In Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier travels mostly on the run, his desk in his backpack, on the lookout for fascinating subjects and people. He speaks to everyone and is interested in all walks of life in this urban chronicle.
On Sainte-Catherine Street, gutted by the work, the construction site marshals act as information officers for Grand Prix tourists lost in the labyrinth of fences who are going, among other things, to the festivities in the city center.
“Where is the metro?” Where is Crescent Street? How to enter the underground city? I spend more time helping tourists find each other than doing the rest of my job! » exclaims with a laugh a flagman whom I approach on a passage in the middle of rue Sainte-Catherine.
While an excavator or concrete mixer crosses to access another part of the site, fences are rotated to contain the human flow or we intervene by spreading our arms.
” There is a lot of people ! There are machines! No need for gym, I run everywhere! » shouts to me a flagger at the corner of Peel (where the usual Formula Peel festival does not take place this year due to the construction site).
The worker has to shout to be heard over the din.
A flagger stops pedestrian traffic to let a truck pass.
Louis-Philippe Messier
In this maze of fences, there are beggars here and there. For them, it doesn’t seem like a blessing.
“A lot of F1 travelers don’t even have Canadian cash on them and pay absolutely everything by card,” laments Kenny, 42, who collects the money in a Tim Horton’s cup.
Difficult to beg from tourists who often don’t carry change and pay for everything by card.
Louis-Philippe Messier
Located a little outside the construction site, Crescent Street almost feels like an oasis.
“It’s our favorite Grand Prix city because it’s the only one to have free public events like here. When you go to the London race, the City doesn’t do anything special,” enthuses Greg Hunter, from Toronto, who has attended Grands Prix in 14 countries.
“In Monaco, there are street festivities like in Montreal, but it’s completely overpriced there! » adds his wife Shelley.
Greg and Shelley Hunter tell me that Montreal is the only city that celebrates during the Grand Prix.
Louis-Philippe Messier
“I drove from my home in Florida to here and it’s the most affordable Grand Prix… I don’t even go to Las Vegas because it’s too expensive,” says Kim Reimer.
This regular at the Montreal Grand Prix since 2007 probably gets photographed more than any F1 star because of his hats in the shape of a Ferrari racing car that he makes himself and changes every year.
I spoke with the friendly and ultra-photographed Kim Reimer who walks everywhere with his Formula 1 hat.
Louis-Philippe Messier
Crescent is exported
A veteran of the organization of Crescent Street events, Jean-Paul Mouradian, will supervise the creation in 2025 of a festival following the same formula in… Miami!
“Montrealers are used to the free popular festivities on Crescent and don’t know that it’s original. And for me, my mission will be to export this Montreal concept to new F1 cities where it is still non-existent,” says Mr. Mouradian.
“Things are going well for us and the usual section on Crescent is no longer enough: we are going to extend the cross by adding other sections on de Maisonneuve,” Rob Segal, president of the Feldman agency, tells me.
In addition to the free festivities on Crescent, Messrs. Feldman and Mouradian are organizing a private party for 3,000 people in Windsor Station, the Maxim Grand Prix party, which is inspired by American-style Super Bowl-style social parties with red carpets and stars.
Rob Segal, who I met on Wednesday during the street edit, wants to expand the festival in Montreal and export his concept to other F1 cities.
Louis-Philippe Messier
