With the excitement of the 2011 Monaco F1 Grand Prix just a hair-pin turn away, the Consulate General of Monaco and the Consulate General of Argentina in New York, will celebrate one of Formula One’s most thrilling legends, “El Maestro,” Juan Manuel Fangio with All That Thrills, a cocktail reception on Thursday, May 19 at the Classic Car Club.
The reception will include a silent auction to benefit the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA — with select items benefiting AYUDA, YA, an Argentine nonprofit — and will also feature a display of vintage cars courtesy of Classic Car Club and a Tesla Roadster. Sultry tango dancing coordinated by artistic director Leonardo Suarez Paz, a fourth-generation tango artist, vocalist and violinist in “Romance de Tango;” along with catering by Feast & Fêtes by Daniel Boulud and Jean-Christophe Le Picart, round off a spectacular event.
To mark the 100th anniversary of Juan Manuel Fangio’s birth and his legacy of excellence, the Consulate General of Monaco and Monaco Government Tourist Office introduce the limited edition Cuvée Monaco from Algodon Wine Estates. Algodon Vineyard is a splendid 2,050 acre estate resting at the base of the snowcapped Andes in San Rafael, Mendoza, a province often referred to by wine connoisseurs as “the Napa Valley of Argentina.” The International Wine & Spirit Competition recently awarded Algodon Wine Estates’ 2008 Malbec the Silver “Best in Class” award for a 2008 vintage from a single vineyard.
“The Monaco Formula One Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious and challenging motor-racing events in the world and for years has drawn the most iconic drivers to the Principality’s narrow challenging streets,” said the event host, the Honorable Maguy Maccario, consul general and director, Monaco Government Tourist Office in New York. “Juan Manuel Fangio is a true legend, setting the bar high for future Grand Prix drivers and what better way to toast his accomplishments than with special, limited-edition Argentinean wine with a Monaco twist.”
“It is with great pleasure that we support and participate in All That Thrills. Juan Manuel Fangio characterized himself as a fighter and devoted his career to the pursuit of excellence. He became an iconic figure for Argentineans in the 50´s when he won his five Grand Prix. His legacy inspired our countrymen in sports as well as in overcoming life challenges. Even today he is helping Argentineans through the auction, that under his umbrella, will take place on May 19th,” said Argentina’s consul general to New York, José Luis Pérez Gabilondo.
Special guests expected at the event include Monaco’s Ambassador to the United States, Gilles Noghès, whose father, Anthony, created the Monaco Grand Prix in 1929 and is credited with inventing the race’s famous checkered flag of victory, and Argentina’s consul general in New York, Ambassador José Luis Pérez Gabilondo.
Every year, on the last weekend in May, the most prestigious Formula One race of the season takes place on the streets of the Principality. The circuit’s tight corners, hairpin turns and narrow course make it one of the most demanding tracks in car racing. The ultimate test in driving skills, the Monaco Grand Prix is THE race the world’s best drivers all want to win. First held in 1929 and organized each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco, the circuit has been called by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) “an exceptional location of glamour and prestige”. It is considered one of the most important automobile races in the world. The Grand Prix has been held under the patronage of three generations of Monaco’s Sovereigns, Prince Louis II, Prince Rainier III and now Prince Albert II. In 2011, the 69th Monaco F1 Grand Prix will be held from May 26 through 29.
Born in 1911 in Argentina, Juan Manuel Fangio dominated the first decade of Formula 1 racing. In 1948 he was first invited to race in Europe — a string of successes followed and he was taken on by the Alfa Romeo team for the 1950 season. Fangio won the first ever hat-trick (pole position, fastest lap and overall victory) in Formula 1 history at the Monaco Grand Prix on 21 May 1950 – his first Grand Prix win. He won the World Drivers’ Championship five times: 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956 & 1957, a record which stood for 46 years until Michael Schumacher’s sixth win in 2003. With the highest percentage of wins from starts, Fangio is still regarded as the greatest driver of all time.
For more on All That Thrills, please visit www.monacotakesny.com or call the Consulate General of Monaco in New York on 212-286 0500.
All That Thrills is an initiative of the Consulate General of Monaco and the Monaco Government Tourist Office in New York and is presented in partnership with Algodon Mansion & Algodon Wine Estates, Antiquorum Auctioneers, Argentina National Institute of Tourism Promotion, Automobile Club de Monaco, Caroline Bergonzi, Champagne Paul Goerg, the Consulate General of Argentina in New York, Direction du Tourisme et des Congrès, Fairmont Monte Carlo, Le Club Diamant Rouge, SWISS International Air Lines, Tag Heuer, Tesla Motors, Wines of Argentina, Terrazas de Los Andes, and media partners, Travel + Leisure and Wine Spectator.
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation was established in 2006 by His Serene Highness Prince Albert to continue the Principality’s legacy of environmental stewardship and its commitment to conserve the world’s natural environment. The Foundation supports sustainable and ethical projects especially in the Mediterranean Basin, the Polar Regions and the world’s least developed countries. Its focus is on three main challenges: climate change, combating the loss of biodiversity; and water management. It has opened chapters in France, Switzerland, the UK, Italy and Germany, in Canada and, in 2008, the USA. Since its inception, 100+ projects have benefited from Foundation grants totaling more than $US23 million. www.pa2f.org
