As June approaches, the streets of Monte Carlo are busy with work to prepare the track for the Formula 1 race, which this year will be held from June 5 to 7.
The F1 caravan moves from Miami to Canada and then across the ocean and the Mediterranean, the F1 arrives in Monaco.
Although there are cities that spend much more money to organize a Formula 1 race (Las Vegas or Madrid), the most logistically demanding and complicated is Monte Carlo.
Preparations of the city for the race start already 7 weeks before the start of the race, so I, in mid-April, had the opportunity to see the blocked city, with stands and bumpers on the streets.
I can't imagine how this closure of the city does not please the billionaires who live in this city, but I am sure that the race brings them so much money, that they are ready to endure this two-month torture.
Because walking in the city (or driving), which is normally a bit more complicated to navigate, all because of the cascades and multiple levels of movement, becomes even more challenging due to the closed streets.
You can already feel the championship atmosphere in the air.
The mere sight of the stands or bumpers on the streets, as well as the sight of some of the most famous curves and passages (tunnels) of the race, raises adrenaline.
I'm not a huge fan of F1 and I watch the race when I have the chance, but I know how much, as a driver, I've always been fascinated by the Monte Carlo race.
And only now, when I saw with my own eyes that the streets on which the cars drive sometimes up to 300 km/h, the usual width, I realized how important every millimeter is in the race.
I touched that famous asphalt, without a single mm of subsidence, where in 5 weeks the cars will be flying.
As if the smell of burnt tires can already be felt in the air. Or is it actually the smell of the tires of the cars now making their way through the crowd...
At the start of the track, right in front of the main grandstands and pits for the teams, in front of which servicing will be done in the pit stop actions, I came across a monument to the legendary Fangio, the first F1 winner in Monaco (1950).
He was the winner in 1950 driving an Alfa Romeo, but on this monument there is a Mercedes model, with which he achieved the most victories in his career in other Grand Prix races.
Passing by the Hercules marina was challenging, because we had to sneak past the workers who were installing fences and stands, and the marina itself was in the background.
I wanted to get to the most famous tunnel in Formula 1 and see what advertisement was displayed above the tunnel entrance.
As I found out, since the cameras follow a large number of cars entering the tunnel at a speed of 280 km/h, that advertisement is by far the longest on TV screens. And it is known how much a second of advertising costs in the TV world.
After exiting the tunnel, through a winding passage, I arrived at the Fairmont Hotel, in front of which is the most impressive curve of the entire F1 championship, the Fairmont Hairpin, in which the drivers slow down to 40 km/h and where you can take pictures of the most beautiful details of each car, each sponsor sticker and even the driver's face.
After walking along the street where the cars are parked, I headed back to the Hercule marina, where the Private Cars Collection of HSH Prince of Monaco is located.
The collection is made up of two parts, and since I'm dedicated this post to Formula 1, I am staying on the ground floor where the F1 cars are displayed.
I believe that a better connoisseur of motoring and Formula 1 would pay more attention to the details, but it was very interesting for me to watch the film with the enumerated champions of the F1 Championship in Monaco.
Next to the screen on which I watched the film, there are two cars from the beginning of the Monaco racing story, a 1954 Maserati and a 1927 Bugatti.
Although the first street race in Monte Carlo Grand Prix was held in 1929, in which the winner was William Grover-Williams in a Bugatti Type 35B car, in the film presented in the museum, the first race is listed as the one from 1930, when the local driver, a resident of Monaco, Louis Chiron, took part in the race.
How important Louis was to Monaco is confirmed by his bust, the only one in this museum.
Home field advantage is clearly seen here as the winner of that 1930 race was René Dreyfus, who drove the same car, the legendary Bugatti Type 35B. And he didn't end up on film 🙂
And below, the models that we still recognize today on tracks around the world.
Real caravan!
After the film I took, I went down the line, enjoying the view of these fantastic racing machines. They are set up like at the start and look like they are ready to take off.
Details of the steering wheel with dozens of buttons, sponsor names, tires and even one engine, placed to give visitors enjoyment.
When I found myself behind a car, I took a photo from a frog's perspective, wanting to see how much the car was actually lifted from the line. It works for me, no more than 3 cm.
