{"id":147,"date":"2020-08-06T17:32:42","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T16:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/motorsporttickets.com\/blog\/?p=147"},"modified":"2023-07-13T15:00:59","modified_gmt":"2023-07-13T14:00:59","slug":"9-historic-moments-monaco-f1-grand-prix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/motorsporttickets.com\/blog\/9-historic-moments-monaco-f1-grand-prix\/","title":{"rendered":"9 historic moments from the Monaco F1 Grand Prix"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Monaco F1 Grand Prix<\/a> is the most prestigious race in the world. For all the glitz and glamour that takes place away from the track, winning on the streets of Monte Carlo is a highlight in and driver\u2019s career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The atmosphere at Monaco is unique, but the tight street circuit of the principality is divisive among fans. The narrow track makes it a challenging race to overtake, and to many, no overtaking translates to a bad race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s just not true. The overtaking difficulty at Monaco simply makes qualifying position vital, and thus the most important Saturday session on the calendar. But should a driver struggle on a Saturday, their race on Sunday becomes infinitely more challenging and dramatic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To disprove the theory that Monaco is a \u201cboring race\u201d, here are 9 moments that make Monaco a \u201cmust-see\u201d historic Grand Prix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Book Monaco Grand Prix tickets<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Alberto
Alberto Ascari crashes into the harbour at the Monaco F1 Grand Prix.
Copyright: Motorsport Images <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ascari in the harbour \u2013 1955<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you push cars to the limit besides the harbour every year, sooner or later, someone\u2019s going to get wet. That happened to Alberto Ascari during the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix<\/a>. After starting on the front row of the grid, the Italian pushed his Lancia D50 too far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading the race, Ascari didn\u2019t anticipate the chicane after the tunnel, and flew into the Monegasque waters. Ascari swam to safety, and his machine was fished out of the sea. But tragically, just four days later, Ascari lost his life in an accident at Monza, where the final chicane is now named in his honour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Graham
Graham Hill takes the chequered flag in the 1969 Monaco F1 Grand Prix, one year before setting his record of five wins at the track.
Copyright: Motorsport Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Graham Hill\u2019s fifth win \u2013 1969<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Graham Hill is one of motorsport\u2019s greats. The only driver to win the triple crown \u2013 the Indy 500, Le Mans and Monaco Grand Prix<\/a> \u2013 he also held another Monaco record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he crossed the line after 80 laps of the 1969 race, Hill took his record fifth win at the circuit. It was a record that would stand for almost a quarter of a century, until a certain Ayrton Senna took his sixth Monaco victory in 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ricardo
Ricardo Patrese won the 1982 Monaco F1 Grand Prix, eventually
Image copyright: Motorsport Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe race no one wanted to win\u201d \u2013 1982<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The final three laps of the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix were incredible. For the most prestigious race of the world\u2019s most competitive sport, no one seemed to want to win the thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rain came down and, on the 74th<\/sup> lap of the 76 scheduled, caught race leader Prost out who crashed his Renault. It gifted the lead to Ricardo Patrese, in pole position for his first Grand Prix win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until his he slid his Brabham at the hairpin on the next lap, with Pironi coming through to take the lead. It would have been his third ever Grand Prix victory. Would have been, but his Ferrari ran out of fuel in the tunnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victory surely, then, for Andrea de Cesaris behind? If only he hadn\u2019t run out of fuel behind Pironi, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Irishman Derek Daly was now in prime position to win for Williams, but fate wasn\u2019t on his \u2013 or seemingly anyone\u2019s \u2013 side on this fateful day in Monaco. He\u2019d crashed. This was a race no one wanted to win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incredibly, Patrese, whose spin looked sure to have ruined his race, came through to take the win. Pironi and de Cesaris were classified second and third in a hectic race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nigel
Mansell trails Senna during the 1992 Monaco F1 Grand Prix.
Image copyright: Motorsport Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mansell v Senna defensive masterclass \u2013 1992<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Voted as the fan\u2019s favourite Monaco Grand Prix, Mansell and Senna\u2019s battle around Monte Carlo was a memorable one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mansell dominated the race, leading from the front for the entire race. Cool, calm and collected, the Brit looked set to secure victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the later laps, Mansell thought he had a puncture, so pitted for a new set of boots. But with the car a little worse for wear, the stop was a long one, allowing the Brazilian through and gifting him a seven-second lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mansell left no time in cutting the deficit and was effectively pushing Senna\u2019s McLaren around the circuit in no time. Mansell pushed with everything he had to get around his rival, but Senna had a reputation for being unfeasibly difficult to pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senna would be undeterred by Mansell\u2019s efforts to force a mistake, and won with a defensive masterclass. This equalled Graham Hill\u2019s Monaco record, which he would break the next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Mansell, he left Monte Carlo a broken man. Faultless for a whole weekend, victory was snatched away in the final three tours of the circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It proved that while we love to see overtakes in motorsport, sometimes the best offence is a good defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Olivier
Olivier Panis won the Grand Prix that defined the phrase ‘race of attrition in 1996
Copyright: Motorsport Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Only three cars finish \u2013 1996<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An epic wet-dry race of attrition was one of the most dramatic Grand Prix of the decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the laps charged on, drivers dropped out like flies. One by one (or three at a time in the case of Hakkinen, Irvine and Salo on lap 71), 19 drivers crashed, spun or retired from the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the final laps, only three cars stood firm. Olivier Panis took his only Formula 1 win, leading David Coulthard and Johnny Herbert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMonaco is boring.\u201d Yeah, about that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A jubilant David Coulthard celebrates on the podium at Monaco
Image copyright: Motorsport Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coulthard\u2019s win engineered in England \u2013 2002<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The crowds at Monaco for David Coulthard\u2019s win in 2002 witnessed history in the making, not that they know it was happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On lap 78, a puff of smoke escaped the Scot\u2019s Mercedes engine, and the McLaren driver\u2019s chance of winning looked in danger. However, visionary technical developments came into play, and his race was saved, albeit from hundreds of miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As engines became more sophisticated in the modern era, more data was available to the teams. Within seconds, the issue was identified and communicated to the driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better yet, they were able to activate an oil system which has filled up possibly due to a piece of debris, and the engine returned to mechanical working order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Michael
Michael Schumacher was at the centre of controversy at the 2006 Monaco F1 Grand Prix
Image copyright: Motorsport Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Michael Schumacher parks up \u2013 2006<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Michael Schumacher was never too far away from a controversial moment during his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The German world champion knew how important the qualifying session on Saturday was for victory in the race. He was at the top of the timing sheets as he set off on one final lap to improve his time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behind him was the Renault of Fernando Alonso, who was chipping into Schumacher\u2019s time and looked likely to take pole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Schumacher approached La Rascasse, the course\u2019s penultimate corners, he appeared to have an issue with his car, and parked up in the notoriously tight section of the track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That impeded Alonso, who effectively aborted his lap, and Schumacher would take pole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it wasn\u2019t to be. At 11pm on Saturday night, the FIA stewards announced Schumacher deliberately impeded the Spaniard by parking his car, and would start the race plum last on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk about a hefty parking fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n