Top Gear's guide to staying awake for the Monaco Grand Prix
Formula One
Top tips to resist the Land of Nod so you can, er, witness those two mandatory pit stops Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading
It's the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend: a race famous for its prestige, glamour, and giving its global TV audience a much-needed forty winks on a Sunday afternoon. Zzz.
But wait! F1 has realised that the lack of overtaking is a bit of a problem, so it's introduced a groundbreaking new measure that it hopes will keep viewers hooked. And conscious.
Advertisement - Page continues below You might like
Except, there might be something in it. Pitting into the chasing pack is a nightmare problem even for F1's elite strategists and whichever Ferrari work experience kid is calling the shots that day.
So having to do it twice could make the outcome a complete lottery, especially if some of the teams with nothing to lose decide to throw a Hail Mary and call in a favour from lady luck.
Advertisement - Page continues below
Say one of the Saubers pits from last place on the opening lap, then pits again at the first hint of a safety car. Then it only need wait for the other 19 cars to make their second stops and hey presto: congrats on your first F1 win, Gabriel Bortoleto.
READ MORE Monaco GP: what does the track look like normally?
Or… a team could play the long game and leave both its drivers out, then use one as a carbon fibre roadblock as the other disappears into the distance with the race lead. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Long story short, you're going to want to pay attention to this one. Here's how to stay sentient from lights to flag.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox.
Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Simple, and possibly anti-social. But effective. Whack the TV volume right up to 11 and guarantee the conditions for deep sleep aren't met. Who could possibly drift off to Martin Brundle noticing a yellow in sector 1, or Charles Leclerc complaining that his 'front right tyre is dead' when it's literally making the walls shake? Sit in an uncomfortable chair
Nope, no comfy sofa for you. Instead fetch one of those solid oak, no-veneer-in-'ere dining chairs that you agreed to buy but definitely didn't appreciate paying for when you moved house all those years ago. And no, you may not use the fitted cushions they came with. Finish it off with an itchy blanket, and stick a couple of Lego bricks under your bum for good measure.
Or just stand up. Difficult to nod off while upright. Unless you're a horse. Fuel up on Overpriced F1 Merch Rage*
Never go to bed angry, that's what they say. So get your blood boiling intentionally and use it as a source of energy to last the distance. We recommend browsing team merch websites – your cries of 'How much?!' will be enough to power a small town, never mind your eyelids. Shoutout to the $345 McLaren raincoat TG saw recently at the Miami Grand Prix. Made the $120 baseball caps almost look good value.
*Trademark pending Instigate a treat system
For every lap you stay awake, help yourself to a couple of M&Ms (other chocolate-based snacks are available). The key to this is keeping the bag just out of reach, so you have to physically get up each time. Maybe throw in a few sit-ups to combat the calorie intake. Turn the grand prix into a drinking game
As this is a family site we're strictly referring to soft drinks, but hear us out. Favourite driver flat-spotted his tyres? Drink. Caught speeding in the pit lane? Drink. Overtaken on track? Triple drink. The catch is that no one is allowed to rush off to the toilet, and may only use the second-hand commode you picked up on Ebay in advance. Yeah, no one's sleeping now. Or ever again. Simultaneously play the 1996 race on a split screen
2025 race not delivering the goods? Turn your attention to an edition that did. The 1996 Monaco Grand Prix is famous for (spoiler alert!) Olivier Panis winning from 14th on the grid, while all but three cars either crashed out, spun off, or broke down. Now THAT's a grand prix. Rose-tinted viewing spectacles optional.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Reaction & analysis as Sinner and Alcaraz reach French Open final
Update: Date: 22:00 BST 6 June Title: Thanks for joining us Content: That's everything from us as the men's semi-finals draw to a close. So, it's world number one Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to meet in the final on Sunday. We'll be back tomorrow for the women's singles final when it's also world number one Aryna Sabalenka against second seed Coco Gauff. We will also be covering the men's doubles final when British duo Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury meet Spain's Marcel Granollers and Argentina's Horacio Zeballos. Here's a little bedtime reading in the meantime: Update: Date: 21:59 BST 6 June Title: What is the prize money? Content: Victory for Jannik Sinner keeps him on track for a huge payday if he comes through against Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday. The total prize money for the French Open is 56.352m euros (£47.5m) - an increase on last year of 5.21%. The men's and women's singles champions will win 2.55m euros (£2.15m), with the runner-up taking home 1.275m euros (£1.07m). Update: Date: 21:57 BST 6 June Title: Top-tier finals Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic The top-two players in the world have reached the finals in both the men's and women's singles at a single Grand Slam event for the first time since the US Open 2013 (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka). Update: Date: 21:55 BST 6 June Title: 'It will be an amazing final' Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 6-6 (7-3) Djokovic Andrea PetkovicFormer world number nine on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds The thing that Novak Djokovic tried to do today is Carlos' natural game. The variation, the drop shots, coming to the net. Novak can do it, but he would like to be as machine-like as Jannik Sinner. Carlos Alcaraz