Monaco Circuit de Monte-Carlo

Date of establishment: 1950
First Grand Prix: 21/05/1950
Number of F1 Grand Prix hosted: 54
Spectator capacity: about 120,000 spectators
Local time: French time
Responsible body: A.C.M
Press attaché: Patrick Mannoury
Tel: (+377) 931 52618 Fax: (+377) 932 52620
Contact:

Circuit de Monaco
23 Boulevard Albert 1er
BP 464
98012 Monaco
Official site : www.acm.mc

Details and statistics :

Total length: 3.340 kms
Number of laps: 78 (260.520 kms)
Direction: clockwise
Number of curves: 16 (left: 6) (right: 10)
Max. speed: 305 Km/h
Interval on start line: 0 m
Pole position on the right
downforce level: high
Best lap: M. Schumacher – 1′14”439 (2004, Ferrari)
Best pole position time: F. Alonso – 1′13”962 (2006, Renault)
Highest number of pilot wins: A. Senna (6 wins)
Highest number of team wins: McLaren (15 wins)
Pole 2009: J.Button – (Brawn GP)
Podium 2009: 1. J.Button (Brawn GP), 2. R.Barrichello (Brawn GP), 3. K. Räikkönen (Ferrari)

Prize list:

2009 J.Button (Brawn GP)
2008 L. Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 F.Alonso (McLaren)
2006 F.Alonso (Renault)
2005 K. Raikkonen (McLaren)
2004 J. Trulli (Renault)
2003 J-P. Montoya (Williams)
2002 D. Coulthard (McLaren)
2001 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
2000 D. Coulthard (McLaren)
1999 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
1998 M. Hakkinen (McLaren)
1997 M. Schumacher (Ferrari)
1996 O. Panis (Ligier)
1995 M. Schumacher (Benetton)
1994 M. Schumacher (Benetton)
1993 A. Senna (McLaren)
1992 A. Senna (McLaren)
1991 A. Senna (McLaren)
1990 A. Senna (McLaren)
1989 A. Senna (McLaren)
1988 A. Prost (McLaren)

The Monaco Grand Prix takes place on the Monaco circuit. The layout is the slowest and reputedly the most difficult of the Formula 1 Word Championship. The single-seaters have difficulties to get used to contacts with the rails which mark this non-permanent circuit laid out in the city centre for this occasion. The qualifying sessions are always decisive because overtaking during the race is nearly impossible. However as the number of drop-outs remains high, good driving skills can secure some points. This was the second circuit in history after Silverstone to be run by the Formula 1 cars in 1950 (May 21st). But it had already hosted races from 1929. It remains one of the last “men’s circuits”, where the pilot’s skills can still make the difference (for example Ayrton Senna won 6 times here, 5 of them in a row between 1989 and 1993).

The course, which has remained quite the same since 1950, is 3.340 km long. After the starting line, you reach the first corner of Sainte-Dévote, where numerous collisions take place during the first lap. The track goes uphill to the very tight left-right Casino bend and from there, goes down to the right-hander of Mirabeau. It goes on to the former Monte-Carlo train station hairpin, where the Loews Hotel was built and which gives its current name to this corner, which is the slowest of the Championship. The Portier section goes on to the sea, where the track goes inside a tunnel and leads to the chicane near the harbour. Then the left bend of Bureau de Tabac, the Piscine section (which was significantly modified at the beginning of the 70s), then the sharp right-hand hairpin at La Rascasse, followed by the Anthony Noghes bend, then finally the pit straight.