Top marks always for the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters. But running another major event concurrently with the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters – the jury is out. We are referring in the latter case to Top Marques, of course, renowned for its spectacular exhibitions of luxury automobiles and hypercars run on cutting-edge technologies. But there is exciting news.

Did you know there is a new owner of this prestigious event? His name is Salim Zeghdar and he has been well-known for over ten years as an event organizer via his Agency, Monaco Check-In. Monaco Check-In specializes in giving advice and helping organize major events like The Monaco Yacht Show and Luxepak. Putting on other people’s events is one thing, having your own baby is another. That would be one reason why he is already making moves to improve the Top Marques event.

And the first major decision is to hold it a week earlier, instead of astride the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters. Makes perfect sense – more hotel rooms available and less congestion on the streets. It has not escaped notice that two mega-events at one time stretched resources and patience. Good decisions come in pairs. Salim Zeghdar’s next major decision is to shift the venue from Grimaldi to Fontvieille – at least for 2019 and for the future who knows? There will be room for more parking and it will change the flow of visitors and traffic, likely for the better. But there is a much bigger advantage than that from the change to Fontvieille. The Chapiteau is like a blank canvass. The best choreographers and set-designers can go to work creating customized oases to show off the latest luxury vehicles and hypercars. A blank canvass spanning 8.500 square metres. Imagine the joy of set-designers let loose creating different scenic masterpieces to celebrate each Marque.

It is no rumour that Top Marques did not get the highest ratings from the locals in 2018 for peace and decorum. Motor enthusiasts doing runs and “wheelies” on Monaco’s roads and noisy revellers posing as bloggers caused quite a disturbance, overflowing onto the streets.
Bloggers are actually an important community that help make Top Marques the success it is. Then there are the renegades and opportunists coming to flaunt themselves and hell-raise.
No doubt Salim will take it as a priority to “sort the wheat from the chaff”. And working hand in hand with the community on a plan to avoid the disturbances of last year would be welcome.