Seventy years on, the Monaco Grand Prix is still run on the same track, albeit with a few minor modifications. The circuit, beloved and hated in equal measure, has changed very little since then, and is still the shortest track in the championship. With a length of 3,340 metres, it could be compared to go-cart tracks, and at an average speed of about 150 km per hour the Monaco GP is the slowest track in the whole series. It is also true that the Monaco Grand Prix is the only race that can be shorter than 305 kilometres – they have a special exception. And that’s far from everything… 

The boxes here are so small that they hardly fit the whole Formula one carousel; the rest of the race field, meaning all those involved in the corresponding enterprises, have their facilities spread over a car park two kilometres away. Spectators sardine themselves into the stands directly above the track and, at the time of the event, many of the locals rent out their apartments for ludicrous amounts of money and get away from all the commotion. 

Ayrton Senna drove an incredible qualification round here in 1988, ahead of the rest of the field by a second and a quarter, later declaring that he was driving as if in a trance and that God had led him.

Accidents are common here; there has not perhaps been a year in which nothing has happened on the weekend of the race. This is due to the narrow track with a minimum of overtaking possibilities; instead of escape zones there are crash barriers, and braking is more frequent here than elsewhere. At hotel entrance turn, for example, it all slows down to a speed of as little as 47 km an hour. In 1966 and 1996, in fact, only four racers reached the chequered flag! And there is also the memorable race of 2009, when Jenson Button brought his car to the finish line with an absolute flawless drive, but in the rush of euphoria mistakenly parked his car in parc fermé and had to run more than one kilometre to the podium. The TV cameras really enjoyed that one (video). 

The drivers love it and hate it here all at once; but all talk about the Monaco Grand Prix with passion and deep respect. They often live here and walk to the boxes on foot. Others anchor at port in their luxury yachts. It is also in Monaco that the biggest contracts are signed, where the biggest deals are made. Whereas you normally meet the drivers in their racing overalls or sports team clothes, here they wander around in suits in the evening. The concentration of beautiful women is significantly greater here than at fashion shows, not to mention other Grand Prix… The Monaco GP really is really quite exceptional! 

Work begins on building safety barriers nearly 33 kilometres in length six weeks before the race. In addition to special shock-absorbing cubes, there are also 3,600 tyres and a fence of 20 thousand square metres in area.

You may be interested to know that people have been racing in Monaco since 1929 and that the last major change was the construction of the boxes in 2004. The track, as such, is almost unchanged. Nelson Piquet once said that racing in Monaco was like riding a bicycle in your living room. Ayrton Senna drove an incredible qualification round here in 1988, ahead of the rest of the field by a second and a quarter, later declaring that he was driving as if in a trance and that God had led him (video). And Mercedes published an interesting statistic last year – Hamilton changed gears nearly five thousand times during the 78 rounds of the race…

Given that the drivers race in the city itself, and on asphalt where there is normal traffic all year round (training sessions are held here on Thursday and on Friday the track is open to the public for normal use), the construction of the track requires a lot of special measures. Work begins on building safety barriers nearly 33 kilometres in length six weeks before the race. In addition to special shock-absorbing cubes, there are also 3,600 tyres and a fence of 20 thousand square metres in area. And yes, that’s right: the sewer drainage channels have to be welded shut. 

Seeing the Grand Prix here is something you never forget and we at Ricard & Bonette are already preparing for 2022.

In any case, seeing the Grand Prix here is something that is never forgotten and we at Ricard & Bonette are already preparing for 2022.” And in incredible style, just like every race in Monaco. One day on a yacht right next to the track, the next day a visit to Paddoc Club and a “Celebrity appearance”. In other words, a programme as fine as the races themselves! 

Seeing the Grand Prix here is something you never forget and we at Ricard & Bonette are already preparing for 2022.