Monaco and Monte Carlo - Blind Stupid Luck

So I wandered around for another hour or so trying to figure out away to Cannes. In the end I just gave up and decided to go to Monaco instead. I get there, climb the hill, and sit on a bench to take the view in. Next minute I hear this band playing behind me and they are having the changing of the guard - only happens once a day and I've stumbled onto it - blind stupid luck.

Also, this weekend they are having the World Rally Championships in Monaco/Monte Carlo (the later being a suburb of the former). So the main port has been transformed into pit lane. I was able to walk on the elevated driving area and check out all the teams.

I don't understand what kind of time trials they were doing. They were having staggered 2 minute starts but then racing into the streets with normal traffic. So you could be driving along and all of a sudden have a rally car wip pass. I'm not a petrol/revhead but more blind stupid luck stumbling into the World Rally Championship round.

Below is a happy snap of one of the rally cars driving through the streets: