It’s the busiest race weekend of the year, too, with the Grand Prix of Monaco, the Indianapolis 500, and the Coke 600 for NASCAR all being held on America’s Memorial Weekend. But for Formula One fans, all eyes will be on what happens in the principality.
When it comes to Formula One racing, the name “Monaco” holds iconic status. It began in the late 1920s and has been held each year since then, save for a pause because of World War II.
The course, in the beginning, was almost the same as it is today, with only a few minor exceptions. The same names of St. Devote, Hotel de Paris, Massenet, Mirabeau (now Portier), and Tabac are all still around, but changes have been made to two parts of the circuit. The chicane coming out of the tunnel at the Fairmont Hotel (the name has changed many times) has widened at the point where drivers Alberto Ascari and Paul Hawkins crashed their cars into the nearby sea. The year was 1955.
In 1967, Lorenzo Bandini was killed just down the road from the chicane as his Ferrari burst into flames, the only fatality ever to occur on this circuit. Today, the fence in that section has been heavily fortified to prevent another incident.
The second part of the circuit is at the end. It used to be called Gasworks hairpin but is now named Rascasse for the restaurant located on the same corner. When the first and second practices are at this circuit, the spectator can watch the cars coming slowly around this corner as they turn onto the famed Anthony Nogues straight, which begins another lap.
It is an example of what Monaco is when compared to other venues worldwide. Drivers here will not reach around 200 miles per hour. Instead, the top speed at Monaco is just under 97 miles per hour. Former racer Nelson Piquet described Monaco as “like driving your motorcycle in your living room.” It demands extreme concentration to finish, as attrition is high in this race.
But there is an undeniable charm to this race. Many celebrities show up not only because there is much fanfare but also because the Cannes Film Festival, held down the coast, takes place just before race weekend.
And adding to its charm is the fact that Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc represents the principality. Leclerc started the year strong but has run into difficulties recently, contested by a surging Max Verstappen of Red Bull. And, what is more? Leclerc has not had much luck in his home race.
What might the future hold for what is now an uncommon circuit called Monaco?
There are rumors that its time has passed and will give way to the glitter of 21st Century venues–both in America–namely Miami, which had a successful first-year launch, and Las Vegas, which will begin next year over America’s Thanksgiving Weekend.
Some say that the race in Monaco might even drop off the F1 calendar. Is this possible? My take? Don’t bet on it.
