Historic
Monaco Grand Prix - Grand Prix de Monaco Historique
Above:
Historic Monaco Grand Prix (Grand Prix de Monaco Historique)
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1997
saw the first Historic Monaco Grand Prix (Grand Prix
de Monaco Historique). It was then held in 2000 and since
then every two years in May. It is usually held a week before
the Formula one event on the same circuit. Unlike the Formula
One event that is 78 laps the races are only 10 to 15 laps depending
on the category of cars racing. The event that is organised
by the Automobile Club de Monaco is held over Saturday and Sunday
with qualifying on the Saturday. Cars that race date back to
pre- 1947, but there cannot be any cars post 1978.
Left: 2002 Historic Monaco Grand Prix
The
day will attract many visitors who will go to the "Goodwood"
Revival meeting in England in September. Tickets are not expensive
(unlike the Formula One event) tickets around 15 euros and restaurant
prices are still normal unlike when the Formula One event is
on. You can have a most enjoyable day's entertainment.
Right:
2004
Historic Monaco Grand Prix 
If
you are visiting Monaco for the day, as many of the roads are
closed off, parking can be very difficult. An excellent alternative
to trying to come in by car is to take a train. There is a great
service running along the coast from Ventimigla in Italy (plus
Italian connections) on one side to Marseille on the other.
You
will also find that restaurant prices are much lower than they
would be for the Formula One performance. The noise from the
track is not so loud either, unless they hold a parade of Ferraris
as they did in 2004 and many of these were Formula One models.There
is plenty of atmosphere to absorb including people watching
the race from the yachts in the harbour or just people watching!
The
Historic Grand Prix meeting is not over expensive to organise,
as the stands, safety barriers, and the other essential infrastructure
parts are already in place for the following week's F1 World
Championship Grand Prix. Because many of the races are for cars
from an age when drivers could be seen at work.
Today's
F1 cars have high cockpit surrounds so it's difficult to see
anything except the driver's head/safety helmet - with the cars
in the Historic Grand Prix you can enjoy watching these racers
with arms steering their beasts, often on opposite lock as they
defy physics whilst treading that invisible line between total
control and spinning off into the barriers.
Of
course, it's only the bravest and most talented who drive these
beasts at 10/10ths - some others are content to lap the circuit
much more sedately, not wishing to take huge risks with their
irreplaceable historic cars. But the heroes and heroines are
those that have their cars sliding on the edge and giving spectators
images that will last forever.
The 6th Historic Monaco Grand Prix took place on Sunday
11th May 2008, with practice sessions on Saturday 10th May.Unlike
2006 the present day FI Grand Prix was not held the following
week, but two weeks later (24th - 25th May). The weather was
very warm and sunny, but not too hot for people sitting in the
stands.
Regular
drivers including Martin Stretton who was forced to retire his
Tyrrell P34 early in the
1975-1978 'Formula 1' cars
race, Frank Sytner (formerly owner of Sytner BMW dealerships)
and Sir Sterling Moss took part and finished 18th in the Pre-1953
Sports car race in Frank Sytner’s Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica.During
the lunch break the circuit beacame much noisier with a Ferrari
'F1' 1950-2000 Historic Parade and naturally some of these cars
were fairly recent and much louder. The Pre 1953 Sports car
race was won by by John Ure in his Mk2 Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica,
with two other British drivers taking second and third place.
Race
A:
'Formula Junior' cars - 10 laps or max 30 mins - won be John
Monson in his BMC Mk1
Race
B: Pre-1947 Grand Prix cars - 10 laps or max 30 mins - won
by Julian Bronson in a ERA R4D
Race
C:1947-1960 Grand Prix cars (Front engine)- 10 laps or max
30 mins won by Duncan Dayton in a Lotus 16
Race
D:1954-1965 Grand Prix cars (Rear engine)- 10 laps or max
30 mins - won by Simon Hadfield in a Lotus 21
Race
E: 1966-1974 'Formula 1' cars - 15 laps or max 45 mins -
won by Duncan Dayton in a Brabham BT33
Race
F: 1975-1978 'Formula 1' cars - 15 laps or max 45 mins -
won by Mauro Pane in one of the two six-wheeler Tyrrell
Race
G: Pre-1953 Sports cars 10 laps or max 30 mins - won
by by John Ure in a Mk2 Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica
Right:
Pre- 1953 Sports Car race - 2007 Historic
Grand Prix 
The
5th Historic Monaco Grand Prix was no exception. Memorable.
