Monaco Grand Prix - Monte Carlo, 05/26/2013

Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo

The most glamorous and fascinating race on a track on the narrow and windy streets of the Principality, which might be probably considered anachronistic compared to today’s standards in Formula One. Together with the 500 Miles of Indianapolis and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Monaco GP, held for the first time in 1929, is considered to be one of the three most famous motorsport events in the world. With an average speed of 160 km/h this track is the “slowest” of the entire season and the driver-car-equation is disturbed by the human factor: here, more than on any other track, the driver can make the difference, “dancing” around the blind corners and walls. Total concentration is required: the smallest mistake can cost a high price, also due to the complete absence of run-off areas. Safety has been improved over the years, while the track’s layout has stayed almost the same. For the teams Monte Carlo is one of the biggest challenges in terms of logistics: only since 2004 the teams have boxes, where they can actually work on the cars. In the past the mechanics worked on the cars in tents, where today the paddock sits. The cars were then towed to pitlane for every session. In Monaco you can’t find a proper podium for the winners. The first three drivers receive their trophies on the steps in front of the Prince’s box from the hands of one of Monaco’s aristocratic family.

Keep an eye on
It’s true that the Grand Hotel Hairpin is the slowest bend in the Championship with 47 km/h, but at the exit of the tunnel’s corner the cars reach 290 km/h before they brake for the Nouvelle Chicane. The passage at the Piscine is very spectacular, where the cars take the kerbs with over 200 km/h. A small mistake here is enough to end up at the barriers.

Did you know that
Since the F1 Championship started in 1950, the Scuderia Ferrari can’t say that Monaco is part of the most victorious participations in the team’s history. From 8 victories of the team from Maranello in the Principality the last was in 2001 with Schumacher crossing the line first for the third time behind the wheel of a Ferrari after the successes in 1999 and 1997. Before that, the last trophy for first place in Monaco was brought to Maranello by Gilles Villeneuve in 1981. It was the first time that a single-seater fitted with a turbo engine won on the streets of the Principality. In 1975 Niki Lauda won in Monaco, with the first victory for the Scuderia after the triumph of Maurice Trintignant in 1955. However the Scuderia gained a total of 48 places on the podium, the last in the years 2011 and 2012, with a second and a third place respectively by Fernando Alonso.

See what happened last year ->

• Victories

  1. 1955 Trintignant625 F1
  2. 1975 Lauda312 T
  3. 1976 Lauda312 T2
  4. 1979 Scheckter312 T4
  5. 1981 Villeneuve126 CK
  6. 1997 SchumacherF310 B
  7. 1999 SchumacherF399
  8. 2001 SchumacherF2001

• Pole Positions

  1. 1956 FangioD50
  2. 1974 Lauda312 B3-1974
  3. 1975 Lauda312 T
  4. 1976 Lauda312 T2
  5. 1978 Reutemann312 T3
  6. 1979 Scheckter312 T4
  7. 1996 SchumacherF310
  8. 2000 SchumacherF1-2000
  9. 2008 MassaF2008

• Race best laps

  1. 1956 FangioD50
  2. 1958 Hawthorn246 F1
  3. 1961 Ginther156 F1
  4. 1963 Surtees156 F1-63
  5. 1966 Bandini246 F1-66
  6. 1976 Regazzoni312 T
  7. 1985 Alboreto156/85
  8. 1991 ProstF1-91
  9. 1997 SchumacherF310 B
  10. 2002 BarrichelloF2002
  11. 2004 SchumacherF2004
  12. 2005 SchumacherF2005
  13. 2006 Schumacher248 F1
  14. 2008 RaikkonenF2008
  15. 2009 MassaF60

• Podiums

  1. First place:8 times
  2. Second place:18 times
  3. Third place:21 times

• Hall of Honours

  1. 1950 J. M. FangioALFA ROMEO
  2. 1955 M. TrintignantFERRARI
  3. 1956 S. MossMASERATI
  4. 1957 J. M. FangioMASERATI
  5. 1958 M. TrintignantCOOPER-CLIMAX
  6. 1959 J. BrabhamCOOPER-CLIMAX
  7. 1960 S. MossLOTUS-CLIMAX
  8. 1961 S. MossLOTUS-CLIMAX
  9. 1962 B. McLarenCOOPER-CLIMAX
  10. 1963 G. HillBRM
  11. 1964 G. HillBRM
  12. 1965 G. HillBRM
  13. 1966 J. StewartBRM
  14. 1967 D. HulmeBRAHAM-REPCO
  15. 1968 G. HillLOTUS-FORD
  16. 1969 G. HillLOTUS-FORD
  17. 1970 J. RindtLOTUS-FORD
  18. 1971 J. StewartTYRRELL-FORD
  19. 1972 J-P. BeltoiseBRM
  20. 1973 J. StewartTYRRELL-FORD
  21. 1974 R. PetersonLOTUS-FORD
  22. 1975 N. LaudaFERRARI
  23. 1976 N. LaudaFERRARI
  24. 1977 J. ScheckterWOLF-FORD
  25. 1978 P. DepaillerTYRRELL-FORD
  26. 1979 J. ScheckterFERRARI
  27. 1980 C. ReutemannWILLIAMS-FORD
  28. 1981 G. VilleneuveFERRARI
  29. 1982 R. PatreseBRABHAM-FORD
  30. 1983 K. RosbergWILLIAMS-FORD
  31. 1984 A. ProstMCLAREN-PORSCHE
  32. 1985 A. ProstMCLAREN-PORSCHE
  33. 1986 A. ProstMCLAREN-PORSCHE
  34. 1987 A. SennaLOTUS-HONDA
  35. 1988 A. ProstMCLAREN-HONDA
  36. 1989 A. SennaMCLAREN-HONDA
  37. 1990 A. SennaMCLAREN-HONDA
  38. 1991 A. SennaMCLAREN-HONDA
  39. 1992 A. SennaMCLAREN-HONDA
  40. 1993 A. SennaMCLAREN-HONDA
  41. 1994 M. SchumacherBENETTON-FORD
  42. 1995 M. SchumacherBENETTON-FORD
  43. 1996 O. PanisLIGIER-MUGEN-HONDA
  44. 1997 M. SchumacherFERRARI
  45. 1998 M. HakkinenMCLAREN-MERCEDES
  46. 1999 M. SchumacherFERRARI
  47. 2000 D. CoulthardMCLAREN-MERCEDES
  48. 2001 M. SchumacherFERRARI
  49. 2002 D. CoulthardMCLAREN-MERCEDES
  50. 2003 J. P. MontoyaBMW-WILLIAMS
  51. 2004 J. TrulliRENAULT
  52. 2005 K. RaikkonenMCLAREN-MERCEDES
  53. 2006 F. AlonsoRENAULT
  54. 2007 F. AlonsoMCLAREN-MERCEDES
  55. 2008 L. HamiltonMCLAREN-MERCEDES
  56. 2009 J. ButtonBRAWN GP-MERCEDES
  57. 2010 M. WebberRED BULL-RENAULT
  58. 2011 S. VettelRED BULL-RENAULT
  59. 2012 M. WebberRED BULL-RENAULT

Updated at the end of season 2012

• Practice 1
• Practice 2
• Practice 3
• Qualifying
• Race