How the Monaco Grand Prix became the most iconic F1 race

24.05.2024 - 21:05 / insider.com / Monte Carlo

There's certainly something unique about Monaco.

The principality, which takes up less than 1 square mile, is notorious for being a playground for the ultrawealthy. But it's arguably best known for the Monaco Grand Prix, a car race through the streets of Monte Carlo that has been an integral part of the Formula 1 calendar since the series' inaugural season in 1950.

In the decades since then, the Monaco Grand Prix has become the crown jewel of Formula 1 — and arguably the most famous race in the world.

"Monaco is really everything Formula 1 aspires to be: wealth, fame, decadence," said Bob Varsha, a longtime Formula 1 broadcaster who covered the Monaco Grand Prix for ESPN throughout the 1990s and 2000s. "It's the billionaire's Disneyland, cloaked in mystery, soaking in money and luxury."

The grand prix actually began in 1929, before Formula 1 existed. It was one of a handful of races held within and around Monaco, cementing the principality's status as a paradise for car enthusiasts. The race joined the Formula 1 calendar in its inaugural season in 1950 and became famous for its tight, unforgiving track, with hairpin turns that challenge drivers and engineers alike.

"Monaco is nothing like any other track on the calendar," Varsha said. "It's almost a reverse challenge to all of the engineering minds in Formula 1. You take this fabulous, technological, spacecraft-like race car, and you have to totally rebuild it, rethinking it for the slower speeds and tight corners of Monaco."

The narrow track, which doesn't allow for much overtaking, has only added to the race's reputation. And though Formula 1 has changed a lot since 1950, Monaco's beautiful vistas with cars speeding past yachts and taking sharp turns around its casino have contributed to its lasting charm.

"Of course, there is only one Monaco," said Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, whose team is enjoying a resurgent season after the driver Lando Norris' victory at the Miami Grand Prix. It's "the pinnacle of the calendar and arguably the most famous race in the world, up there with the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans."

But Monaco earned its reputation on more than just its beautiful scenery and longevity. Here are some of the race's iconic moments that helped it earn its legendary status.

At the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix — the race's first as part of Formula 1 — the Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio earned the victory for Alfa Romeo. It would be Fangio's first of many victories in the series; he'd go on to win five Formula 1 world championships throughout the 1950s, establishing himself as the sport's first true star.

Jackie Stewart is one of the most famous drivers in F1's history, and part of that reputation was earned in Monaco. His