Monaco, May 30: The worlds of glamour and motor racing are mixing in Monaco for Sunday's (June 1) Grand Prix. The principality always attracts film stars and models, but even more arrive for the grand prix weekend -- whether or not they are Formula One fans. Receptions and publicity sessions and dinners are arranged to promote people and products. Among the models in Monaco on Thursday (May 29) was Helena Christiansen, helping display a fancy line in diamonds. Monaco is home to many Formula One drivers including BAR's Jenson Button, who was third fastest in Thursday's qualifying session. He was asked on Thursday if living in Monaco gives him an advantage. "Not at all. I mean, the traffic is just so bad here that you can't drive quickly in a road car -- not that I would," said Button. "But I don't know, maybe it's a home advantage, you know, the home and away thing footballers have. Maybe."


Christiansen met the Jaguar team, whose boss Tony Purnell said there was a decade of hard labour ahead to reach the level of Formula One champions Ferrari.


Australian Mark Webber is under contract at Jaguar until the end of 2005 and Purnell said the driver, fastest in free practice on Thursday, could be the cornerstone of the Ford-owned team's rebuilding process.


Webber said on Thursday that he was looking forward to the race. "First of all the location is pretty special, that's clear for everyone to see and the margin for error is very, very small here, you know. You get punished for your mistakes very heavily, which is a great challenge for the driver, you know," said Webber.


"So, a real, traditional street circuit. Such heritage here as well, which is fantastic for the drivers to be part of that. So it's great."


Jaguar's second driver, Antonio Pizzonia, has been less successful and the team approached McLaren last month to try to sign their Austrian test driver Alexander Wurz as a replacement.


Those talks fell through and Brazilian Pizzonia, 22, was later confirmed for the rest of the season.


Although Helena Christiansen is in Monaco, she said she has not previously been a Formula One fan. "I actually have never really followed it. I think once you see it once, you get hooked. I think that's what's going to happen."


Another model in Monaco, Naomi Campbell, is known to be a Formula One enthusiast. "It's the smallest of all grands prix I have to say. The paddocks are not the biggest, as all the others, but it's the one that everyone wants to be at."


Bureau Report