Not too long ago I wrote a blog about the Ashes, and how amazing it would be to take a cruise to see them. However there’s another sporting even that’s almost synonymous with the incredible experience of a Mediterranean cruise, helped by the fact that it takes place around the harbour where ships are common place. I’m talking about the Monaco Grand Prix.
This is arguably the most prominent race on the World Championship race calendar, pre-dating the creation of the championship by a number of years. It’s the only track that doesn’t adhere to the strict track rules of the FIA in terms of track length, but the prominence of the event means that this is overlooked.
It’s massively exciting, an even that is always full of drama and one that has a famous atmosphere. You can expect the deafening sounds of engine roar, the smells of tyre burn on the track, and the cheers of crowds following the blurs of cars that scream past at over 100mph.
Crashes have been frequent over the years due to the tight corners, including the famous Nouvelle Chicane which follows the tunnel, with drivers still adjusting to the change in light. Back in the earlier years of the championship, before barriers were commonplace, two cars even ended up in the harbour after misjudging the corners. Both drivers escaped unhurt from those events.
Famous drivers of the Monaco Grand Prix include Ayrton Senna, the only man to win the race six times, and Graham Hill, the Brit who won five times and the only man to win the Triple Crown of racing (consisting of the Monaco Grand Prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500).
Even if you don’t like Formula 1, it’s still a really fun event to attend. Let me leave you with some footage of the climatic laps of the 1982 race, one of the most unbelievable and theatrical endings to a motor race that has ever taken place:
By Ian Lewis
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