It took place on Sunday 21st May 2006, with practice sessions
on Saturday 20th May.
The day's racing included a 10 lap event for sports cars built
before 1953. In 1952, the Monaco event had been run for sports
cars, as this was a period in F1 when the regulations were being
changed from one engine to another and there was not an abundance
of single-seater racuing cars. How different to 1974, when 32
cars vied for 25 places on the grid..... The 2006 sports-car
race featured cars that had competed in the '52 event or were
competing in similar races at that time.
Amongst
a gaggle of well driven 3.4 litre Jaguar C types, a brace of
Ferrari 2-litre spyders, an Aston Martin DB3, a magnificent
Gordini and two pre-2nd World War BMWs were a trio of Frazer-Nash
cars. Much less powerful than many of the other runners, one
of them, in the masterly hands of John Ure, dominated the event
in early 2000 Schumacher style. Every lap, right on the limit,
every lap like poetry in motion. That's why so many enthusiasts
show up from around Europe and beyond.
Martin
Stretton, in one of two 6-wheel Tyrrell-Cosworth 'bolides' in
the 1975-78, was another on the edge throughout the penultimate
race, perhaps the most exciting event of the day. Stretton,
who prepares historic cars for a living, certainly knows how
to make 'em slither and slide but somehow manages to keep them
out of the barriers. He is the only driver to have won here
at each Historic meeting to date.
Another
sparkler, American Duncan Dayton came away from the meeting
with two fine victories, one in the beautiful 1959 Lotus 16
and another in a 1970 Brabham. In both races he and his great
rival, Spaniard Joaquin Folch, locked horns for the umpteenth
time. Folch, a previous multi-winner here, had to settle for
2nd in one event and retired early in the other, mechanical
gremlins spoiling what should have been a battle royal between
the two Lotus 16 matadors.
The
2006 Line up had the following seven categories:
Race
A: Pre 1947 voiturettes and Grand Prix cars.
Race
B: Pre 1961 front engined Grand Prix cars.
Race
C: Pre 1953 sports sports prototype cars.
Race
D: Rear engined Formula Junior cars.
Face
E: Pre- 1966 rear engined Formula One Grand Prix cars.
Race
F: Pre- 1975 Formula One 3 litre unsupercharged cars.
Face
G: Formula One 3 litre unsupercharged cars from 1975 to the
end of 1978.
Other
events held in Monaco:
- January:The
Monte Carlo Rally.
- April:
Luxury and Supercar Show
- May
The Monte Carlo Tennis Masters and the F1 Monaco Grand
Prix, the Grand Prix Historique (every other year).
Further
information about Monaco:
Located on the Mediterranean Sea, tucked into the Maritimes
Alps, it is only
minutes from Nice International Airport ( bus, train and helicopter
connections) and the French and Italian Rivieras. It has a population of 32,020
and is 2 sq km
in size. The currency is the euro as in the neighbouring countries.
Most of the people who dwell here come from somewhere else,
drawn by the sun, glamourous lifestyle and – most importantly
– tax-free income and more police per head of population than
in any other European country.
( More
information on other places to visit in the South of France
)
The
information should not be relied on for its accuracy. jml Property
Services do not take any responsibility to its accuracy ©jmlpropertyservices01/06
-05/08
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Dates
for your diary:
The
2010 - 7th Historic Monaco Grand Prix - Saturday 8th and
Sunday 9th May 2010
Grand
Prix de Monaco Historique - Samedi 8 et Dimanche 9 Mai 2010
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