Encased by the striking verdancy of the Mediterranean hills and with the crystal water of the harbour lapping at the circuit’s feet, Monaco is perhaps not a conventional location for a modern
Encased by the striking verdancy of the Mediterranean hills and with the crystal water of the harbour lapping at the circuit’s feet, Monaco is perhaps not a conventional location for a modern Formula one race. But its peculiarity is its appeal; the Monaco Grand Prix signifies all that is deemed holy by motorsport fanatics, from the opulence of the Principality’s nightclubs or star-studded throngs, to the street circuit’s demand for unerring dexterity between the claustrophobic Armco barriers. Monaco, simply put, has it all.
With the circuit largely untouched since the race’s conception in 1929, Monaco has matured into the premiere event of the F1 calendar; one in which every driver on the grid harbours seemingly impossible dreams of conquering. Regarded as the ultimate test of driver finesse, participants are tasked with navigating their 200mph bullet-crafts upon an uneven slither of asphalt which winds its way through a maze of unforgiving metal and street furniture. Described by three time world-champion Nelson Piquet as ‘like riding a bike in your living room’, the experience of racing Monaco is the sporting equivalent of flawlessly threading through the eye of a needle: a mere seventy-eight successive times.
Although the hay-bales and lampposts that once lined the track have been redressed, the iconic swimming pool chicane and creeping gloom of the track’s tunnel section remain, adding to the mystique of the setting. Yet, it is not just the circuit itself which ensures Monaco’s eminence in sporting circles, but the legacy it has already bore. To triumph at Monaco, is to join an immortal pantheon of F1heroes, from the polished 5-time winner Graham Hill to the fearless 6-time winner Brazilian Ayrton Senna. In fact, one glimpse of the venue seems to evoke moments of sporting folklore; Nigel Mansell’s riveting, last-gasp chase of Senna in 1992 or Michael Schumacher’s devious parking of his Ferrari at Rascasse hairpin in 2006.
Whilst the on-track spectacle of Monaco has been known to capture one’s attention, the off-track splendour can be equally captivating to the eye. The affluent idyll provides a chance for the rich and famous to unwind, flaunting their yachts in the harbour, and parading the sculpted chassis and bodywork of the latest model upon their arm. But behind the glitz and glamour of the spectacle is the inherent peril which Monaco presents drivers. Although no fatalities have befallen the event since 1967, just last year Sauber driver Sergio Perez was left severely concussed after a horrifying shunt at the Nouvelle Chicane. Evidently, in or out of the cockpit, Monaco is not for the faint-hearted.
With the current season tightly poised, the F1 fraternity descend on Monaco this weekend, waiting to see if the sixth race of an unpredictable season will produce its sixth different victor. Previous winners Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, as well as reigning champion Sebastian Vettel, are all seeking the spoils at the pinnacle of motorsport. What is certain is that whoever succeeds will be a worthy winner; possessing the skill to elude the barriers and the presence of mind to shun the luxuriant vices of the party atmosphere, until they sip from the winner’s champagne.
