically) tense but straightforward early action. But through it all the top three drivers showed their class. They’d already done so with scintillating, whoop-inducing qualifying performances – Verstappen stunning Alonso and Charles Leclerc at the death and Esteban Ocon shocking the field with his impressive Q3 pace.

The Alpine driver benefited from some luck last weekend with Leclerc’s qualifying penalty and George Russell ‘s post-intermediates pitstop off boosting him in the qualifying and race results, but it was a timely reminder of his class.

Verstappen delivers that basically every weekend these days: he made hay even while struggling on worn mediums before the rain arrived last Sunday but did get away with a few minor errors tapping the barriers and not delivering early in Q3 again. Alonso has also been magic across 2023 so far and, in fact, given his consistency, the Aston Martin driver is looking back to 2010 and 2012 for inspiration he might be able to stay in the title hunt even lacking the best car…

2. Perez surely has lost the championship now

A messy race for Perez that required an additional stop for a new front wing before the rain hit meant he was never likely to threaten the points

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

…Alonso is currently 51 points behind Verstappen and Monaco was surely the best chance for any team to stop Red Bull taking a clean sweep of 2023 victories without reliability or unforeseen crashes taking their shock toll. So, a title charge against Verstappen seems unlikely at best, yet it’s great to hear the fire still burns brightly for the veteran warrior.

The driver with the best chance of stopping Verstappen marching to a third successive world championship remains his team-mate: Perez. But the Monaco weekend was such a disaster for the Mexican with his Q1 crash, in-race clashes and zero points, that even with 16 rounds left there is little realistic chance of him pulling off such a feat.

Perez was really poor in Monaco. Caught out and surprised by his rear end swinging around at Ste Devote early in Q1 and slamming into the barriers, he was confined to a painful race. He showed acceptable pace on Red Bull’s aggressive lap-one-stop strategy, but his botched passes on Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen at the chicane pre-rain were sloppy, even with the challenge of the tight track a mitigating factor. He ended up twice lapped and being used to test alternative wet weather strategies for Verstappen up front, although his Swimming Pool save in the late wet chaos was impressive.

In isolation that’s all rather bad, but Singapore and Las Vegas are now the only remaining street circuits on the calendar – the track type where Verstappen struggles slightly and Perez usually excels. Now F1 heads to the fast stuff where Perez was badly off the pace in 2022. He must at the very least show progress in this area to keep his diminishing 2023 title hopes alive.

3. Aston Martin’s strategy calls under scrutiny

Alonso’s ill-fated stop for mediums before coming in one lap later for intermediates secured victory for Verstappen

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

For the first time in 2023, Red Bull was really under pressure for the win from another team. Verstappen had done the crucial thing in sealing pole, but he still had to escape Ste Devote in the lead on lap one, with the feisty Alonso alongside him on the front row.

It was therefore surprising to see the Aston start on hards, reducing the chance of a dive given that compound’s comparative lack of launch grip. The green team was playing the long game – hoping Verstappen’s mediums would wear fast and force him into an early stop and getting mired in traffic. But that didn’t happen, with Verstappen having good pace and a big gap even as his yellow-walled rubber grained.

Alonso also came in for mediums just as rain was changing the state of the race, which turned out to be the wrong call timing-wise and all but confirmed Verstappen’s victory if he could keep it out of the wall to the flag, which did bar a few near-misses and minor touches.

Aston was unfortunate the rain was heavier, that was wider spread than expected, and hindsight is a wonderful thing when assessing race strategy. It tried a few things, which might’ve come off had small details of the race been a bit different. This is how it goes up front, every decision is just much more closely scrutinised and, in this case, F1 observers are left wondering if Aston has missed its best shot at a 2023 victory given Red Bull’s domination.

4. The full worth of Mercedes’ much-vaunted upgrades is still unknown

Russell might have scored podium for Mercedes by coinciding his only stop with switch to inters before his outlap off

Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images

Imola’s cancellation had a big knock-on impact for many of the first major car development upgrades of the 2023 season, with Ferrari even changing its plan not to introduce a new rear suspension it knew it would cause an extra headache to be examining around Monaco’s unusual low-speed bumps and kerbs.

