Monaco Grand Prix – A look back at three highlights
It was in 1992 that Nigel Mansell’s dream finally came true. He finally crowns the world crown so desired and deserved. His season begins with five affiliate successes. However, the Brit approaches the Monegasque round with great humility.
He never imposed himself there, and this route still inspires him with as much mistrust. No mistake is forgiven.
This does not prevent him from signing a convincing pole position.
His Williams-Renault is the single-seater to beat this year, and he intends to finally turn this pole into victory.
After a good start, Mansell was able to keep his first place until the 71st lap. Behind, Senna was resigned to getting “only” second place.
But the British pilot is not serene. He sent that his self is unbalanced. He made up for a loss of control under the tunnel, then missed the next braking and decided to return to the pits for an inspection.
The mechanics not detecting anything in particular changed his tires, but when Mansell joined the track, Senna took the lead.
The eight laps that follow do not allow Mansell to conquer the long-awaited trophy. He was much faster than his Brazilian rival, but in Monaco it is very difficult to overtake another single-seater. It thus ends up in the exhausts of the McLaren.
David Coulthard stuck in 2001
Enrique Bernoldi, this name surely speaks to you. No, he is not a world champion, nor a Grand Prix winner. This driver is known for getting David Coulthard’s nerves rolling.
In 2001, the Scottish driver was the reigning winner of the Monegasque round. And his weekend is off to a pretty good start, as he has just taken pole position.
However, he stalled on the starting grid which forced him to start dead last.
He finished fifth after a good comeback, but the images that remain in our minds are that of his duel which pitted him against Enrique Bernoldi’s Arrows for 37 laps!
From the eighth lap until the 45th lap, when the Brazilian stopped, David Coulthard tried all imaginable maneuvers to overtake the orange single-seater, in vain.
Juan Pablo Montoya became a legend in 2003
This year, there is nothing special to say about the course of the race. Indeed, even if the arrival between Juan-Pablo Montoya winner and Kimi Räikkönen his runner-up was played at six tenths. We have to regret that there have been no current overruns.
Apart from the accident of Heinz-Harald Frentzen on Sauber and five other retirements, the Grand Prix took place without the slightest incident.
However, the Colombian who signed his second F1 victory that day also made history by being the second driver to have won both the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500 miles. The first being Graham Hill.
Moreover, Graham Hill is the only one to have also won the 24 hours of Le Mans and thus the trophy called Triple Crown.
Indeed, the three most prestigious races in motorsport are these three.