An elegant celebration unfolded at the Salle des Étoiles in Monte-Carlo this weekend, where the Automobile Club of Monaco honoured the stewards behind this year’s Monaco E-Prix and Formula 1 Grand Prix. But beneath the glamour and gratitude, the evening marked a significant internal shift for the club: Jean-Michel Matas stepped aside after more than five decades of service, with Christophe Fabri named as his successor at the helm of the ACM’s Corps of Stewards.
Hosted by ACM President Michel Boeri, the evening served both as a thank-you to the volunteers who make the club’s high-profile events possible, and as a ceremonial farewell to one of its most devoted figures. Matas, who began his ACM journey over 50 years ago, has become a cornerstone of Monegasque motorsport operations. His departure signals the end of a steadfast era of consistency and discipline.
Taking his place is Fabri, a 48-year-old firefighter from Menton, whose long association with the ACM began when he was just 19. A product of a family steeped in race officiating, he has steadily worked his way through the club’s hierarchy. Until now responsible for steward training, he now takes on full leadership of the stewarding body — a move reflecting both his experience and deep familiarity with the ACM’s inner workings.
To commemorate Matas’s decades of service, he was presented with the inaugural ACM Medal of Merit — a rare distinction that underscored his enduring legacy within the club. The award capped an evening filled with gratitude, pride and emotion, as volunteers and organisers gathered to reflect on the accomplishments of the racing calendar and the teamwork that makes it possible.
The night ended as only a Monte-Carlo event can: with a film montage celebrating this year’s major events, a fireworks display that lit up the Riviera sky, and a white-clad crowd dancing well into the early hours — toasting the past, and welcoming the future.
Image courtesy of Jean-Marc Folette/ACM