will play very well within a comfort zone. I'm sure it will be an amazing final and I can't wait for it. Update: Date: 21:52 BST 6 June Title: Post Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic On Sunday, two players born in 2000s - Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner - meet in a men's singles final at a Grand Slam event for the first time. Let's do an early poll. Thumbs up if world number one Sinner wins or thumbs down for defending champion Alcaraz. Update: Date: 21:50 BST 6 June Title: Get Involved Content: #bbctennis, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) The way Djokovic played as a 38-year-old just shows me how far away Sinner is to his level at his peak. Best male tennis player to grace the game. To be the sixth best player in the world at his age is an indictment on the talent pool at the moment. Lauren, Oldham Update: Date: 21:47 BST 6 June Title: 'My head-to-head doesn't look great against Carlos' Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic Jannik Sinner on facing Carlos Alcaraz in the final: "My head-to-head lately doesn't look great against Carlos, but let's see what I can do. "I am happy to be here in the final, and we will see what we can do. "Of course, I enjoy these moments. These are rare and special moments in my career. "This is a special place for me. Thank you for being so nice to me throughout the full tournament." Update: Date: 21:42 BST 6 June Title: 'Djokovic is the best player in the history of our sport' Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic Jannik Sinner on his win: "Well, first of all, thank you so much for coming and for supporting us, me and Novak. "It was such a special occasion for me playing against Novak in a semi-final of a Grand Slam. "It was so amazing, I had to step up and play the best tennis I could. It shows again what a role model for all of us, especially for young players. "What he is doing is incredible. I wish him only the best for the rest of the season. We are so lucky to see him play high-level tennis. "He achieved so many things. He is the best player in the history of our sport. Playing against him here is amazing. "Of course, I tried not to think about this, but before you're on court you feel the tension. I tried to prepare myself in the best possible way. "I am very happy with how I did that today." Update: Date: 21:41 BST 6 June Title: Post Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic Jannik Sinner now boasts four successive wins over Novak Djokovic, dating back to November 2023. He is yet to drop a set at this year's French Open and will delighted to have seen off Novak Djokovic in straight sets as he now switches his attention to Carlos Alcaraz. Let's hear from the Italian. Update: Date: 21:37 BST 6 June Title: Stunning Sinner Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic Jannik Sinner is just the second Italian in the Open era to reach the men's singles final at Roland Garros after Adriano Panatta in 1976. The 23-year-old is the youngest player to reach three consecutive men's singles finals at Grand Slams since Pete Sampras in 1994. He is also the first player to reach eight consecutive ATP-level event finals since Novak Djokovic did so in 2015. Update: Date: 21:35 BST 6 June Title: Post Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic Novak Djokovic's quest for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam goes now switches to Wimbledon next month. The Serb just couldn't find a way to chip away at world number one Jannik Sinner this evening. He took his bag off and took a moment to wave at the crowd before leaving Philippe Chatrier. Was it a farewell? Will we see him again at the French Open? Update: Date: 21:31 BST 6 June Title: 'Take a bow Djokovic' Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic Andrea PetkovicFormer world number nine on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds Those were three hard-fought sets. High quality sets and take a bow Novak Djokovic. The way he played today, I think he should be in the circle of contenders at Wimbledon. Update: Date: 21:30 BST 6 June Title: Sinner reaches French Open Final Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 7-6 (7-3) Djokovic Novak Djokovic puts into the net and Jannik Sinner is through to his first French Open final. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz awaits. Changing of the guard? Update: Date: 21:28 BST 6 June Title: Tie-break Content: *Sinner 6-4 7-5 6-6 (6-2) Djokovic Novak Djokovic goes long and Jannik Sinner has four match points. Update: Date: 21:26 BST 6 June Title: Post Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 6-6 (5-2) Djokovic* Andrea PetkovicFormer world number nine on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds It's like in football when you have a team pressing on you and at one point you will make a mistake. That's how it feels to play Jannik Sinner. Update: Date: 21:26 BST 6 June Title: Tie-break Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 6-6 (5-2) Djokovic* Jannik Sinner with a booming forehand and Novak Djokovic, forced deep behind the baseline, can only return into the net. Djokovic needs a break back quickly or his dream of winning a 25th Grand Slam title will be put on pause until Wimbledon. A couple of holds and Sinner is firmly in control. Update: Date: 21:25 BST 6 June Title: Get Involved Content: #bbctennis, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Before this ends and we give Sinner his rightful plaudits. A word for Djokovic at 38 years of age, still fighting with the best young player in the world and battling like he's the same age. Too disliked in his time, he will be better recognised once he's gone. Zac Update: Date: 21:24 BST 6 June Title: Tie-break Content: *Sinner 6-4 7-5 6-6 (3-2) Djokovic Back on serve and Novak Djokovic quickly moves on from that error. A couple of points in the bag will do his mood the world of good. Update: Date: 21:23 BST 6 June Title: 'Djokovic stopped moving his feet' Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 6-6 (3-0) Djokovic* Andrea PetkovicFormer world number nine on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds We just had a replay and Novak Djokovic stopped moving his feet. Update: Date: 21:23 BST 6 June Title: Tie-break Content: Sinner 6-4 7-5 6-6 (3-0) Djokovic* Jannik Sinner with another wide serve to extend his lead. Oh no. Novak Djokovic is teed up with the easiest of shots to volley but he gets it's all wrong and it's straight into the net.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Newly-single Romeo Beckham cuts a sombre figure as he heads out in Paris following shock split from Kim Turnbull
