From Auto #18: Noble ambitions

  • gb
02.05.17

The Monegasque royal family has always harboured an abiding passion for motoring and motor sport. Prince Albert II of Monaco is no exception, but he is also firmly focused on a sustainable future

Auto, FIA, Motorsport, Monaco

Click here to read the full Auto #18 magazine.

Where did the Grimaldi family get its passion for cars?

My grandfather, Prince Albert I, was keen on anything technical and technological, two words that weren’t in common usage back then. He was fascinated by the sciences, by everything that could contribute to the progress of mankind and lead to peace. When he was born, at the beginning of the industrial revolution, many journeys were still made by horse-drawn carriage. He had a Humber motorbike that he loved [a 1902 350cc model]. He rode it from Monaco to Paris, crossing France on this less-than-sturdy bike. On his first trip, which he tackled alone, he broke down, riding on roads that were often just loose surfaces. He had an adventurous spirit that went with a love of the motor car.

Your father, Prince Rainier, was the first Grimaldi to start a car collection...

He witnessed the birth of the Grand Prix, all that atmosphere around the car, which means that we in Monaco are all very fond of motor sport. I have a soft spot for a 1902 De Dion Bouton, the car my father drove in a London to Brighton run, 50 years ago, in 1968. The whole family went over for it and we did some of the sections following behind and others in the car with him. I also very much like the 1935 Packard 8 on display in our private collection.

When did you attend your first Monaco Grand Prix?

In 1965. The race was won by Graham Hill. I was seven years old and it made a big impression on me. There was a lot of noise and I remember covering my ears. That noise delivered an excitement level that is less evident today. But what I really miss is the smell of castor oil, which added to the charm of it.

Is it true that the Monaco Grand Prix pays little or no fee to Formula One’s commercial rights holder?

That’s just a rumour. Maybe the rights are less expensive than for other circuits, but there is a fee. Bernie Ecclestone was well aware what Monaco brought to Formula One, he said it himself, as do the sponsors and drivers. It’s part of the negotiations with the ACM (Automobile Club de Monaco). Bernie always took care of us, but he still made us pay what he reckoned was the right amount. I don’t know all the figures and maybe it is less than for some other races, but you have to look at what the Monaco GP represents historically. We have not been favoured unduly and we pay what we have to pay.

What was your impression of Alejandro Agag when he came to talk to you about his Formula E project?

I said to myself, finally it’s happened. Someone has taken the risk, has been bold enough to create an electric race car formula. I immediately gave him my support, even before he spoke to the ACM, and my Foundation became a partner. It’s a really competitive series that demonstrates you can race with electric single-seaters. It is certainly going to help promote the idea.

Do you think his gamble has paid off?

I can’t claim to be too objective, but it seems to be really taking off. The racing is close and the car switch [mid-race] also spices things up. Soon, the cars will be able to run longer, which shows that progress has been made on the battery life.

You were keen for Venturi, a Monegasque team, to take part?

I have to really thank Gildo Pallanca Pastor for taking on this challenge right from the start. It shows the principality is engaged in environmentally-friendly mobility. My first electric car was a little Peugeot 106. Today, there are around 600 electric or hybrid cars in Monaco, with recharging points opposite the palace.

Are you keen on the plan that sees the Historic Grand Prix and the Formula E race alternating each year, a mix of nostalgia and innovation?

I’d rather we held all three events every year, but that’s not possible. Technically, it is complicated and running several events one after the other would put a lot of pressure on the volunteers.

This year, you waved off the competitors for the final leg of the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. What’s your take on the growing success of this event, which involved 330 crews taking part in the 20th edition?

I am delighted, just as I am with the Historic GP, to see the enthusiasm of competitors and spectators alike. There’s a nostalgia for the great events of yore, for these cars that have become legendary. The passion is always there and the event is easygoing and fun, but the competitors take it seriously. It’s fantastic and there’s an amazing atmosphere, even inland and further away in Valence.

What are your fondest memories from your time as a co-driver?

