Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix is a swept annual car race on the street circuit Circuit de Monaco. It passes through the municipalities of Monte Carlo and La Condamine in Monaco.
The initial idea to organize a car race in Monaco, had the mid-1920s, the then Commissioner General of the Automobile Club of Monaco, Anthony Noghès. At his instigation, the first race was held on 14 April 1929. Part of the Formula 1 World Championship was the race for the first time in 1950 and is it regularly since 1955.
The Monaco Grand Prix is considered together with the 500 miles of Indianapolis and the 24 Hours of Le Mans as one of the three crowns ( Grand Slam ) of automobile racing.
Because in the narrow streets of Monaco, only a relatively low average speed of almost 150 km / h can be driven, with the race distance 260.520 km (78 laps of 3.340 kilometers ) is dimensioned unusually short. Usually the race distance is at least 305 km. Only this ensures that the maximum race time of two hours, at least in dry weather can be observed. Nelson Piquet described the Monaco Grand Prix, with the words "Formula 1 drive in Monaco is how helicopters fly in the living room. "
Unlike other Grand Prix takes place in Monaco on Thursday the first free practice instead. The obligatory Friday is, however, no training. The unofficial lap record is 1:13,556 and scored by Sebastian Vettel in qualifying 2011.