The entire planning for the Grand Prix is handled by an 18-man organising committee. Led by President Bernard Richelmi, the board consists of three vice-presidents and 15 members. Each member is in charge of a different commission which oversee a specific area of planning such as the supply of equipment or logistics.

The members are all volunteers who take on the job because of their passion for motor sport. The board also organises other motor racing events in Monaco such as the FIA World Rally Championship event, historic rallying and karting.

The entire board meets once a month and there are also regular commission meetings. Matas, who has been part of the Grand Prix organising committee for 35 years, is tasked with training and supervising the marshals.

The most important stage of training is a two-day instruction for all marshals, which takes place in a vast excavation quarry just outside Monaco. Matas says: “We instruct everyone for the full range of marshal services from intervention and fire to use of the cranes.”

The most essential part of this training involves moving a replica car without use of other machinery. This is important because it is often the only way to remove a grounded car from Monaco’s tight street course.

Matas says: “We work a lot on moving the cars on wheels. To instruct this we use a replica car, the same size and weight as an F1 car. We try to be as real as possible. We practice moving these cars around a course in different configurations.”

Matas also takes the marshals through videos of the previous year’s race, instructing them on what they did right and wrong.

The ACM provides clothing and equipment for every one of the 600-plus staff, from electricians and technicians to doctors and intervention staff. Thousands of items of clothing are stored in a huge aircraft hangar and it takes one full day to distribute.

The 619 trackside staff at this year’s Grand Prix included 281 intervention marshals, 85 fire marshals and 80 local professional firemen. They are split into 43 separate units, each headed by an intervention chief.

Again, all the marshals are volunteers. The ACM pays for expenses and lunch and invites everyone to a party in June at the Monaco Sporting Club, especially for those who worked on the event. But the marshals do not take on the job for these perks. They do it for their passion for motor sport and specifically the Monaco Grand Prix.

ACM President Michel Boeri plays a very hands-on role in this process and personally seeks to instil a sense of pride into every member of the team.

Matas says: “It’s a question of spirit. Michel Boeri is very supportive – he always wants the marshals to be a strong unit because they shine the image of Monaco. All our marshals are very proud.”