Packed grids and new races added to the spectacle as historic F1 machines took to the streets of Monaco
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES MANN
All the glitz and the glamour of the world’s most exclusive historic motorsport event returned to the Côte d’Azur from 13-15 May for the 13th Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. After just 80 cars competed in last year’s event, postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic, entry numbers were back up to more than 200 cars for 2022. With practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and eight fantastic grids lining up on Sunday to race around the iconic Monte Carlo street circuit, the scene was set for a memorable weekend.
New for 2022 was a race for Formula One cars from 1981-’85, covering the end of a dominant era for the Ford DFV, which was first introduced in 1967. Some 10 constructors were represented by 30 cars, from the 1981 Williams FW07C through Tyrrell 011 and 012, McLaren MP4, Arrows, Alfa Romeo and Lotus – with no fewer than six examples of the latter.
Each of the groups celebrated a driver from the featured period, from Louis Chiron for the pre-war cars to Ayrton Senna for the ’80s era – the Brazilian legend having so impressed the paddock on his debut in F1 at Monaco, driving a Toleman TG184 in appallingly wet conditions, when he nearly beat Alain Prost in the McLaren MP4-2 before the race was abandoned.
A walk through the harbourside Monaco paddock was a race fan’s dream, featuring an amazing 14 World Championship-winning machines among F1 and sports cars from 37 teams in the simple tented garaging. As at previous events there was also a sports car race, this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the decision by the FIA to abandon the International Formula for 1952 and introduce new regulations banning single-seater racers in favour of two-seaters.
The opening grid on Sunday morning, however, was for F1 cars raced from 1961-’65. On pole for the 10-lap event was Joe Colasacco in the gorgeous, ex-John Surtees Ferrari 1512, more than a second ahead of Mark Shaw in the ex-Jim Clark Lotus 21. Off the line the Ferrari struggled to get its power down, spinning its tyres and allowing Shaw to draw alongside, but it was Colasacco who led out of Sainte Dévote as they powered up towards Beau Rivage.
Shaw made a challenge into the Fairmont Hotel Hairpin, but Colasacco closed the door before Chris Drake joined the party in his Cooper T71/73 and the top three started to pull clear. After racing nose-to-tail
