"Experiencing Monaco GP for the First Time: My Adventure with Kim Kardashian, Dodging £2M Supercars and Sharing Taxis with Celebrities!"

LIKE two atoms colliding, Kim Kardashian and her sister Khloe crashed into this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. It felt iconic the moment the world’s most famous woman flashed up on screens around Monte Carlo and TVs across the world, strutting along the pit lane.

in the actual Grand Prix, but for many .

Kim Kardashian was one of the stars of the weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix Credit: Getty The socialite and social media queen was joined by her sister Khloe (right) Credit: Getty Fans clamoured to get the best possible view of the action at Monaco Credit: Getty The Monaco Grand Prix is a sporting event like no other Credit: Getty

From hilariously to being as he celebrated his second place finish on the podium – these were moments where the worlds of sport and celebrity collided like never before.

Just like Kim K, I was attending the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time. I can’t match her billion dollars in the bank or her – but this weekend we would share the sights and sounds of Monte Carlo.

So is it as glamorous, glossy and star studded as it appears on TV? Is it worth chartering a private jet (or in my case an EasyJet flight from Gatwick North Terminal) to fly in for a weekend of champagne soaked fun?

Stepping out of my taxi into the steep narrow streets of Monaco, the sheer sensory overload hits you like a shockwave. It’s chaos and colour, engine fumes mixing with expensive perfume and the wail of engines from the track.

Thousands of fans are weaving between boutique designer stores, merchandise stalls erected on the pavements and blacked out Rolls Royces pushing their way through the crowds. It’s all framed by beautiful pastel coloured buildings and shutters typical of the French Riviera.

The Monaco police, decked out in pristine white shirted uniforms, conduct the crowd like it’s a colossal misbehaving orchestra. They blow on their whistles and gesticulate wildly for people to move this way or that (and largely get ignored) as yet another blacked out car, most likely with an A-lister or millionaire inside, squeezes through the hoard.

Everywhere I look are the red caps of Ferrari, the papaya jerseys of McLaren and the green of Aston Martin. The worship of merchandise is incredible at Formula 1 races. At every Grand Prix I’ve attended fans scramble to part ways with their cash in exchange for caps emblazoned with the prancing horse of Ferrari or silver t-shirts showing their love of Mercedes. I popped into the Boutique Formule 1 store, where for a mere €13,000 you could purchase an F1 helmet signed by local resident and driving superstar Charles Leclerc.

Where Monaco differs from other races is that there is a worship of something more than merchandise: designer clothes and accessories. Glamorous women in high-heels and Coco Chanel sunglasses are everywhere, the sun glints off gold logos on Louis Vuitton handbags and if you spot a man not wearing linen then they were one of the few to miss the memo. It’s like being drenched in a scene from The White Lotus.

Kimi Antonelli, right, triumphed on the track with Lewis Hamilton, left, coming second Credit: Splash Monaco is the most beautiful track on the calendar The fastest cars on the planet descend on the French Riviera The noise from the engines is close to deafening

Over the weekend first in a black sheer bodysuit, flared blue jeans, and pointed pumps by Gucci and then a draped, . But you didn’t need to be in the vicinity of Lewis Hamilton’s special guest to see such glamour – it was everywhere you looked in the grandstands to the streets.

Among the celebrities at this year’s race were Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, Patrick Dempsey, Noah Schnapp of Stranger Things, Donald Trump Jr, actresses Olivia Wilde and Cynthia Erivo, as well as athletes Lindsey Vonn and Olivier Giroud. while being interviewed on Sky. Meanwhile I waited for a taxi alongside World Cup winner Mats Hummels and his fashion model girlfriend Nicola Cavanis.

When not being dazzled by those around me, I was floored by what floated out at sea.

The richest and most famous bring their biggest toys to Monaco, with the over the weekend looking like an arriving Armada.