In a Renault with Jean Ragnotti, who gave it his all as the course-opening car on a super special stage for the Rallye Prince Albert has been a strong supporter of the Formula E Championship, run by Alejandro Agag. Monte-Carlo down on the port. That was great, and I also remember opening a stage on the 1000 Lakes in Finland, in a Lancia. On the Paris-Dakar I drove some link sections in a Mitsubishi Pajero, so that Jean-Pierre Marsan could take a break. Once in Algeria, we ended up in a convoy trying to slipstream other competitors. We didn’t do too badly, sometimes we finished in the top 25. I have another memory, which involves the American driver Danny Sullivan. After a dinner, I asked him if he wanted to do a lap of the Monaco circuit in my Golf GTI. It was winter, so there wasn’t much traffic and he drove. He went a bit quickly and some police officers were a bit disconcerted. But that was 30 years ago…

What’s more frightening: getting lost in the desert on the Paris-Dakar, or representing Monaco in the bobsleigh event in the Olympic Games?

We weren’t completely lost, even though it was night-time and therefore a bit complicated, at the end of the Iferouane to Agades stage. We soon found some other competitors and we all managed to get out together. It was more of an adventure, with some marvellous moments. I just regret I didn’t make it to the finish, but that’s motor sport. When you go down a run in a bob, you’re definitely a bit apprehensive. You have to learn how to drive it, which requires finesse, correcting your trajectory with levers. It’s very precise, very subtle. Whoever says they are not scared in a bob is lying. You have to overcome that feeling, while controlling the excitement of competition to be able to find the best lines.

When did the Albert II of Monaco Foundation first become interested in sustainable mobility?

Right from the time it was set up in 2006. Our first initiatives were aimed more towards biodiversity and climate change, but we soon realised that we had to promote renewable energy, based around electric vehicles. The EVER exhibition (Exhibition of Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energy) already existed and there was already the idea that one should promote clean mobility. Therefore it was logical that the Foundation should get involved.

Were you inspired by what Al Gore was doing in the United States?

Of course, because he was one of the first politicians to talk about these things, to write a book and make a film, An Inconvenient Truth, well before he became Vice-President of the USA. He was already very involved and a leader in this way of thinking, as was Nicolas Hulot in France. I had already accompanied my father [Prince Rainier] to the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. I felt more should be done and that’s why the Foundation was established.

Ten years on, what have you achieved in this field?

There is more and more awareness of this topic. Everyone has now understood that better methods must be applied to mobility and how to power it as a matter of urgency. The major cities all suffer from pollution with a subsequent risk to health. In the car industry, for financial reasons, there is still a long way to go.

Is the input of visionaries such as Tesla founder Elon Musk important when it comes to raising awareness?

For a long time, people thought of electric vehicles as just gadgets, but now they reckon they are too expensive so they stick with their good old diesel car. We are beginning to make diesel less appealing, which is a good thing. We have to set out clearly the main elements in making the switch with convincing and quality products. But it also needs the major manufacturers to encourage their customers to take that first step.

You are working to protect the environment, the FIA does a lot on the road safety front, so does your work and that of FIA President Jean Todt share common ground?

These two fights are complementary and long term. When it comes to road safety, I believe we in Monaco are good students, even if speed is naturally limited in the urban landscape of a city-state. However, rules get broken and accidents do happen. But in the schools of the principality there is a push to educate and inform. On a global level, there is much to do in some countries. Calling on great champions, celebrities, international organisations and patrons from industry is a good approach and is what we have been doing on the environmental front. These are topics that must be promoted through several voices and by society so as to add weight to them and create a bigger impact.

Do you believe in the connected car?

Yes, of course if everyone went around in connected cars, that would improve traffic flow and there would be fewer accidents. But there’s also a chance of your system getting a computer virus one day. In an extreme case, the car could make a sharp turn, or stop and not restart, if it does not recognise the driver as being the right person. To an extent, it also removes the enjoyment of driving, a certain level of freedom, even if I know that the younger generation is less interested in cars, less interested in driving. The idea is pretty amazing, but I have reservations. And I don’t know if this is something that will be with us tomorrow or a bit further down the line.