The Monaco GP is a iconic circuit where the high virtuosity of drivers is revealed since 1929.
Alain Prost. Ayrton Senna. Niki Lauda or Michael Schumacher. As much drivers who have revealed themselves on a circuit with an almost unchanged layout in 90 years.
Monaco GP 2022 : An expected impact
Un GP où vrombissent les Formule 1 depuis 1950 — un circuit où les voies, sinueuses, étroites et bordées de rails, requiert une concentration absolue. « On a l’impression de rouler à 1000km/h au milieu des immeubles. C’est très simple : Monaco c’est zéro erreur » à en croire les mots mêmes d’Alain Prost.
Si le Grand Prix de Monaco fait aujourd’hui figure d’évènement iconique par-delà l’univers des courses automobiles, c’est que le dernier dimanche de mai est devenu une étape obligée pour les A-listers du monde entier. Et cela, le Grand Prix le doit beaucoup à son tracé et son cadre idyllique ! 78 tours nichés sur le Rocher le plus glamour de la galaxie…
« Monte-Carlo est un circuit très physique parce que bosselé et qui fait très mal, les épaules, le cou, etc… Il fait vraiment mal, mais j’ai gagné, je suis heureux » Ayrton Senna. Dès le départ, la piste s’ouvre sur le virage de Saint-Devote. Un véritable entonnoir toujours considéré comme l’un des passages les plus dangereux au monde… Les pilotes, lancés à plus de 300km/h sont obligés de ralentir et, débarquant d’une ligne droite, se sentent aspirés dans un espace très ouvert et hautement impressionnant !
« This is the fast turn of the circuit. During the preceding climb, we are gear shifting gradually until the 7th. This is a heady feeling : you feel like you’re taking off, like you’re seeing only the sky. We arrived on a platform and, then, we put the feet on the brake pedals so as not to «hit» the rail. There is a left turn that you pass blindly and you have to stay inside to follow with a right turn. This is one of the only curves that gives you a real feeling of speed on the circuit » tells the French driver Franck Montagny.
Another key element of the layout, the turn called The Casino. The Monte-Carlo Casino, known for being the den of La belle Otérobut also the meeting place of the geniuses that were Coco Chanel, Serge Diaghilev and others, indeed borders one of the iconic points of this circuit.
De 1983 à 1993, Monaco est le terrain d’affrontement de deux titans de la F1 : Alain Prost et Ayrton Senna. Entre performances, exploits et victoires, ils ont contribué à forger la légende de ce circuit, décrochant à eux deux le plus grand nombre de victoires. Six pour Senna, quatre pour Prost. « C’est un vrai défi de rester extrêmement précis sur ce tracé, c’est beaucoup plus intéressant que d’avoir simplement à rouler vite » Michael Schumacher, avec cinq victoires en Principauté, se hisse à la deuxième place de son histoire. C’est dire l’importance de ce circuit pour les prodiges de la F1.
Monaco GP : Charles Leclerc in Pole Position.
The new generation is not left out. Lewis Hamilton in 2008, reaches his first victory for Mercedes – thrilling himself on his success on the Monaco Grand Prix : : « this is my greatest victory, on my favorite circuit, the one where I wanted to win more than any other. »
In his twenties, the very promising Charles Leclerc, a native of Monaco, hopes to lead Ferrari to victory this year. In 2019, He, who had flown over the circuit, without winning it, already said in this sense: “This is where Ferrari deserves to be. It’s not going to be an easy Grand Prix but of course I hope for a win in the end.”
This time, at the end of the qualifications on the Monte-Carlo circuit, it is him, the small Prince of Monaco who will leave in pole position on his native land, at the wheel of his Ferrari.
“This is very special. I’m incredibly happy. Until then, it is a quiet week. I knew the car had the speed to do the job. It went perfectly well, this lap before the red flag was really good and the red flag changed nothing for us.” Reacted Charles Leclerc.
A position that is all more pleasing since he had to give up his pole position last year, following a crash against a rail. Charles Leclerc Will he be able to win on “his” Monegasque circuit during this 2022 edition of the Monaco GP…
Against him, Charles Leclerc will find a Max Verstappen, the actual leader of the championship, who is likely to compete fiercely with him under the banner of the Red Bull team.
Each edition brings its share of moments and images that have become cult in the history of the F1 Championship. From the Ayrton Senna collision to his final neck-and-neck with Alain Prost, passing by the completely hallucinated editions under torrential rains… A GP that forged the F1 history, to discover here.
For this 79th trophy of this Monaco Grand Prix, it is once again the house of Louis Vuitton that signs the trophy case of the Grand Prix. Inspired by the codes of the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1, the mythical LV monogram takes on new hues around red and white.
Start of the race scheduled at 3P, this Sunday 29 May 2022.
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