The yachts docked in the harbour looked like an Armada Credit: Getty Shahid Khan, the owner of Fulham, saw his vessel Kismet drop anchor Credit: Getty The cost of mooring over the weekend is astronomical Credit: Reuters A spectator watches the action from one of the yachts Credit: Alamy

I took a boat trip along the Riviera to get a closer look and among them spotted Kismet – the outrageous 400-foot vessel owned by Fulham FC’s billionaire owner Shahid Khan. There are a number of whacky features on board, from a Balinese-inspired spa to a partially underwater Art Deco cinema. It also has TWO submarines. Fancy chartering it for a week? That’ll set you back £3MILLION.

Closer to shore the smaller yachts dock inside Monaco’s harbour, overlooking the “Swimming Pool’ section of the track, where mooring costs are up to £200,000 for the weekend. From the grand stands and track below you have the opportunity to peek inside, spotting models dancing in bikinis to euro trash music, cigars being puffed and champagne flowing much more smoothly than the traffic in Monaco.

Back on land there were smaller millionaires’ toys to admire in the shape of super cars. They were everywhere – from vintage red Ferraris to iconic Porsches and classic Jaguar E-Types. I took a track walk and as I soaked up the atmosphere at the famous Fairmont Hairpin a Bugatti Veyron – starting price £2million – rolled by. A petrol-head’s dream.

The track walk is a highlight of the weekend, with the streets opened to the public on Saturday night with cars and pedestrians jostling to circle the entire course. F1 fans clamoured to stand on the start/finish line and pole position as anticipation for the next day’s race ramped up. I was at the race as a guest of National Lottery operator Allwyn who understands the thrill of anticipation more than most. A bit like having a potential winning lottery ticket in hand, standing on pole position it was impossible not to think about the thrill of ‘What If’ the drivers must feel as they line up on the grid, waiting for the lights to go out, dreaming it might just be their day.

Kim Kardashian was there for qualifying and the race to support her boyfriend Credit: Getty Her appearance made headlines around the world Credit: Getty Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones looked to coordinate their outfits Credit: Getty Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Anderson jetted in Credit: Getty Lindsey Vonn, Eileen Gu and Shaun White were among those enjoying the action Credit: Getty TV presenter Holly Willoughby was caught up in an embarrassing incident Credit: Getty

Allwyn’s relationship with F1 extends to sponsoring the Formation Lap – a very deliberate partnership as it represents the ultimate moment of anticipation before the race itself. From my seat overlooking the Swimming Pool section, the roar of the engines leaving the grid behind the grandstand wasn’t just audible—it was visceral. I could feel the thrum of the turbocharged V6s deep in my chest. The entire grandstand surged to its feet, yacht guests abandoned their champagne to crowd the decks , and every nearby apartment balcony brimmed with onlookers straining for a glimpse of the action.

And then it was race time at the most iconic track in .

As was frustratingly predictable, overtaking was nigh on impossible and much of the race was a procession, but when Lance Stroll went into a wall, shortly followed by local hero Leclerc, there was late drama in Monte Carlo.

However, it did mean that many of my pre-race predictions went up in smoke. I played along using F1’s fun F1 Predicts Platform – essentially Fantasy Football but for F1. Fans can pick their answers to 10 different questions relating to the race and compete against friends and fellow fans. Anyone can also join The Allwyn League – helping fans get involved pre-race, anticipate winners and stand the chance of winning prizes.

Kim K arrived by boat each day Credit: Getty She was among the first to congratulate Lewis Hamilton on a successful weekend Credit: Getty

As the chequered flag fell on the end of the race, the harbor exploded into life: a wall of sound as every yacht blasted its horn in Monaco’s signature, ear-splitting salute.

It marked the end of a weekend in which Kim K commanded the headlines, but the weekend’s true victory was the atmosphere. In the shadow of the Monte Carlo Casino, the thrill was palpable—a reminder that in this principality, ‘Winning Awaits’ at every turn. I anticipated glitz and glamour, but experiencing the burning rubber, the roaring engines, and the flashy Monaco magic for real was something else entirely. I’m already hoping to return and if Kim K enjoyed the high-octane spectacle as much as I did, I suspect she’ll be back too.