The Monaco Grand Prix - did you know? The Monaco Grand Prix - did you know? Share Did you know that Monaco's hairpin is the slowest, tightest corner on the calendar? Or that Rubens Barrichello has recorded the most podiums in the Principality without a win? We bring you all the need-to-know stats, facts and trivia ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2015 … Graham Hill earned the nickname 'Mr Monaco' thanks to his five victories in the Principality Monaco hosted the second round of the inaugural Formula One World Championship in 1950, the race being won by Juan Manuel Fangio in an Alfa Romeo. However, there was then a four-year gap before Formula One racing returned to Monte Carlo in 1955. The Monaco Grand Prix has remained on the calendar ever since, with only Monza having played host to more races. Although the basic layout of the circuit has remained the same since the inaugural world championship race in 1950, several revisions have been made over the years, most notably in 1973 when the building of a swimming pool on the harbour front necessitated the use of a new section.

The current final corners, La Rascasse and Anthony Noghes, were introduced in the same year in place of the Gasworks hairpin. The circuit will be revised again for the 2015 race - very slightly. Minor realignment of Turns 12-14 (Tabac to the Swimming Pool) means this year’s lap will be 3m shorter than in 2014. As a result, Michael Schumacher’s lap record, which has stood since 2004, will change hands on Sunday. Ayrton Senna secured his fifth Monaco win by the smallest margin in history - 0.215s An extraordinary amount of equipment is required to turn Monaco’s ordinary roads into a fully-fledged race circuit. Included in that list is 33 kilometres of safety rails, 20,000 square metres of wire catch fencing, 3,600 tyres for tyre barriers and 1,100 tonnes of grandstand seating for spectators. Some 650 marshals are also stationed around the track on a race weekend.

Graham Hill was nicknamed ‘Mr Monaco’ for his five victories in the Principality, but it’s Ayrton Senna who holds the record for the most wins in Monte Carlo - six, including five consecutive victories from 1989 to 1993. Of course, were it not for an uncharacteristic crash at Portier 12 laps from the end of the 1988 race the great Brazilian would have seven victories to his name. Having finished second in 1984 and third in 1986, Senna also holds the record for most Monaco podiums with eight. Nico Rosberg is going for his third successive Monaco win in this year’s race. The only other drivers to have won three or more in a row are Senna, Alain Prost and Graham Hill. Fernando Alonso is the only other multiple Monaco winner on the current grid, having won in 2006 and 2007. Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel have all won once. In terms of manufacturers, no one has been as dominant in Monaco as McLaren, who have triumphed at the street track on 15 occasions.

By contrast Ferrari have taken eight wins, but considerably more overall podium finishes (48 to McLaren’s 26). Victory this year would make Nico Rosberg only the fourth man in history to win at Monaco three or more times in a row Alonso’s 2007 win was achieved at an average speed of 155.551km/h (96.654 mph) - the fastest winning speed in Monaco history. The slowest winning speed - 98.700 km/h (61.329 mph) - came at the first race in 1950, though in the same event Juan Manuel Fangio recorded the joint biggest winning margin in Monaco history - one whole lap. Graham Hill and Denny Hulme also won by a lap, in 1964 and 1967 respectively. The smallest winning margin came in 1992 when Ayrton Senna beat Nigel Mansell by just 0.215s. Rubens Barrichello holds the record for the most Monaco podiums without a win - five. Double world champion Jim Clark holds the record for most Monaco pole positions without winning the race - four.

And Nigel Mansell holds the record for the most laps led in Monaco without ever winning - 104. Michael Schumacher - a five-time Monaco winner - holds the record for the most laps led in the Principality - 435. As overtaking is so difficult at Monaco, it’s perhaps unsurprising that nine of the past ten races have been won from pole position (the only outlier being Lewis Hamilton’s win from third on the grid in 2008). However, pole hasn’t always been so important at the venue - in fact, the pole sitter has only emerged victorious 28 times in 61 races. Olivier Beretta is one of just two Monegasque drivers to have raced in F1 Olivier Panis holds the record for winning from the lowest grid slot, having triumphed from 14th on the grid in 1996. The same race featured the lowest number of cars running at the flag - just four. Panis incidentally is one of three drivers whose only career wins came at Monaco. The other two are Jean-Pierre Beltoise (1972) and Jarno Trulli (2004).

Two drivers have represented Monaco in Formula One history - Olivier Beretta and Louis Chiron. Chiron took his one and only F1 podium finish on home soil in 1950, finishing third behind Fangio and Alberto Ascari. Aged 50, he remains the second oldest F1 podium finisher. At 3.34 km, Monaco is not only the shortest circuit on the calendar, it can also boast the sport’s slowest, tightest corner. Turn 6 - the hairpin - is taken at around 50 km/h (31 mph) and requires the drivers to apply maximum steering lock in order to make it around. Not surprisingly given the nature of the circuit, the safety car tends to make frequent appearances in Monaco. In fact, ten of the last 15 races have featured one or more safety-car periods. Last year there were two, both the result of collisions: the first when Sergio Perez spin and collided with Adrian Sutil and Romain Grosjean, and the second when Sutil lost control coming out of the tunnel and crashed at the chicane.

Recommended Monaco Grand Prix track | Formula One 2016 | Red Bull F1 How do you turn Monaco into an F1 GP circuit? We’ve been observing Monte Carlo’s transformation as Monaco prepares for May 29’s F1 grand prix. By Romuald Clariond on 5 May 2016 Each year, Monaco transforms its streets to welcome the most anticipated grand prix of the season. It takes about two months of roadworks to set up the circuit and take it apart afterwards. Romuald Clariond has been around town since the end of March and has taken photos of the installation. That's where it started at the end of March © Romuald Clariond This grandstand hosts the TV commentators and some VIPs on the highest two floors. It's always the first one to be built, and with the Grand Prix Historique also on April 25, the setting-up started at the end of March. The brand new race direction HQ © Romuald Clariond The Automobile Club de Monaco have built a new race direction HQ this year, with a rooftop terrace featuring the club's logo, yet to be completed in this photo.

The grid and pitlane exit © Romuald Clariond This is the grid straight and the exit of the pitlane. In a couple of weeks, the grandstand we can see in the background and the new race direction HQ will be completed, and hopefully the sun will be shining too. The section between Bureau de Tabac and La Piscine © Romuald Clariond The whole port's getting roadworks until 2018. But meanwhile, every year, there are roadworks inside these roadworks for the grand prix. Supercars still spin around despite roadworks © Romuald Clariond Monaco Grand Prix: How Each Corner of the Famous Circuit De Monaco Got Its Name | Bleacher Report Monaco Grand Prix: How Each Corner of the Famous Circuit De Monaco Got Its Name By Matthew Walthert , Featured Columnist May 21, 2014 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Mark Thompson/Getty Images 1 Comment The Monaco Grand Prix is the most famous race on the Formula One calendar...probably the most famous motor race in the world.

The names of the Circuit de Monaco 's corners—Casino Square, Tabac, La Rascasse—evoke a sense of nostalgia and excitement in every racing fan. But how did all those corners get their names? Casino Square is pretty obvious, but what about Portier, Sainte Devote and Antony Noghes? Let's find out... Associated Press Chapel of Sainte Devote. Behind the Circuit de Monaco's first turn, a tight right-hander, is a small chapel. It was built in honour of Saint Devota , an early-fourth-century martyr and the patron saint of Monaco. The chapel is usually obscured by crash barriers and corporate signage on race weekends, so you will probably never catch a glimpse of it on TV. By tradition, when a Monegasque prince is married, the bride leaves her bouquet in the church, as Princess Charlene did , per the BBC, following her 2011 wedding to Prince Albert II. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Climbing the hill. This is not so much a turn as a slight bend in the road as the cars accelerate and climb the hill away from Sainte Devote.

Beau Rivage means "beautiful seashore" in English, of which the Cote d'Azur has plenty. Turn 3: Massenet Paul Gilham/Getty Images The exit of Massenet is in the middle of the photo, between the casino and the hotel. Jules Massenet was a famous French opera composer. The long, left-hand corner which bears his name skirts the Monaco opera house, which has a bust of Massenet in front of it. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Casino Square The Monte Carlo Casino is the most famous building in Monaco. The area in front of the casino is filled with gardens, and the grand prix cars blast by just metres from the entrance. Interestingly, citizens of Monaco are not allowed to gamble at the casino—a holdover law from the 19th century. Turn 5: Mirabeau Haute and Turn 7: Mirabeau Bas Clive Mason/Getty Images Mirabeau Bas The high (haute) and low (bas) Mirabeau corners sandwich the famous hairpin and are named for the old Hotel Mirabeau, nearby. Turn 6: Grand Hotel Hairpin Mark Thompson/Getty Images The hairpin The hairpin is one of the most easily recognisable corners in F1.

The name keeps changing, based on who owns the hotel overlooking it—the corner was previously known as the Loews, Fairmont and Station Hairpin—and is taken by modern grand prix cars at approximately 65 kph, according to the FIA's circuit map . Getty Images/Getty Images Portier in 1988, where Ayrton Senna's race ended. One of Monaco's neighbourhoods adjacent to the sea, and near this corner, is known as Le Portier. A "portier" or porter, in English, was the lowest order of Roman Catholic seminarians. Ayrton Senna famously crashed at this corner while leading the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix , handing the victory to his teammate and rival, Alain Prost. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Through the tunnel. The tunnel is not a corner in the usual sense. It is more like a sweeping straightaway, complicated by the different lighting and aerodynamic conditions when compared to the rest of the circuit. The exit of the tunnel, as the cars brake for the next turn, is one of the only overtaking opportunities on the circuit.

Turns 10 and 11: Nouvelle Chicane Mark Thompson/Getty Images The Nouvelle Chicane There has always been a chicane at this location on the circuit. Originally, it was called the Chicane du Port—pretty self-explanatory. In 1986, the chicane was reprofiled and renamed the Nouvelle ("new") Chicane. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Tabac (next to the harbour). Sainte Devote is on the far left. A small tobacco shop on the outside of this left-hand bend gave this corner its name. As you can see in the photo above, the big yachts are packed very close to the circuit in this area. Turns 13 to 16: Swimming Pool Complex Mark Thompson/Getty Images Swimming Pool complex Until 1973, there was a straight run from Tabac to the final corner. That year, the Rainier III Nautical Stadium was constructed, necessitating a change in the design of the circuit. Now, there are essentially two chicanes which take the cars around the swimming pool. The first of these is also known as the Virage Louis Chiron , named after one of Monaco's three F1 drivers.

Chiron finished third at the first F1 world championship Monaco Grand Prix in 1950. Associated Press La Rascasse A rascasse is a type of scorpionfish found in the Mediterranean Sea. According to The Telegraph , there was an old fisherman's bar in Monaco called La Rascasse, which gave its name to the corner, and now a newer restaurant with the same name stands on the inside of the Rascasse corner. Turn 18: Virage Antony Noghes David Vincent/Associated Press Alonso and Schumacher in 2010. The final corner of the circuit used to be another hairpin, called Gazometre, until the 1970s. When the corner was redesigned, it was named in honour of Antony Noghes, the founder of the Monaco Grand Prix. In 2010 , Michael Schumacher passed Fernando Alonso in this corner on the last lap. The race was still under a safety car, although it had pulled into the pits, and Schumacher was given a 20-second penalty for his manoeuvre.

From Antony Noghes, the cars roar back down the pit straight toward Sainte Devote, ending a lap of the Circuit de Monaco. Follow me on Twitter for updates when I publish a new article and for other (mostly) F1-related news and banter: Circuit de Monaco Circuit de Monaco Monte Carlo // Circuit de Monaco 25 - 28 May 2017 4 Avenue de la Madone, 98000 Monte Carlo, Monaco [ Map ] First Grand Prix: 1950 Circuit length: 3.340 km (2.08 miles) Race distance: 260.520 km (161.88 miles) Lap record: 1:14.439 - M Schumacher - 2004 Circuit de Monaco is a street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighbourhood of Monaco. The circuit is used on one weekend in the month of May of each year to host the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix.

Formula One's respective feeder series over the years - F2, F3000 and today GP2 - also visit the circuit concurrently with Formula One. Grandstand A1 - Place Sainte-Dévote | Covered seats This is a small grandstand located just in the end of the starting straight line, on the inside apex of the Sainte Devote Corner. The racing cars brake down from about 270km/h for this exciting corner, which narrows substantially on entry. This means the cars are actually funnelled into the corner on the first lap, resulting in many first lap incidents and accidents. A strategic corner before the way up to Casino, whether you are here on Saturday qualifying or Sunday race. For sure one of the most spectacular corners of Monaco Grand Prix track, and those tickets offer the most direct view on it! Grandstand B - Casino | Covered seats Grandstand B is a must-see on Monaco Grand Prix track. Standing in front of the Casino Square, it’s just a few meters away from the cars, facing the Casino de Monte-Carlo and Hôtel de Paris.

You’ll see the F1 cars arriving up from Sainte-Dévote, passing through Hôtel de Paris on Casino square and plunge into Avenue des Spélugues toward the Loewe’s turns and famous tunnel. A glamorous highlight of Monaco GP, and probably the best type of Monaco GP grandstands tickets you can get! A real wide angle of sight that will allow you to appreciate speed and movement of the cars, and for the sections you can’t see, there’s a giant screen on the roundabout just in front. Access is easy to make through the gardens of Casino, next to winter Sporting. Grandstand C - Virage du Portier Numbered seats | Covered seats This grandstand is located after the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel and the Hotel Mirabeau on the seafront, outside of the Portier corner, the right one just before entering the legendary Tunnel – fastest part of the track, where cars reach over 300km/h! This part of the race track offers one of the only real overtaking opportunities on the circuit, so when cars come down from the Loewe’s turns and turn right, you will have all the pleasure to notice how powerful a Formula 1 car acceleration is!

Ermanno Palace (6th floor) | Covered seats The Ermanno Palace building offers a very impressive view on the Sainte Devote corner, tunnel exit, Port area and the swimming pool corner. This is highly recommended location to fully enjoy the race. From the apartment located on the 6th floor you can enjoy a superb panoramic view on the circuit. You can see: the start finish line, the San Devote corner, the Ostende way up to the casino, the circuit coming from the tunnel, the chicane turn, tabac corner, the swimming pool curve, and 1st part of the famous Rascasse Corner. This balcony has an excellent location because from here you can also see the way in and out of the pits as well as the giant screens. This terrace offers a really exclusive context and is therefore intended for top VIP guests. Palais Heracles Suites | Covered seats The Heracles Terraces have an exceptional view overlooking the departure line, Saint Devote corner and hill, giant screen, tunnel exit, port and pool area, as well as the famous Rascasse corner.

Grandstand K - Quai Albert 1er Numbered seats | Covered seats The K grandstand is located in the harbour of Monaco, facing the beautiful range of yachts, between Bureau de Tabac corner and La Piscine one. You will see the Formula 1 cars flying out from La Chicane, at the exit of Tunnel, turning at Bureau de Tabac and drop into La Piscine. Grandstand K offers the best view you can get from a grandstand and is greatly appreciated by fans from all over the world. You won't miss any single second of the action as a video wall is situated opposite. Grandstand M - Quai Albert 1er Numbered seats | Covered seats This grandstand is located in the port area, right next to the K grandstand (and accessible via the same walkaway). The small M grandstand is located at right angles to the track and gives the spectator a full front on view of the racing cars as they exit from the 155km/h Tabac Corner and enter into the first left / right "S" of the Swimming Pool Complex. It has a small seating capacity and shares the massive hillside bigscreen with Grandstand K.

It seems almost unreal to see Formula 1 cars driving in such a landscape, with huge yachts in the background. And huge buildings in your own background. Grandstand N - Piscine Panne Nord Numbered seats | Covered seats This large grandstand, accessible via two walkways or by the boat, is also ideally situated in the center of the Monaco Harbor. It offers some good views of both the "S" kinks located in the Swimming Pool Complex. Grandstand N is erected on a harbour pier, and you literally sit above the water, with water both in front and behind you, viewing cars arriving from Bureau de Tabac corner and then going forward La Rascasse one. The action and the excitement of the whole race can be followed on the bigscreen positioned directly opposite Grandstand N as well as from the massive hillside bigscreen. Grandstand O - Piscine Plongeur | Covered seats This large grandstand, accessible via two walkways or by the boat, is also ideally situated in the center of the Monaco Harbor. It offers some good views of both the "S" kinks located in the Swimming Pool Complex.

Grandstand O is erected on a harbour pier, and you literally sit above the water, with water both in front and behind you, viewing cars arriving from Bureau de Tabac corner and then going forward La Rascasse one. The action and the excitement of the whole race can be followed on the bigscreen positioned directly opposite Grandstand O as well as from the massive hillside bigscreen. Grandstand P - Piscine Panne Sud Numbered seats | Covered seats This large grandstand, accessible via two walkways or by the boat, is also ideally situated in the center of the Monaco Harbor. It offers some good views of both the "S" kinks located in the Swimming Pool Complex. Grandstand P is erected on a harbour pier, and you literally sit above the water, with water both in front and behind you, viewing cars arriving from Bureau de Tabac corner and then going forward La Rascasse one. The action and the excitement of the whole race can be followed on the bigscreen positioned directly opposite Grandstand P as well as from the massive hillside bigscreen.

Paddock Club™ | Covered seats If a ticket to the Monaco Grand Prix is one of society’s most sought-after commodities then a guest pass to the Formula One Paddock Club™ is as good as it gets. With some of the world’s most luxurious yachts forming the backdrop to the famous street race, the Paddock Club is situated right on the harbour’s edge in the Monaco Yacht Club itself. Guests also benefit from a reserved grandstand seat at the heart of the action. Shangri La (10th floor) | Covered seats Stunning views with almost live 50% race track view of the starting grid and harbour. Superb catering and beverage service including champagne and open bar all day - a very good value for money package. Grandstand T - Cale de Halage Numbered seats | Covered seats This main grandstand is ideally located in the Monaco Harbour, in front of the pit-lane, with a direct view on the teams'garages. This is the grandstand where sponsors and Paddock Club guests also watch the race. With a large seating capacity it enjoys a view of the straight section after the exit of the last right / left "S" of the Swimming Pool Complex.

Its location opposite the pits, also places the spectator in the heat of the action, with a view of the mechanics at work during and after the race . The bigscreen opposite this grandstand intensifies the drama and magnifies the racing action on other parts of the circuit. Grandstand T Low - Cale de Halage Numbered seats | Covered seats This main grandstand is ideally located in the Monaco Harbour, in front of the pit-lane, with a direct view on the teams'garages.This is the grandstand where sponsors and Paddock Club guests also watch the race. With a large seating capacity it enjoys a view of the straight section after the exit of the last right / left "S" of the Swimming Pool Complex. Its location opposite the pits, also places the spectator in the heat of the action, with a view of the mechanics at work during and after the race . The bigscreen opposite this grandstand intensifies the drama and magnifies the racing action on other parts of the circuit. You will be a bit closer to the track and cars than on the upper section.

Grandstand V - Virage Anthony Noghes Numbered seats | Covered seats Grandstand V is the closest to the actual circuit surface, located at La Rascasse corner and overviewing the pit-lane entrance as well. This grandstand also offers fans a privileged view of the start and pre-race buildup, as well as of drivers walking up from the F1 paddock. If not dropping into the pit-lane, the cars take this corner pretty smoothly and accelerate suddenly toward the grid straight line. Definitely one of the couple of best spots around the track to enjoy the full power of the Formula 1 cars and realize how big it is. And how difficult it is to drive that kind of cars on such a narrow track. A very popular corner with spectators and very often the first grandstand to sell out. A bigscreen is located on this corner, which makes your grand prix experience so much more enjoyable.

Grandstand X1 - Boulevard Albert 1er Numbered seats BUY MONACO FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX RACE ON DVD VIDEO BOXSET COLLECTION 1971-2015 Ferrari 1:15.154 The Monaco Grand Prix ( French : Grand Prix de Monaco) is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco . Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (with which it forms the Triple Crown of Motorsport ). The circuit has been called "an exceptional location of glamour and prestige." [1] The race is held on a narrow course laid out in the streets of Monaco , with many elevation changes and tight corners as well as a tunnel, making it one of the most demanding tracks in Formula One. In spite of the relatively low average speeds, it is a dangerous place to race. The first race in 1929, was organised by Anthony Noghï¿½s under the auspices of the "Automobile Club de Monaco", and was won by William Grover-Williams driving a Bugatti .

The event was part of the pre- Second World War European Championship and was included in the first Formula One World Championship in 1950 . Graham Hill was known as "Mr Monaco" [2] due to his five Monaco wins in the 1960s. Brazil's Ayrton Senna has won the race more times than any other driver, with six victories, winning five consecutively between 1989 and 1993 . Contents History Origin Like many European races, the Monaco Grand Prix predates the current World Championship . The principality's first Grand Prix was organised in 1929 by Anthony Noghï¿½s , under the auspices of Prince Louis II , through the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM). Alexandre Noghï¿½s, Anthony's father, was founding president of the ACM, originally named Sport Vï¿½locipï¿½dique Monï¿½gasque. The ACM made their first foray into motorsport by holding the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo in 1911.

In 1928 the club applied to the Association Internationale des Automobiles Clubs Reconnus (AIACR), the international governing body of motorsport, to be upgraded from a regional French club to full national status. Their application was refused due to the lack of a major motorsport event held wholly within Monaco's boundaries. The rally could not be considered as it mostly used the roads of other European countries. [3] William Grover-Williams at the 1929 Monaco Grand Prix In order to attain full national status, Noghï¿½s proposed the creation of an automobile Grand Prix in the streets of Monte Carlo . Noghï¿½s obtained the official support of Prince Louis II. Noghï¿½s also gained support for his plans from Monegasque Louis Chiron , a top-level driver in European Grand Prix racing. Chiron thought that the topography of the location would be well suited to setting up a race track. [3] The first Grand Prix Automobile de Monaco was an invitation only event, but not all of those invited decided to attend. The leading Maserati and Alfa Romeo drivers decided not to compete but Bugatti was well represented.

Mercedes sent their leading driver, Rudolf Caracciola , to drive a Mercedes SSK . Caracciola drove a fighting race, bringing his SSK up to second position at the end of the race, despite starting in fifteenth. The race was won by "Williams" (pseudonym of expatriate Briton William Grover-Williams ) driving a Bugatti Type 35B painted in what would become the famous British racing green . [2] Another driver who competed using a pseudonym was " Georges Philippe ", the Baron Philippe de Rothschild . Chiron was unable to compete, having a prior commitment to compete in the Indianapolis 500 on the same day. [3] However, Chiron did compete the following year, finishing second, and took victory in the 1931 race driving a Bugatti. As of 2008, he remains the only native of Monaco to have won the event. Pre-war The race quickly grew in importance.

Because of the large number of races which were being termed 'Grands Prix', the AIACR formally recognised the most important race of each of its affiliated national automobile clubs as International Grands Prix, or Grandes ï¿½preuves, and in 1933 Monaco was ranked as such alongside the French , Belgian , Italian , and Spanish Grands Prix. [4] That year's race was the first Grand Prix where grid positions were decided, as they are now, by practice time rather than the established method of balloting . The race saw Achille Varzi and Tazio Nuvolari exchange the lead many times before being settled in Varzi's favour on the final lap when Nuvolari's car caught fire. [5] The race became a round of the new European Championship in 1936 and 1937, and both races were won by Mercedes-Benz before the Second World War ended organised racing in Europe until 1945. Formula One Racing in Europe started again on 9 September 1945 at the Bois de Boulogne park in the city of Paris , four months and one day after the end of the war in Europe.

[6] In 1946 a new premier racing category, Formula One , was defined by the Fï¿½dï¿½ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the successor of the AIACR, based on the pre-war voiturette class. A Monaco Grand Prix was run to this formula in 1948 , won by the future world champion Nino Farina in a Maserati 4CLT . Although the 1949 event was cancelled due to the death of Prince Louis II, it was included in the new World Drivers' Championship the following year . The race provided future five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio with his first win in a World Championship race, as well as third place for the 51 year old Louis Chiron; his best result in the World Championship era. However, there was no race in 1951, and in 1952, a year in which the world drivers' championship was run for less powerful Formula Two cars, the race was run to sports car rules instead and did not form part of the World Championship.

[2] Since 1955 - when Chiron again scored points and at 56 became the oldest driver to compete in a Formula One Grand Prix - the Monaco Grand Prix has continuously been part of the Formula One World Championship. [7] It was not until 1957 , when Fangio won again, that the Grand Prix saw a double winner. Between 1954 and 1961 Fangio's former Mercedes colleague, Stirling Moss , went one better. The 1961 race saw Moss fend off three works Ferrari 156s in a year-old privateer Rob Walker Racing Team Lotus 18 , to take his third Monaco victory. [8] Graham Hill won five of his 14 Grands Prix at Monaco Britain's Graham Hill won the race five times in the 1960s and became known as "King of Monaco" [9] and "Mr. Monaco". [2] In the 1965 race he took pole position and led from the start, but went up an escape road on lap 25 to avoid hitting a slow backmarker. Rejoining in fifth place, Hill set several new lap records on the way to winning.

[10] The race was also notable for the debut of Honda in the World Championship, and for Paul Hawkins' Lotus ending up in the harbour. [11] A similar incident was included in the 1966 film Grand Prix . [12] By the early 1970s, as Brabham team owner Bernie Ecclestone started to marshal the collective bargaining power of the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA), Monaco was prestigious enough to become an early bone of contention. Historically the number of cars permitted in a race was decided by the race organiser, in this case the ACM, which had always set a low number, around 16. In 1972 Ecclestone was starting to negotiate deals which relied on FOCA guaranteeing at least 18 entrants for every race. A stand off over this issue left the 1972 race in jeopardy until the ACM gave in and agreed that 26 cars could participate - the same number permitted at most other circuits. Two years later, in 1974, the ACM managed to get the numbers back down to 18.

[13] Because of its tight confines and punishing nature, Monaco has often thrown up unexpected results. In the 1982 race Renï¿½ Arnoux led the first 15 laps, before retiring. Alain Prost then led until four laps from the end, when he spun off on the wet track, hit the barriers and lost a wheel, giving Riccardo Patrese the lead. Patrese himself spun with only a lap and a half to go, letting Didier Pironi through to the front, followed by Andrea de Cesaris . On the last lap, Pironi ran out of fuel in the tunnel, but De Cesaris also ran out of fuel before he could overtake. In the meantime Patrese had bump-started his car and went through to score his first Grand Prix win. [14] In 1983 the ACM became entangled in the disagreements between Fï¿½dï¿½ration Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) and FOCA. The ACM, with the agreement of Bernie Ecclestone, negotiated an individual television rights deal with ABC in the United States . This broke an agreement enforced by FISA for a single central negotiation of television rights.

Jean-Marie Balestre , president of FISA, announced that the Monaco Grand Prix would not form part of the Formula One world championship in 1985. The ACM fought their case in the French courts. They lost the case and the race was eventually reinstated. [13] For the decade from 1984 to 1993 the race was won by only two drivers - Frenchman Prost and Brazilian Ayrton Senna . Prost, already a winner of the support race for Formula Three cars in 1979, took his first Monaco win at the 1984 race . The race started 45 minutes late after heavy rain. Prost led briefly before Nigel Mansell overtook him on lap 11. Mansell crashed out five laps later, letting Prost back into the lead. On lap 27, Prost led from Ayrton Senna's Toleman and Stefan Bellof 's Tyrrell . Senna was catching Prost and Bellof was catching both of them. However on lap 31, the race was controversially stopped.

Later, FISA fined the clerk of the course, Jacky Ickx , $6,000 and suspended his licence for not consulting the stewards before stopping the race. [15] The drivers received only half of the points that would usually be awarded, as the race had been stopped before two thirds of the intended race distance had been completed. Formation lap for the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix . Senna holds the record for the most victories in Monaco, with six, including five between 1989 and 1993 , as well as eight podium finishes in ten starts. His 1987 win was the first time a car with an active suspension had won a Grand Prix. His win was very popular with the people of Monaco, and when he was arrested on the Monday following the race, for riding a motorcycle without wearing a helmet, he was released by the officers after they realised who he was. [16] At the 1992 event Nigel Mansell, who had won all five races held to that point in the season, took pole and dominated the race in his Williams FW14 B- Renault .

However, with seven laps remaining, Mansell suffered a loose wheel nut and was forced into the pits, emerging behind Ayrton Senna's McLaren -Honda. Mansell, on fresh tyres, set a lap record almost two seconds quicker than Senna's and closed from 5.2 to 1.9 seconds in only two laps. The pair duelled around Monaco for the final four laps but Mansell could find no way past, finishing just two tenths of a second behind the Brazilian. [17] [18] It was Senna's fifth win at Monaco, equalling Graham Hill's record. After Senna took his sixth win at the 1993 race , breaking Graham Hill's record for most wins at the Monaco Grand Prix, runner-up Damon Hill commented that "If my father was around now, he would be the first to congratulate Ayrton." [19] The 1996 race saw Michael Schumacher take pole position before crashing out on the first lap. Damon Hill led the first 40 laps before his engine expired in the tunnel. Jean Alesi took the lead but suffered suspension failure 20 laps later.

Olivier Panis , who started in 14th place, moved into the lead and stayed there until the end of the race, being pushed all the way by David Coulthard . It was Panis' only win, and the last for his Ligier team. Only four cars finished the race. Seven-time world champion Schumacher would eventually win the race five times, matching Graham Hill's record. As of 2008, he also holds the current lap record with a 1:14.439, according to the official Formula One website. In his last appearance, at the 2006 event , he attracted criticism while provisionally holding pole position with the qualifying session drawing to a close, by stopping his car at the Rascasse hairpin, blocking the track. A result of this was that yellow flags were waved, so that competitors were obliged to slow down, thus meaning they would not be able to beat Schumacher's lap time. Although Schumacher claimed it was a genuine accident, the FIA disagreed and Schumacher was sent to the back of the grid.

[20] Circuit Main article: Circuit de Monaco The famous harbour The Circuit de Monaco consists of the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine , which includes the famous harbour. It is unique in having been held on the same circuit every time it has been run over such a long period ï¿½ only the Italian Grand Prix , which has been held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza every year except 1980 and 1921, has a similarly lengthy and close relationship with a single circuit. The race circuit has many elevation changes, tight corners, and a narrow course that makes it one of the most demanding tracks in Formula One racing. [21] As of 2008, only two drivers have crashed and ended up in the harbour, the most famous being Alberto Ascari in 1955 . [11] [22] Despite the fact that the course has had minor changes several times during its history, it is still considered the ultimate test of driving skills in Formula One , and if it were not already an existing Grand Prix, it would not be permitted to be added to the schedule for safety reasons.

[23] Even in 1929, 'La Vie Automobile' magazine offered the opinion that "Any respectable traffic system would have covered the track with < > sign posts left, right and centre". [24] Triple Formula One champion Nelson Piquet was fond of saying that racing at Monaco was "like trying to cycle round your living room", but added that "a win here was worth two anywhere else". [25] Notably, the course includes a tunnel. The contrast of daylight and gloom when entering/exiting the tunnel presents "challenges not faced elsewhere", as the drivers have to "adjust their vision as they emerge from the tunnel at the fastest point of the track and brake for the chicane in the daylight." [26] Organisation The 1929 Monaco Grand Prix event poster The Monaco Grand Prix is organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also runs the Monte Carlo Rally and the Junior Monaco Kart Cup . [27] It differs in several ways from other Grands Prix. The practice session for the race is held on the Thursday preceding the race instead of Friday. [28] This allows the streets to be opened to the public again on the Friday.

Until the late 1990s the race started at 3:30 p.m. local time - an hour and a half later than other European Formula One races. In recent years the race has fallen in line with the other Formula One races for the convenience of television viewers. Also, earlier the event was traditionally held on the week of Ascension Day . For many years, the numbers of cars admitted to Grands Prix was at the discretion of the race organisers - Monaco had the smallest grids, ostensibly because of its narrow and twisting track. [29] Only 18 cars were permitted to enter the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix , compared to 23 to 26 cars at all other rounds that year. [30] The erecting of the circuit takes six weeks, and the removal after the race takes three weeks. [31] There is no podium as such at the race. Instead a section of the track is closed after the race to act as parc fermï¿½ , a place where the cars are held for official inspection.

The first three drivers in the race leave their cars there and walk directly to the royal box where the 'podium' ceremony is held, which is considered a custom for the race. [32] Fame The Monaco Grand Prix is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world alongside the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and 24 Hours of Le Mans . [24] [33] These three races are considered to form a Triple Crown of the three most famous motor races in the world. Graham Hill is the only driver to have completed the Triple Crown, by winning all three races. The practice session for Monaco overlaps with that for the Indianapolis 500, and the races themselves sometimes clash. As the two races take place on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean and form part of different championships, it is difficult for one driver to compete effectively in both during his career. [34] Juan Pablo Montoya , who won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2003 and the Indianapolis 500 in 2000 , is the only driver still racing in 2007 who has won two of the three races and who is therefore able to complete the Triple Crown.

[35] In awarding its first Gold medal for motor sport to Prince Rainier III , the Fï¿½dï¿½ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) characterised the Monaco Grand Prix as contributing "an exceptional location of glamour and prestige" to motor sport. [1] It has been run under the patronage of three generations of Monaco's royal family: Louis II , Rainier III and Albert II , all of whom have taken a close interest in the race. A large part of the principality's income comes from tourists attracted by the warm climate and the famous casino, but it is also a tax haven and is home to many millionaires, including several Formula One drivers. [36] Monaco has produced only three native Formula One drivers, Louis Chiron , Andrï¿½ Testut and Olivier Beretta , [37] but its tax status has made it home to many drivers over the years, including Gilles Villeneuve and Ayrton Senna . Of the 2006 Formula One contenders, several have property in the principality, including Jenson Button and David Coulthard , who is part owner of a hotel there.

[38] Because of the small size of the town and the location of the circuit, drivers whose races end early can usually get back to their apartments in minutes. Ayrton Senna famously retired to his apartment after crashing out of the lead of the 1988 race . [39] Winners Embolded drivers are still competing in the Formula One championship # Wins 2017 Monaco Grand Prix | Mulberry Travel Estate Properties, Costa Brava 2017 Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1’s Grand Prix de Monaco is on every serious motorsports fan’s wish list. The glamour, history and fans all add up to create an event unmatched in the world of sport. Stroll past the harbour filled with multi-million pound yachts, go star spotting on the streets or try your luck in the grand casino. However you choose to spend your free time just make sure you are in your seat to catch the stars of the Motorsport world fly past you on the famous street circuit. The 2016 Race saw Lewis Hamilton finally displace the 3 consecutive time winner Nico Rosberg who could only manage 7th position.

Hamilton drove a masterful race after qualifying in 3rd place on the grid, setting the fastest lap of the race on his way to his 2nd win at this circuit having previously won in 2008. This year’s race takes place on Sunday 28th May 2017. Book your place at the 75th Monaco Grand Prix today.

Guide Price From £649 pp Prices are per person and for guidance only based on Monaco Hotel only option Details Return Charter flight London or Manchester to Nice Return Airport transfers to your selected hotel by coach Race Day Secteur Rocher general admission ticket Choice of hotel accommodation with daily breakfast Friday Night Drinks Reception in Nice Sunday Return coach transfers between Nice and Monaco Event Pack including lanyard and ear plugs Monaco Grand Prix PackagesCircuit InformationAccommodation Monaco Hotel Only Monaco Grand Prix Hotel Only City Break From £649 per person Booking Includes: Choice of hotel accommodation with daily breakfast Race Day Secteur Rocher general admission ticket Friday Night Drinks Reception in Nice Sunday Return coach transfers between Nice and Monaco Representative Staff in resort Travel documentation including lanyard and ear plugs All service charges and taxes Optional Extras (at a supplement) Qualifying Day Ticket Prices Qualifying Day Secteur Rocher (General Admission): £46 each Qualifying Day Grandstand B (Casino): £233 each Qualifying Day Grandstand T Lower (La Rascasse): £153 each Qualifying Day Grandstand K (Bureau de Tabac): £206 each Qualifying Day Grandstand N (Piscine): £126 each Qualifying Day Grandstand

 V (Anthony Noghes) £188 each Qualifying Day Grandstand T Upper (La Rascasse): £206 each Qualifying Day Grandstand P (Piscine): £126 each Race Day Ticket Prices Race Day Grandstand X1 (Start/Finish): £233 each Race Day Grandstand X2 (Start/Finish): £253 each Race Day Grandstand N (Piscine): £293 each Race Day Grandstand L (Piscine): £398 each Race Day Grandstand O (Piscine): £398 each Race Day Grandstand P (Piscine): £293 each Race Day Grandstand T Lower (La Rascasse) £293 each Race Day Grandstand T Upper (La Rascasse): £398 each Race Day Grandstand V (Anthony Noghes) £374 each Race Day Grandstand K (Bureau de Tabac) £398 each Race Day Grandstand B (Casino) £455 each Hospitality Prices Paddock Lounge Weekend £549 each Paddock Loung Saturday £349 each Beau Rivage Hospitality (Sat & Sun) £1,

199 each 3 Nights from London Monaco Grand Prix 3 Night Break Departing From London From £949 per person Booking Includes: Return flight London to Nice (Fri – Mon)* Race Day Secteur Rocher general admission ticket Return Airport transfers to your selected hotel by coach Choice of hotel accommodation with daily breakfast Friday Night Drinks Reception in Nice Sunday Return coach transfers between Nice and Monaco Representative Staff in resort Travel documentation including lanyard and ear plugs All service charges and taxes Optional Extras (at a supplement) Qualifying Day Ticket Prices Qualifying Day Secteur Rocher (General Admission): £46 each Qualifying Day Grandstand B (Casino): £233 each Qualifying Day Grandstand T Lower (La Rascasse): £153 each Qualifying Day Grandstand K (Bureau de Tabac): £206 each Qualifying Day Grandstand N (Piscine): £126 each Qualifying Day Grandstand V (Anthony Noghes) £188 each Qualifying Day Grandstand T Upper (La Rascasse): £206 each Qualifying Day Grandstand P (Piscine): £126 each Race Day Ticket Prices Race Day Grandstand X1 (Start/Finish

): £233 each Race Day Grandstand X2 (Start/Finish): £253 each Race Day Grandstand N (Piscine): £293 each Race Day Grandstand L (Piscine): £398 each Race Day Grandstand O (Piscine): £398 each Race Day Grandstand P (Piscine): £293 each Race Day Grandstand T Lower (La Rascasse) £293 each Race Day Grandstand T Upper (La Rascasse): £398 each Race Day Grandstand V (Anthony Noghes) £374 each Race Day Grandstand K (Bureau de Tabac) £398 each Race Day Grandstand B (Casino) £455 each Hospitality Prices Paddock Lounge Weekend £549 each Paddock Loung Saturday £349 each Beau Rivage Hospitality (Sat & Sun) £1,199 each 3 Nights from Manchester Monaco Grand Prix 3 Night Break Departing From Manchester From £990 per person Booking Includes: Return flight Manchester to Nice (Fri – Mon)* Return Airport transfers to your selected hotel by coach Race Day Secteur Rocher general admission ticket Choice of

 hotel accommodation with daily breakfast Friday Night Drinks Reception in Nice Sunday Return coach transfers between Nice and Monaco Representative Staff in resort Travel documentation including lanyard and ear plugs All service charges and taxes Optional Extras (at a supplement) Qualifying Day Ticket Prices Qualifying Day Secteur Rocher (General Admission): £46 each Qualifying Day Grandstand B (Casino): £233 each Qualifying Day Grandstand T Lower (La Rascasse): £153 each Qualifying Day Grandstand K (Bureau de Tabac): £206 each Qualifying Day Grandstand N (Piscine): £126 each Qualifying Day Grandstand V (Anthony Noghes) £188 each Qualifying Day Grandstand T Upper (La Rascasse): £206 each Qualifying Day Grandstand P (Piscine): £126 each Race Day Ticket Prices Race Day Grandstand X1 (Start/Finish): £233 each Race Day Grandstand X2 (Start/Finish): £253 each Race Day Grandstand N (Piscine): £293 each Race Day Grandstand L (Piscine): £398 each Race Day Grandstand O (Pisc

ine): £398 each Race Day Grandstand P (Piscine): £293 each Race Day Grandstand T Lower (La Rascasse) £293 each Race Day Grandstand T Upper (La Rascasse): £398 each Race Day Grandstand V (Anthony Noghes) £374 each Race Day Grandstand K (Bureau de Tabac) £398 each Race Day Grandstand B (Casino) £455 each Hospitality Prices Paddock Lounge Weekend £549 each Paddock Loung Saturday £349 each Beau Rivage Hospitality (Sat & Sun) £1,199 each Hospitality Packages Hospitality Options Beau Rivage 1st Floor Hospitality This fantastic option is situated just beyond St Devote corner on the first floor of the Beau Rivage Building.

The terrace has a viewing balcony, which offers unrivalled views of the track and super yachts in the harbour. In addition, TV screens in the facility mean you don’t miss a second of the action. **A Grandstand ticket is not required for this package**. Monaco Grand Prix Beau Rivage Hospitality (Saturday and Sunday) £1199.00 per person Caravelles Hospitality Terrace The Caravelles building is the ultimate location. Large terraces offer exceptional viewing, directly overlooking pole position, Saint Devote corner, tunnel exit, port, swimming pool and Rascasse. With views of 75% of the circuit, this is one of the most sought after locations! **A Grandstand ticket is not required for this package**. Monaco Grand Prix Caravelles Hospitality Terrace (Saturday and Sunday) £1949 per person Paddock Lounge Hospitality Our Paddock Lounge Hospitality Suite occupies the whole top floor of the famous Stars n’ Bars Restaurant and offers fabulous harbour and F1 Paddock views. (Please note there is no view of the race circuit). You are able to come and go from your included grandstand seat as you please, making the paddock lounge a great place to relax and unwind.

You wont miss any of the action, with TV Screens located throughout the lounge. While others join the crush to catch a glimpse of the F1 personalities in the Paddock, you are exactly where you’ll want to be to enjoy the post-race action below. Monaco Grand Prix Paddock Lounge Hospitality (Sunday) £349 per person Monaco Grand Prix Paddock Lounge Hospitality (Saturday and Sunday) £549 per person Circuit Information There is no other race quite like the Grand Prix de Monaco. The glamour, history and fans all add up to create an event unmatched in the world of sport. Stroll past the harbour filled with multi-million pound yachts, go star spotting on the streets or try your luck in the grand casino. However you choose to spend your free time just make sure you are in your seat to catch the stars of the Motorsport world fly past you on the famous street circuit. Secteur Rocher (General Entrance- Standing Area) The Secteur Rocher area is situated in an elevated position, set back from the circuit. It is a large area comprising of steep hill faces and walkways so is not recommended for anyone with reduced mobility.

The best spots are snapped up early so it’s advisable to arrive early if you opt for this. Secteur Rocher is the value for money option and you will enjoy a fantastic atmosphere and views down into the harbour and circuit. Entrance - Standing Area Z1 is a standing area of wooden platforms in close proximity to the track. The best spots are snapped up early so it’s best to arrive early if you opt for this. Has limited spaces and tends to sell out fast due to it’s attractive lower price. X1/X2 X is the only Grandstand located on the Pit Straight and offers decent views of cars exiting the last corner and heading towards the Start Finish line. Grandstand C This grandstand is located on the outside of T8 (Portier). You can view the cars through T8 (Portier), and watch as they enter the iconic tunnel. Seated directly on the sea front, this is the corner where Senna went off whilst in the lead of the 1988 Grand Prix. No TV screens are visible. Grandstand N,O,P These Grandstands are located on the docks in the centre of Monaco Harbour and face in towards the famous swimming pool.

P & N offer good viewing and location for the lead in Grandstand price so tend to prove popular and sell out fast. Grandstand T (Lower & Upper) Large Grandstand located facing the pit lane. From here you can view the cars exiting the Swimming Pool area and heading towards Rascasse corner. From the Upper Rows you have the added bonus of a view into the pit lane. Grandstand K (Lower & Upper) Monaco’s largest Grandstand and therefore often most atmospheric. Offers fabulous views of the harbour as it faces out to sea and also extended views as the cars head towards and then turn to swing by. A1 Small Grandstand offering views of the first corner at St Devote. You can view the first corner, and also see the pit lane exit. Often a place for incident. No TV screens are visible from this stand. V Grandstand Small and very popular Grandstand located extremely close to the track with views of the last corner as the cars tiptoe their way round before accelerating away along the start/finish straight. This Grandstand is also included as part of out Paddock Lounge Hospitality package. Grandstand L Grandstand L offers views as cars exit the Swimming Pool Section and also has the added benefit of pit lane views.

Grandstand B Grandstand B faces the world famous Monte Carlo Casino offering fabulous views of this as well as the cars passing buy in front. Hotel Options Changing tracks: Monte-Carlo · F1 Fanatic Author Keith Collantine The blast up the hill - and the scenery - hasn't changed Monaco has the longest unbroken run of years as a Grand Prix venue – having held an F1 race every year since 1955. Much of the track remains the same, but there have been changes in recent years – some of which were criticised for diminishing the challenge of this unique venue. Monte-Carlo circuit, Monaco – 1955 Monte-Carlo circuit, Monaco – 2010 Length: 3.34km (2.075 miles) Grand Prix racing was first held on the streets of Monte-Carlo in 1929. The Monaco Grand Prix has been a permanent fixture on the F1 calendar since 1955. It’s a unique track which could not be replicated anywhere else – mainly due to being narrower and shorter than the minimum limits for new F1 circuits.

Its importance to Formula 1 as an event that has worldwide recognition can be gauged by the fact that not only are the venue’s shortcomings overlooked, but it is the only race where the promoters, and not Formula One Management, retain revenue from trackside advertising. The configuration of the circuit has changed on numerous occasions since that first race. But from the climb up Massenet, around Casino, dropping down from Mirabeau to the Grand Hotel hairpin and around Portier, today’s F1 drivers trace the exact same route that Rudolf Caracciola and his rivals first did over 80 years ago. The changes that have been made have been partly in the pursuit of improved safety and partly due to new buildings being erected in the principality. The start line was originally on the harbour front where the swimming pool now stands. It was switched to its current location in 1963, making Sainte Devote the first corner. La Piscine and Rascasse Monaco practice in pictures In 1973 the Monaco circuit took a major departure from its original configuration to the more sinuous version we know today.

The construction of a swimming pool on the harbour front forced a detour after Tabac, adding four new corners to the circuit. From the exit of ‘La Piscine’ the drivers now arrived at a revised final sequence. The old Gasworks hairpin was gone, replaced by a tight left-hander leading into a pair of right-hand turns called La Rascasse. Another new corner, a right-hand turn taking the cars back onto the start/finish straight, was named after the designer of the original track, Anthony Noghes. One other significant change that year altered the challenge of the circuit without actually changing its configuration. The tunnel was extended due to the building of Loews Hotel, which also gave its name to the hairpin after Mirabeau. Sainte Devote The first corner was originally a faster right-hander, but this was tightened in 1976. At first a barrier stood on the inside of the new corner, but in 2003 it was opened out to give drivers more room to escape the first-lap mayhem that often ensues here. Nouvelle Chicane Until 1985 the chicane in front of the harbour was a fast left-right flick.

In qualifying for that year’s race the cars were changing lanes at 160mph and the drivers urged the race organisers to build a safer alternative. So for the 1986 race a new concrete section was built, extending over the harbour and allowing the chicane to be tightened. Although the kerbs here have been changed many times since then – including this year – the corner is basically the same. It’s the nearest thing Monaco has to an overtaking opportunity. New Rascasse Several revisions were made to the circuit in 2003, mostly moving barriers to create limited run-off space. The entry to the swimming pool complex had this treatment in 1997, and six years later the exit also had its barriers moved, making the exit slightly quicker. Also in 2003 Rascasse was altered to give the cars a faster, straighter run into a less tight corner. Not that it made it any easy for Michael Schumacher to get around it in 2006… The pit lane exit was also changed. Although cars still have to negotiate the tricky switch onto the start/finish straight, the actual exit now extends past the first corner, giving them a safer passage onto the circuit.

The current pit complex was used for the first time in 2004. Unusually, it faces away from the start/finish straight, towards the harbour and the final sequence of bends. Monte-Carlo circuit, 2010 Monaco Grand Prix (click to enlarge) How F1 tracks have changed Monaco Grand Prix Track Information | Grand Prix Events Hospitality Phone +44 (0)208 419 1111 or email us Introduction Monaco GP Racing in Monaco is steeped in history. Begining in the early 1950s, it was a sportscar event in 1952, but in 1955 it appeared on the international calendar with a dramatic race which saw Alberto Ascari crash into the harbour and victory go to Maurice Trintignant. Monaco is a challenging track where the driver plays a more important role than the car and so the race has tended to be won by the best: Ayrton Senna won six times between 1987 and 1993, Graham Hill earned the name "Mr. Monaco" with five wins in the 1960s.

Alain Prost has won four times while Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart took three victories a piece. Michael Schumacher won his fifth Monaco GP in 2001. From time to time Monaco throws up a surprise: in 1972 Jean-Pierre Beltoise was untouchable in the wet but he never again won a Grand Prix. A decade later Riccardo Patrese scored his first Grand Prix victory in a race that no-one seemed able to win: Prost crashed, Patrese spun, Didier Pironi and Andrea de Cesaris ran out of fuel and Derek Daly leaked oil. Patrese, however, recovered from his mistake and crossed the line, thinking he had lost the race but discovered that he was actually the winner. In 1996 Olivier Panis came through from the midfield in his Ligier to win a remarkable victory. Over the years there have been tragedies as well; Lorenzo Bandini crashed at the chicane in 1967 and died in the raging fire that ensued and in 1994 young Austrian Karl Wendlinger crashed at the same spot, the resulting head injuries effectively ending his F1 career.

In 1973 a new tunnel was built beneath the Loews Hotel and the track from Tabac to La Rascasse was reprofiled to make way for the new swimming pool. Later the Ste Devote and Rascasse Corners were tightened to slow the cars down and in 1986 the chicane was reprofiled for similar reasons. People have been forecasting disaster for years, but Monaco survives each passing year, even if the safety and facilities are out of step with all the other F1 circuits. Monaco is more than a race. It is the most important Grand Prix of the year, the place where everyone wants to be. More deals are done at Monaco than at any other race and the glitter of the Principality rubs off on F1 as much as the glamour of F1 reflects on the city. At Grand Prix time Monaco is a party town and the VIPs pose in the Hotel de Paris or the Hermitage or spend evenings dining on the incredible yachts which fill the harbour each year. Tackling the Monaco Circuit From the start (red arrow), driving in a clockwise direction the short acceleration period is rapidly followed by a struggle for position as everyone tries to negotiate the right hand VIRAGE ST.

DEVOTE for the first time. This is the most dangerous part of the Monaco Circuit and over the years many spectacular accidents have occurred on this first bend. Curiously enough this is one of the few bends with a 'run-off' area, if you do have to go straight on here it should be survivable. Accelerating up the hill from St. Devote into Casino Square is the first chance to go up through the gears, drivers have to be careful as the road can be bumpy and those white traffic lines are very slippery. Out accelerating someone at the start of the hill is a possibility but further up the race line is much too close to the barriers. Slow down for the tight left and then right through Casino Square and accelerate down hill past the Hotel Metropole. Keeping it tight to the right as we approach the Hotel Mirabeau, this is a favorite spot for out-braking if you leave a gap. Then we follow the 30mph hairpin at the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel and the sharp right past the fountains and into the Virage Du Portier. The infamous tunnel is next - this is another opportunity to out-accelerate the car in front if he leaves room.

Breaking back into the sun in 6th at 170mph is top speed for the Monaco Race. The tight left-right of the chicane leads into a short straight and then the swimming pool complex. A hairpin of Virage Rascasse. Slightly uphill now into the very nasty right of Virage Anthony Noghes ....only 77 more laps to go! *Courtesy of Automobile Club de Monaco. McLaren Formula 1 - 13 turns to test your Monaco know-how 13 turns to test your Monaco know-how 13 turns to test your Monaco know-how Posted on Wednesday, 20 May 2015 11:20 (BST) The Monaco Grand Prix is the most legendary race on the Formula 1 calendar. It’s glitzy, glamorous and famously tough to drive thanks to the tight and twisty nature of the Monte-Carlo streets along which the circuit winds. The track’s best-known corners – Casino, Mirabeau and La Rascasse to name a few – conjure up memories of classic races gone by. But where did their weird and wonderful names come from?

We find out… Sainte Devote Turn One, Sainte Devote, takes after its namesake, Sainte Devote, a fourth century martyr and the patron saint of Monaco. A tiny chapel built in honour of the saint can be spotted behind the stands. Beau Rivage Literally meaning 'beautiful shore', it’s the name of the winding straight that climbs the hill up to Massenet. It offers the best view of the Monte-Carlo circuit. Massenet The stunning Opéra de Monte-Carlo overlooks this turn, named after French opera composer Jules Massenet. The race weekend sees a completely different type of opera dominate the soundwaves. Casino Named after the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo. It’s a little known fact that thanks to a 19th century law, the citizens of Monaco aren’t actually allowed to gamble at the casino. Mirabeau Haute & Mirabeau Bas The high (haute) and low (bas) Mirabeau corners top and tail the famous hairpin and are so-called thanks to the old Hotel Mirabeau nearby.

Grand Hotel Hairpin The slowest corner on the F1 calendar taken at just 30mph, this corner takes on the name of the hotel that overlooks it. It’s variously been called the ‘Station’ and ‘Loews’ Hairpin. Portier One of Monaco's neighbourhoods next to the sea, and near this corner, is known as Le Portier. A "portier" or porter, in English, was an order of Roman Catholic college students. Ayrton Senna famously crashed here thus handing the win to his teammate (and rival), Alain Prost. Tunnel Possibly the best place to hear the roar of an F1 car. The exit of the tunnel is one of the only overtaking opportunities on the circuit and has witnessed many a crash over the years. Nouvelle Chicane Formally known as the Chicane du Port thanks to its location in Monaco’s yacht-filled harbour, the chicane was redesigned and renamed the Nouvelle "new" Chicane way back in 1986. So not so new, then… Tabac

Question: Which Formula One Grand Prix Circuit has corners named Anthony Noghes and La Rascasse?
Answer: Monaco