History of the Monaco Grand Prix

The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious auto racing events. In 1950, it was included in the world's first Formula One World Championship. A successful 1966 film was made about the race.

  1. Origins

    • The Automobile Club of Monaco was set up in 1925, although its predecessor (the Monegasque Bicycle Sports Club, later renamed the Monegasque Biycle and Automobile Sports Club) had been around since 1890. The club's first commissioner, and the man considered the founder of the Monaco Grand Prix, was Anthony Noghes.

    First race

    • The first Monaco Grand Prix took place on April 14, 1929, with the official support of Monaco's Prince Louis II. The winner was British expatriate William Grover-Williams, who drove a Bugatti 35B.

    1940s Hiatus

    • The race was put on hold from 1938 to 1947, at first for economic reasons and then due to World War II. Competition resumed in 1948, but the 1949 race was cancelled due to Prince Louis II's death.

    Formula One

    • The Formula One standards were set up in the late 1940s by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. The first official Formula One race in Monaco took place on May 21, 1950. The winner was Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio, who drove an Alfa-Romero.

    Famous Drivers

    • Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna has the most wins in Monaco, with six---including five consecutive ones from 1989 through 1993. Briton Graham Hill won five titles in the 1960s. German Michael Schumacher has also won the race five times.

    Accidents

    • Lorenzo Bandini is the only driver to have been killed in Monaco, in the 1967 race. He lost control of his Ferrari, which caught fire. In 1994, Austrian driver Karl Wendlinger crashed at the same spot. Although Wendlinger survived, his injuries put an end to his career.