Mercedes , however, pressed on with introducing the reworked W14 here, the package finally back with bigger sidepods and now featuring a new suspension system. The team believes that, even though upgrades are so hard to assess in Monaco, its new sidepods have delivered a downforce gain and its new suspension is aimed at creating a more stable platform with an anti-dive impact on braking and corner entry, which should make its floor more potent.

The Black Arrows, which finished fourth and fifth despite Russell’s late penalty, is nevertheless still keeping its expectations in check, with this weekend’s Barcelona outing more critical for discovering the full impact of the changes.

“It’s so difficult [to assess] because we were in the mix with Aston Martin and with Ferrari, I would say,” Toto Wolff explained. “On a positive note, maybe encouraging because we have never been really good here. We have been three tenths behind pole. Last year was six tenths.

“The car was awful last year and this time around the drivers said it’s not good. So, there’s a step in description. But we really need to be careful. We’ve got to go to Barcelona, collect more data. It’s a new baseline. [But] I don’t expect us clearing Aston Martin and Ferrari there either.”

5. Hamilton’s 2024 Mercedes contract talks still progressing amid Ferrari speculation

Hamilton is confident of agreeing new terms with Mercedes

Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images

Mercedes was in the headlines throughout the Monaco weekend thanks to the interest in its upgrades, but arguably of even greater focus before its design changes were finally revealed centred on Hamilton’s 2024 contract situation.

Following speculation that Ferrari could be poised to offer the seven-time world champion a big bucks offer to jump ship for next year, his response when facing the media last Thursday was keenly awaited. In that press conference, Hamilton flatly denied any contact with Ferrari and said “we’re almost at the end of having a contract ready” with Mercedes. The was followed by Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur saying his team had not made an offer and Wolff giving his usual take on how simple contract discussions were with Hamilton.

This is perhaps the most revealing aspect, as it demonstrates there is no panic at Mercedes about potentially losing its star driver. But it doesn’t address the thrust of the pre-Monaco suggestion about Ferrari and Hamilton, that the Scuderia is considering making a major offer.

It could yet still do that and until Hamilton signs a new Mercedes contract for 2024, nothing can be ruled out for sure. It would be foolish to do so. After all, just look at the expectations regarding Alonso signing an Alpine extension this time last year…

6. A key part of F1 car packages under new costs scrutiny

Aston boss Krack questioned the worth of significant investment in gearboxes that yield little performance gain

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Soon enough, F1 is going to be at the halfway stage of the current ruleset, with the next change for 2026 suddenly seeming not so far away. While the engine rules are decided, the chassis changes are still being debated and decided on – with wider use of active aerodynamics likely coming into force to try and help F1’s ongoing overtaking conundrum.

But a new point of discussion emerged over the Monaco weekend, with Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack asking why teams are spending nearly $10 million on gearbox development in a cost cap era when there is no performance difference between them in this area these days and that it’s a hidden part that adds nothing to F1’s show. Talks on this subject are ongoing with F1 and the FIA.

“If you look at the gearbox these days, and you compare it with other motorsport categories, the gearbox is not a performance differentiator anymore,” Krack explained.

“Everybody has more or less the same performance from the gearbox. But the cost for gearboxes is horrendous, especially if you compare it to other categories. Every team is just writing off $8-9 million a year for gearboxes where there is no performance difference at all.”

7. McLaren again leads the way in temporary special liveries

McLaren pulled out all the stops with its Triple Crown-themed livery

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

McLaren’s special ‘Triple Crown’ livery is a key part of its celebrations in its 60th year of history. The unofficial accolade is usually a driver-only concern, with Graham Hill the only ‘Triple Crown’ winner, but McLaren’s success in the 1974 Indianapolis 500, 1984 Monaco GP and 1995 Le Mans (albeit as a factory-linked privateer) is still a special achievement worth celebrating.

