10 Amazing Moments That Prove Anything Can Happen At The Monaco Grand Prix

The Monaco Grand Prix first appeared on the F1 calendar in 1950 and became a permanent fixture from 1955 onwards. The iconic and prestigious event has produced some incredible moments. Here are just a few of them:

1. Senna makes an impression

Ayrton Senna won six races around the Circuit de Monaco, but arguably one of his greatest ever drives around the narrow streets only yielded second place. Driving for the lowly Toleman team, he stormed through the field in torrential rain to finish in the runner-up spot.

He actually passed Alain Prost for the lead on lap 42, just before the race was red flagged thanks to the terrible conditions. Due to the stoppage, the results were taken from the previous tour and so Senna was classified second.

2. Where did everybody go?

The wet 1996 Monaco Grand Prix broke the record for the fewest number of finishers circulating by the chequered flag. Olivier Panis secured his first and only F1 win – as well as the Ligier team’s final victory – as he was one of only three drivers to reach the finish line.

David Coulthard and Johnny Herbert completed the podium, while Heinz-Harald Frenzten pitted on the penultimate lap as he was last anyway. The race saw several high profile names crash (including Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve), while Damon Hill, Gerhard Berger, Jean Alesi and several others retired with mechanical issues.

3. A dominant lead wiped out

On the Saturday of the 1988 Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Senna put in undoubtedly one of the best qualifying laps in F1 history – beating his nearest challenger and team-mate Alain Prost by just under 1.5 seconds.

He was on course to take a dominant race win when he unexpectedly crashed at Portier on lap 65. Prost went on to win the race, with Senna storming straight to his nearby apartment. He wasn’t seen by the McLaren team until the next day.

4. A great defensive drive

Ayrton Senna looked set to finish second to Nigel Mansell in the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix, until the Williams driver pitted in the closing stages with a suspected puncture. Despite having a faster car and fresh tyres, Mansell couldn’t reclaim the lead. It was a thrilling end to the race, with Senna taking his fifth win at the Circuit de Monaco.

The 1982 Monaco round concluded in dramatic style. Alain Prost led most of the race before crashing in the closing stages. Ricardo Patrese took over the top spot but he spun, with Didier Pironi and Andrea de Cesaris both running out of fuel after moving into first place.

Derek Daly had crashed out of contention, but Patrese managed to get his car going to register his first F1 win. Pironi and de Cesaris were classified second and third despite both cars being stationary on the circuit when the chequered flag was waved.

6. Taking a dip

When Formula 1 first started racing in Monaco, safety standards were incredibly low. This was particularly evident in 1955, when – with no barrier to stop him – the great Alberto Ascari crashed at the harbour-side chicane.

The Italian’s Lancia burst through the straw bales and into the water. He managed to swim to safety with just a broken nose, but it was unfortunately his final F1 appearance. Ascari lost his life four days later testing a Ferrari sportscar at Monza.

7. An odd place to park

One of the most controversial moments in recent F1 history took place over the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix weekend, after Michael Schumacher stopped his car at La Rascasse.

The German was on provisional pole at the time and his parked Ferrari meant everyone behind – including title rival Fernando Alonso – had to slow down. The stewards ruled that it was a deliberate act and sent him to the back of the grid. He eventually finished fifth on Sunday, with Alonso taking the race win.

The 1970 Monaco Grand Prix was won by Jochen Rindt in dramatic fashion. The Lotus driver had quietly made his way through the field and soon closed in on the race leader Jack Brabham. He had closed in on the Australian as they entered the final lap, but he looked set to score the runner-up spot on the podium.

Incredibly, however, Brabham went straight on and into the barriers at the final corner. Rindt moved into the lead for the final seconds and took the race win, with Brabham reversing his car out of the wall to take second.

9. Trulli triumphant

Like Panis, Monaco was also the scene of Jarno Trulli’s one and only F1 win. The Italian started from pole position in the Renault; with Fernando Alonso moving into second after lap one. However, he crashed mid-way through the race after trying to lap Ralf Schumacher in the tunnel.

Michael Schumacher exited the race after colliding with Juan Pablo Montoya during the resulting safety car period – the second of the race after Takuma Sato’s lap two engine failure created a wall of smoke and caused Giancarlo Fisichella to roll over the top of David Coulthard’s McLaren. Through the chaos, Trulli remained calm to take the win, just half a second clear of the charging Jenson Button.

10. A fiery exit

The 1985 Monaco Grand Prix will be best remembered for a huge crash on the pit straight between Ricardo Patrese and Nelson Piquet. The latter was attempting to make a move up the inside at turn one – which has been the scene of many crashes - when the two made contact.