F1 2014 / Monaco /Parade Lap

Although the Monaco Grand Prix is traditionally not one of the most exciting races due to its tight old street layout and tight corners, it has been host to some historical moments in Formula One like Senna’s amazing drive where he officially made his stamp on F1 and began his rivalry with Alain Prost who only won due to the race being called off due to rain.

This weekend could be host to yet another great rivalry as Nico Rosberg pulls out all the stops to take the championship lead back from his team mate Lewis Hamilton.

Both call Monaco their home track, though Nico is the only one of the drivers on the grid to have been born and raised in the glamorous Principality, both have the same car under them and both start the race on the front of the grid. Nico brought his number 6 car home in poll after controversially taking a slip road after his qualifying lap, bringing out the  yellow flags and preventing Hamilton from completing his final qualifying lap.

Though Rosberg is adamant he simply made a mistake.

“It does take away some of the pleasure, although I am still very, very happy to be on pole position.
“It was a mega banker [lap that I put in at the start of Q3].
“I knew Lewis would be close.”

Rosberg also insisted that the data will show there was nothing underhand to the way he took pole position, although he is now under investigation by the FIA.

Rosberg has had a run of poor starts this year and Hamilton will be hoping this will continue this weekend. The start is often the most important moment in Monaco and this year promises that the sprint to the first corner will likely be the highlight of the race. Though I would not miss a second of F1’s most historic race.

The race has been a regular fixture of the world championship since 1955, but in that time the circuit has changed remarkably little. Slight alterations were made for the 2003 event, in particular a new, gentler entry to the Rascasse corner, with even bigger changes in 2004, with a new pit complex and increased spectator capacity.

To win in Monaco places a driver’s name on a list that includes many of history’s all-time greats. Both Graham Hill, the man nicknamed ‘Mr Monaco’, and Schumacher have won it five times, Alain Prost took four victories, whilst Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart each won here three times. But the record of wins in the Principality resides with the Senna, who won in Monte Carlo six times.

Monte Carlo