Gourt Home::Gourt :: Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix (Grand Prix de Monaco) is a Formula One race held on the streets of the Principality of Monaco. Run annually since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races around the world alongside the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Monaco Grand Prix predates the organized World Championships; the Principality's first Grand Prix race was organized in 1929 by Antony Noghes, under the auspices of Prince Louis II through the "Automobile Club de Monaco" (A.C.M.) of which Alexandre Noghes was the founding president. The Grand Prix was the result of a challenge for the Automobile Club. The Monte-Carlo Rallye, organized by the A.C.M. since 1929, could not be considered as it was using the roads of many European countries. The race was first won by William Grover-Williams (a.k.a. "Williams") driving a Bugatti painted in what would become the famous British racing green color.
As a street race held on the Circuit de Monaco, which consists of the actual city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of Monaco, the race has many elevation shifts, tight corners, and a narrow course that make it one of the most demanding track in the Formula One calender. On the race weekend frogmen (divers) are employed to rescue any drivers who happen to crash into the harbour, the last driver to have crashed into the harbour was an Austrailian in the 1960s.
Brazil's Ayrton Senna, has won the most Grand Prix here, taking six victories, five of them being consecutive victories from 1989 to 1993. But despite this fact, the Brazilian isn't known as the "King of Monaco", that title belongs to Britain's Graham Hill. mainly because of his knowledge of the track.
Beginning
Like many European races, the Monaco Grand Prix predates the organized World Championships; the Principality's first Grand Prix race was organized in 1929 by Antony Noghes, under the auspices of Prince Louis II through the "Automobile Club de Monaco" (A.C.M.) of which Alexandre Noghes (Antony's father) was the founding president. The Grand Prix was the result of a challenge for the Automobile Club which could be recognized internationally only if it could stage a race on the very limited territory of the Principality. The Monte-Carlo Rallye, organized by the A.C.M. since 1929, could not be considered as it was using the roads of many European countries.
The inaugural race was won by William Grover-Williams (a.k.a. "Williams") driving a Bugatti painted in what would become the famous British racing green color. The Monaco Grand Prix counted toward the European Championship from 1936 to 1939 (although the race was cancelled in 1938).
The Monaco Grand Prix was one of the inaugural races in the Formula One championship in 1950. However, there was no race in 1951, and in 1952 the Monaco Grand Prix took place but was not included within the Formula One championship. Since 1955, the Monaco Grand Prix has taken place each year and has been raced as part of the Formula One championship.
The Grand Prix of Monaco is organized each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco who also runs the Monte Carlo Rally and the Monaco Kart Cup.
The Circuit
As a street race held on the Circuit de Monaco, which consists of the actual city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of Monaco, the race has many elevation shifts, tight corners, and a narrow course that make it perhaps the most demanding track in Formula One racing. To say that the Monaco course is an anachronism unsuitable for the race does not make sense as it has always been the case since 1929. It should rather be called a "paradox". However, its history, the spectacle of the event and the passion that it inspires are likely to guarantee the event's future until the end of Formula One, as it is widely considered the jewel of the maximum category. On the race weekend frogmen (divers) are employed to rescue any drivers who happen to crash into the harbour, the last driver to have crashed into the harbour was an Austrailian in the 1960s.
Winners of the Monaco Grands Prix
Repeat Winners
| Number of Wins | Driver | Years Won |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Ayrton Senna | 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 |
| 5 | Graham Hill | 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969 |
| 5 | Michael Schumacher | 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 |
| 4 | Alain Prost | 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988 |
| 3 | Stirling Moss | 1956, 1960, 1961 |
| 3 | Jackie Stewart | 1966, 1971, 1973 |
| 2 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 1950, 1957 |
| 2 | Niki Lauda | 1975, 1976 |
| 2 | Jody Scheckter1977, 1979 | |
| 2 | David Coulthard | 2000, 2002 |
By Year
A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
External links
- Monaco Grand Prix
- Automobile Club de Monaco
- Monaco Grand Prix Statistics
- Posters and photos of Monaco Grand Prix
- Satellite Map of Monaco Grand Prix track
- Monte Carlo formula 1 statistics
Monaco Grand Prix | Formula One Grands Prix
Grand Prix Monaka | Großer Preis von Monaco | Gran Premio de Mónaco | Grand Prix automobile de Monaco | Gran Premio di Monaco | Grand Prix Formule 1 van Monaco | モナコグランプリ | Monacos Grand Prix | Grand Prix Monako Formuły 1 | Grande Prêmio de Mônaco | Monacon Grand Prix | Monacos Grand Prix | Giải đua ô tô công thức 1 Monaco
"Monaco Grand Prix"