History

On the 14th of April 1929, Prince Pierre inaugurated the 1st Monaco Grand Prix, with a lap of honour in a Torpedo Voisin driven by Charles Faroux, course director. Louis Chiron was notable by his absence at the starting line that day, as the young Monegasque had enrolled in the Indy 500. There were 16 cars on the starting grid, positions drawn by lots: 8 Bugattis, 3 Alfa Romeos, 2 Maseratis, 1 Licorne and 1 Mercedes SSK. A certain Englishman by the name of Williams, who arrived too late to take part in the official trial sessions, got up at dawn on the Saturday and stunned all onlookers with an unofficial practice run. Williams went on to win the Grand Prix in a green 35B Bugatti in 3 hours, 56 minutes and 11 seconds, with an average speed over 100 laps of 80.194 km/h. The race was a phenomenal success.

On the 19th of April 1932, Sir Malcolm Campbell opened the 2nd Monaco Grand Prix at the wheel of a superb black aluminium Rolls Royce Torpedo. The crowds heartily cheered the man who had recently beaten the world land speed record at 408.621 km/h in his now famous Bluebird.

From 1938 to 1947, the Grand Prix could not be held due to both financial difficulties and a shortage of competitors as well as a deteriorating international climate.

Finally on the 16th of May 1948, the almost forgotten roar of the engines was once more heard on the streets of the Principality. However on the 9th of May 1949, Prince Louis II died and the Grand Prix was not held that year.

On the 21st of May 1950, an Argentine driver, the much-missed Juan Manuel Fangio, won the 11th race. The following year the race was once again cancelled due to budgetary concerns and because rules for newer faster cars had not yet been drafted.

The 12th Grand Prix was held on request of HSH the Sovereign Prince. However, it was run with sports cars as the international regulations had still not yet been finalized. In 1953 and 1954 the Grand Prix were not held for the same reason.

On the 21st May 1955, the 13th Monaco Grand Prix took place on its old course and has been held every year since.

Le track

Since then the course has undergone numerous transformations:
" 1973, the swimming pool section, providing an area for pits on the quay,
" 1976, two new chicanes were added at Sainte Dévote and the exit of the Rascasse hairpin,
" 1986, the widening of the Quai des Etats-Unis with the addition of a new chicane,
" 1997, the original S-bend around the swimming pool was redesigned and called the "Louis Chiron" bend,
" 2003, the first phase of works only affected the southern side of the port. 5000 square metres of land were reclaimed from the sea. The circuit between the 2nd S-bend of the swimming pool and the Rascasse was moved 10 metres and completely redesigned. A chicane was added to the exit from the second swimming-pool bend,
" 2004, works will double the width of the promenade where the pits on the boulevard Albert 1er are located, by building over the old track between the swimming pool and the Rascasse. 250 square metres of new pits provided for the teams.