The split livery incorporating the colours of all three of the cars that won those races is a bit of an odd look, but it nevertheless looks rather dynamic and makes a nice change to the team’s usual design. It’s a far and much better cry from just putting a few extra stripes on a sidepod or recolouring an engine cover, Red Bull and Ferrari…

McLaren, which is keeping the ‘Triple Crown’ livery for the next race in Spain this weekend, has form in running one-off colours, with its Gulf livery at the 2021 Monaco race a firm hit with fans. Now, Williams has Gulf sponsorship and last weekend launched a fan vote to run a similar design at the upcoming Singapore, Japanese and Qatar events – albeit with slight tweaks across all the four options. More of this, please!

8. Monaco qualifying drama alone proves this race’s place on the F1 calendar

Alonso and Verstappen shared mutual respect after a thrilling conclusion to qualifying

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Although the top three drivers in the race finished in the same places they started, this Monaco race was rather entertaining – thanks to the weather intervention. As ever, the dry action was formulaic and processional, such has long been the way with F1 machinery racing around these tight streets.

But even if that had played out to the finish, it would’ve been a price worth paying for the incredible and wonderful qualifying action witnessed the day before. From Perez boshing his Red Bull poorly into the Sainte Devote barriers in Q1 and Hamilton’s struggle to escape that segment, to Verstappen stealing pole from Alonso in the final sector of his final lap from a long way down. It was close, it was breath-taking, it was brilliant.

The F1 calendar is very long these days – there are surely plenty of events for fans who complain about Monaco’s place on the calendar due to its dull dry race action to have their fill. The drivers love the challenge of nailing the hardest qualifying laps of the season and so it’s great to have a unique challenge that upends the usual weekend norms once a year. The debate won’t end there, but perhaps it should be more settled now.

9. Monaco’s special crash recovery systems reveal some of F1’s most close-guarded secrets

Hamilton’s car was hoisted high into the air after his FP3 prang, where eagle-eyed photographers didn’t miss a trick

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Any crash is unfortunate, but those Perez and Hamilton suffered in qualifying and practice last weekend had extra winces being drawn at their Red Bull and Mercedes squads. This is because Monaco’s effective and usually rapid car recovery system at many corners involves craning machines away high over the track and surrounding areas, rather than lifting cars with a mobile tractor crane and driving them behind nearby barriers, as is the case at most other tracks.

Here though, with a similar system also used at certain corners at Zandvoort, the RB19 and W14 were respectively left dangling at great height for a long time above Sainte Devote and Mirabeau in Q1 and late in FP3. These developments revealed the full designs of their floors – the major aerodynamic performance differentiator on ground-effect cars.

This was a handy lesson for F1 fans and observers, but much more so for rival teams, which all pay photographers to snapshots of other designs. The images might need comparative CFD analysis to be really worthwhile, but it’s still something Red Bull and Mercedes would’ve preferred not to have happened.

“I suspect they’re probably more annoyed at their car being left in the sky than we would be about ours,” said Mercedes director of trackside engineering, Andrew Shovlin. “To be honest, with these regulations, the most important bit is the bit you don’t normally get to see. So, the teams will be all over those kinds of photographs. Monaco is a good opportunity to get that kind of shot.”

10. New Monaco TV arrangement works a treat

TV direction didn’t miss a beat in Monaco this year, which made a nice change

Photo by: Jake Grant / Motorsport Images

Another complaint often directed at this race has been rather more on the money: that in previous years the TV direction hasn’t been brilliant. That key moments of the race were missed, the action was not shown in the most dynamic ways due to certain camera positioning, and replays were often cut in at awkward times.

That changed for 2023 with F1 itself taking control of the Monaco TV direction and its in-house team producing and directing the coverage. There was plenty of familiar feel to what was broadcast, but this was enhanced by new camera positioning – particularly looking up the hill through Beau Rivage and Massenet around Casino Square and the Swimming Pool complex – that better revealed the speeds with which these F1 beasts can blast around this track from a bygone era.

But the first of helicopter-mounted shots over Monaco really demonstrated the scale of this famous event and just how tightly the track is draped around the compact, coastal principality. Excellent decision-making all around.

The scale and spectacle of Monaco was beautifully on show for TV viewers

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images