In the highest quality possible, the whole occasion simply shines with vivid colour. From the impeccably dressed sailors getting a close look at the cars, to the arrival of Princess Grace, who we see step into a car with the man who will fly the starting flag. That man is Louis Chiron, winner of the 1931 Monaco Grand Prix and the first and only Monegasque driver to score points in Formula 1 and stand on the podium until Charles Leclerc joined him almost 90 years later.
The film portrays the action on track with spectacular cinematography, from the perspective of the noses of the cars as they race through the tunnel, to the jeopardy of a spin at the hairpin, to swooping aerial shots over the Mediterranean with a piano accompaniment as the cars pass by.
Speaking of the race, this grand prix was the second of nine scheduled that year in the calendar and was 100 laps long. Jim Clark qualified in pole position – the first of the 33 poles he would achieve in F1, but the race was won by the man starting from third: Bruce McLaren, for Cooper. Ferrari collected the other two podium places, with reigning champion Phil Hill coming second ahead of Lorenzo Bandini. Graham Hill, who finished sixth in this race, would go on to win his first F1 world championship later that year.
There is much discussion these days around Monaco’s role in the modern F1 calendar, but whatever that may be, there is no doubting just how stunning the whole occasion was in years gone by.
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Dirt track racing at the Carolina Midget Showdown
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Monaco Grand Prix