Newly-single Romeo Beckham cut a sombre figure on Friday night in the wake of his split from Kim Turnball. The son of David and Victoria Beckham, 22, was photographed out in Paris where he was seen looking a little downcast while out and about in the City of love. Despite his recent heartbreak, fashion conscious Romeo looked typically stylish in a black oversized Champion jumper and casual jogging bottoms as he walked down the street, looking intently at his phone. He gave his outfit some added swag with a beanie hat, chunky trainers and added a white T-shirt which peeked underneath his jumper. Earlier in the day, Romeo seemed to put his troubles behind him, as he was spotted enjoying the tennis. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The former Brentford footballer watched the Men's Singles Semi Final match between Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Lorenzo Musetti of Italy on Day Thirteen of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros. Romeo, who is a keen tennis player himself, having received lessons from Andy Murray and former female number one Caroline Wozniacki, could be seen smiling and clapping along to the tense game, as he watched from the sidelines. For the match - which saw Alcaraz through to the final on Sunday where he will play Jannik Sinner - Romeo wore an all black suit jacket and trousers, which he paired with a black T-shirt. He accessorised with an array of silver rings and earrings and his neck tattoo could be seen on display. It comes following the news of his split from Kim Turnball, after seven months together. Friends said the couple went their separate ways after the romance ' fizzled out' three weeks after David's 50th birthday. Romeo first publicly launched his relationship with Kim last November after weeks of exchanging flirty 'likes' on Instagram however despite being warmly welcomed into the family, the relationship seems to have now run its course. The pair still follow each other on Instagram and friends told The Mail that things remain 'amicable' between Romeo and Kim, and that their parting is 'nothing to do' with Kim being blamed by Nicola Peltz for being the catalyst for the feud that has ripped the Beckham family apart. One said: 'Romeo and Kim are both young and they had a lovely time together but at that age things don't always last forever and they decided to split up. 'They have been friendly since and have even been at the same venues. It's a huge shame, particularly as David and Victoria really adored her and thought she made Romeo happy but it wasn't to be. 'It happened a couple of weeks ago and relations have remained friendly between them. 'David and Victoria would hate for the view to be that they split because of Nicola and Brooklyn because that simply isn't the case. 'The fact is that Kim has got a really busy career as a DJ and Romeo has a busy work life too, there is lots of travelling for both of them at having a relationship at this time isn't all that conducive to their lives.' It comes following the news that dad David is to be awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honour's List after being snubbed for years. The former Manchester United and England star, who recently celebrated his milestone 50th birthday, will be confirmed as a 'Sir' when the list is released next week, according to The Sun. His wife and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham will be known as Lady Beckham. The tattooed ex-England captain last month chatted with King Charles at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London, with their bond reportedly growing close in recent years through their shared love of gardening. The 76-year-old monarch was heard congratulating the former England footballer on his landmark celebrations – and asked the star whether he had received their present. Standing outside the Highgrove stand run by the monarch's charity, the King's Foundation, Beckham – who is now an ambassador for the organisation – greeted the sovereign warmly and said: 'Your Majesty, it's so nice to see you.' Astonishingly, Charles then appeared to ask whether he had received the birthday present that he and his wife had sent. 'You got it, didn't you?' he asked. 'It was incredible,' beamed Beckham. 'Thank you, it was very kind.' Camilla added: 'Nice to see you again, glad you got the roses.' David, an avid royalist since he was a schoolboy in Chingford, has long craved for a knighthood and it appeared to be within his grasp having received an OBE from the late Queen in 2003.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
AP PHOTOS: Tattoos, clay and bouncing hair bring the French Open to life
It's the small details that bring the French Open to life — a ball smashing into the strings of Quentin Halys' racket as he serves, red clay staining a ball boy's hand, or the burst of dust as Andrey Rublev knocks clay from his shoes. The tournament pulses with quiet moments: Cameron Norrie carefully changing the tape on his racket, players gripping balls smudged with red, sweat flicking from a wristband during a serve, and the Suzanne-Lenglen court mirrored in a spectator's sunglasses. Body art and jewelry stand out — Aryna Sabalenka's fierce tiger tattoo, Alexander Bublik's reminder to 'Always be a leader, not a follower' — while a tiny bug briefly lands on Alexander Zverev's shirt near his ram necklace. Even in a still image, Elina Svitolina's bouncing hair carries a rhythm unique to the Parisian clay. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. ___ AP tennis:
