Monaco Grand Prix: A look back at 6 historical highlights

A randomly drawn starting grid

We go back a long way, very far for this first significant event: none other than the very first Monaco Grand Prix. Already during the 1929 edition, a very peculiar event took place: the starting grid was composed of sixteen randomly drawn drivers. Another curiosity: it was Prince Pierre de Polignac, a member of the Monegasque princely family, who inaugurated the Grand Prix by completing the very first lap aboard a Torpedo Voisin driven by the race director, Charles Faroux. The first race was won by the British driver William Grover-Williams with a Bugatti 35B. At this stage, we are still far from Formula 1…

The master of Monaco, Graham Hill

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Graham Hill’s first of his five victories, let’s take a look back at this impressive series that earned him the nickname “Mr. Monaco,” long before Nico Rosberg and his three wins in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The British driver claimed his first victory there in 1963, after a disappointing year before due to an engine failure in the final 10 laps, which allowed his rival Bruce McLaren to take the advantage. Despite this setback, Hill won his first World Championship title in 1962.

He repeated the feat in Monaco the following two years, thus achieving three consecutive victories. However, the years 66 and 67 were less kind to him, finishing respectively third and second. It wasn’t until 1968 that we saw the master of Monaco reclaiming his throne and winning his second world championship title. The following year marked his fifth and final victory in the principality. The 1969 season, however, ended badly for the Briton, as he was ejected from his car after a puncture, fracturing both his legs. He returned in 1970, but only scored 7 points after making the move from Lotus to Rob Walker Racing Team.

The McLaren of Senna « too wide » for Mansell

In 1992, after a strong start to the season, the British driver Nigel Mansell’s luck took a turn during the Monaco Grand Prix. Nevertheless, starting from pole position in his Williams-Renault, he experienced a puncture a few laps away from the finish line and decided to make a pit stop. When he returned to the track, he found himself in second position behind Ayrton Senna. Despite the competitiveness of his own car, Mansell was unable to overtake the Brazilian driver through Monaco’s narrow streets, with Senna securing his fifth victory in the principality and matching Graham Hill’s record. After the race, despite his disappointment, Mansell joked that Senna’s McLaren-Honda was simply too wide for him to find an opening. The following year, Senna surpassed Hill’s record by winning his sixth victory in Monaco, with Damon Hill, the British driver’s son, also present on the podium.

A painful 1994 Monaco Grand Prix

Organized two weeks after the tragic accidents that took the lives of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna at Imola, each driver participating in the 1994 race paid tribute to their memory on the starting grid, where the Brazilian and Austrian flags were painted in front of the first row. During the early practice sessions, breaths were held as Austrian driver Karl Wendlinger lost control of his Sauber at the exit of the tunnel, the fastest point of the circuit. He suffered a severe head injury and remained in a coma for several weeks before returning to competition. It was in this painful atmosphere that Michael Schumacher achieved his first pole position and won his first victory in Monaco.

The lost diamond on Christian Klien’s Jaguars in 2004

In order to promote the American film Ocean’s 12, featuring an extraordinary cast of 12 movie stars, the producers decide to partner with Steinmetz, a jeweler, who will place a 59.6 carat diamond on the nose of each vintage green Jaguar. These diamonds are estimated to be worth over €200,000 each. Unfortunately, Christian Klien’s race ends in the first lap. At the Grand Hotel turn, the Austrian driver hits the rail, losing control, and gently crashes into the outer tire wall. The diamond placed on the nose of his F1 car was never found.

The second Jaguar, driven by David Coulthard, also withdrew on the 12th lap without damaging its nose and will be able to come back in one piece with the famous diamond intact. To this day, this lost diamond has never been found.

Surprising events at the Monaco GP 2006

To end on a happier note, or rather, a less dramatic one, let’s remember the quite improbable events during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend in 2006. Surprises were part of the festivities when Michael Schumacher decided, in good conscience, to make a mistake at the end of qualifying, after taking the pole position. His goal was to sabotage his rival Fernando Alonso’s lap. Unfortunately for him, it backfired, as the German driver was ultimately demoted to the last place on the grid. He finished the race in fifth position, far behind the winner… Fernando Alonso. Is it karma?

Another surprise on the podium: David Coulthard wins the first podium in the history of Red Bull Racing. For the occasion, he decides to collect his trophy dressed in a Superman cape, his Red Bull team being involved in promoting the film Superman Returns that weekend.

It should be noted that in the minds of certain fans, Sergio Pérez would have also played the kamikaze during qualifying in Monaco last year to secure his place on the grid, although he ultimately started in third. The Mexican has since denied the rumors. The TV schedule and timetable for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

“Join us this weekend, starting with the free practice sessions at 1:30pm on Friday, to see if this year’s Grand Prix holds as many surprises for us.”