Gallery: The build‑up to the Monaco Historic is a place of intense expectation

While that means the teams have to work around these perhaps greater than normal restrictions, it also brings an incredible atmosphere to the pitlane and paddock areas. It’s a mixture of anticipation of an event that only comes around once every two years, and fevered preparation, as the engineers and mechanics desperately try to get everything ready for the off.

While the later F1 cars relax in the at times relatively salubrious surrounds of the modern Formula 1 pits, the rest of the crews settle into tented paddocks that run down the side of the marina, mere inches away from multi-million (if not billion) dollar yachts, moored in the harbour as their owners soak up this rarified air.

In those paddocks you will find cars that include ground effect legends (Williams FW08, Lotus 80) high-airbox beauties of the 1970s (a phalanx of Shadows can be found next to a row of restaurants), the steeds of Fangio et al (a line of 250Fs) and the cars that made Le Mans legend (C-type, DB3 etc).

All of this sits under not only the blazing sunshine of the southern French coast in May but also the looming vista of Monaco itself, which rises steeply into the mountains as if stretching to keep an eye on all the goings-on in its backyard.

The action is just getting underway, but for now, enjoy all that is to offer of build-up day on the Cote d’Azur.

Remember you can watch the whole of Saturday and Sunday from Monaco right here on GRR!