After a series of photographs, which speak more than a thousand words, I come across an original poster, an advertisement for the race in 1948, as well as display cases where the drivers' original gloves and helmets are stored.
Although this is a current topic, researching information about the history of F1 Monaco, I went back to some ancient times and for this reason I am publishing this post in the #TBT community.
In order not to make a mistake and skip one of the fast car drivers on the Monte Carlo track in my post, I would add a list of all the Monaco champions (and those who were overtaken in the film).
Enjoy!
Year Driver Constructor(team)
1929 William Grover-Williams Bugatti Type 35B
1930 René Dreyfus Bugatti Type 35B
1931 Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 51
1932 Tazio Nuvolari Alfa Romeo Monza
1933 Achille Varzi Bugatti Type 51
1934 Guy Moll Alfa Romeo P3
1935 Luigi Fagioli Mercedes-Benz W25
1936 Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz W25K
1937 Manfred von Brauchitsch Mercedes-Benz W125
1948 Giuseppe Farina Maserati 4CLT
1950 Huan Manuel Fanđo. Alfa Romeo
1955 Moris Trintinjan Ferrari
1956 Stiling Mos Maserati
1957 Huan Manuel Fanđo Maserati
1958 Moris Trintinjan. Cooper-Climax
1959 Džek Brebam Cooper-Climax
1960 Stirling Mos Lotus-Climax
1961 Stirling Mos. Lotus-Climax
1962 Brus Meklaren. Cooper-Climax
1963 Grejam Hil. BRM
1964 Grejam Hil BRM
1965 Grejam Hil. BRM
1966 Džeki Stjuart BRM
1967 Deni Halm. Brabham-Repco
1968 Grejam Hil. Lotus-Ford
1969 Grejam Hil Lotus-Ford
1970 Johen Rint Lotus-Ford
1971 Džeki Stjuart Tyrrell-Ford
1972 Žan-Pjer Beltuaz BRM
1973 Džeki Stjuart Tyrrell-Ford
1974 Roni Peterson Lotus-Ford
1975 Niki Lauda Ferrari
1976 Niki Lauda Ferrari
1977 Džodi Šekter Wolf-Ford
1978 Patrik Depaje Tyrrell-Ford
1979 Džodi Šekter Ferrari
1980 Karlos Rojtemann Williams-Ford
1981 Žil Vilnev Ferrari
1982 Rikardo Patreze Brabham-Ford
1983 Keke Rozberg Williams-Ford
1984 Alen Prost McLaren-Tag
1985 Alen Prost McLaren-Tag
1986 Alen Prost McLaren-Tag
1987 Airton Sena Lotus-Honda
1988 Alen Prost McLaren-Honda
1989 Airton Sena McLaren-Honda
1990 Airton Sena McLaren-Honda
1991 Airton Sena McLaren-Honda
1992 Airton Sena McLaren-Honda
1993 Airton Sena McLaren-Ford
1994 Mihael Å umaher Benetton-Ford
1995 Mihael Å umaher Benetton-Renault
1996 Olivije Pani Ligier-Mugen-Honda
1997 Mihael Å umaher Ferrari
1998 Mika Hakinen McLaren-Mercedes
1999 Mihael Å umaher Ferrari
2000 Dejvid Kultard McLaren-Mercedes
2001 Mihael Å umaher Ferrari
2002 Dejvid Kultard McLaren-Mercedes
2003 Huan Pablo Montoja Williams-BMW
2004 Jarno Truli Renault
2005 Kimi Raikonen McLaren-Mercedes
2006 Fernando Alonso Renault
2007 Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes
2008 Luis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
2009 Dženson Baton Brawn GP
2010 Mark Veber Red Bull Racing
2011 Sebastijan Fetel Red Bull Racing
2012 Mark Veber Red Bull Racing
2013 Niko Rozberg Mercedes
2014 Niko Rozberg Mnercedes
2015 Niko Rozberg Mercedes
2016 Luis Hamilton Mercedes
2017 Sebastijan Fetel Ferrari
2018 Danijel Rikardo Red Bull Racing
2019 Luis Hamilton Mercedes
2021 Maks Verstapen Red Bull Racing
2022 Serhio Perez Red Bull Racing
2023 Maks Verstapen Red Bull Racing
2024 Å arl Lekler Ferrari
2025 Maks Verstapen Red Bull Racing