Formula 1 heads to the French Riviera this weekend for the fifth race of the 2021 season at the Monaco Grand Prix. The track is one of the most iconic on the F1 calendar and has been a consistent presence since the sport first raced in the Principality in its augural season in 1950. With Mercedes and Red Bull set to continue their title battle at the twisting street circuit this weekend, here are five things you didn't know about the Monaco Grand Prix.
1: Fangio's first F1 win
Monaco first hosted motorsport on its streets all the way back in 1929, and was among the tracks included on the calendar for the first Formula 1 world championship season in 1950. The inaugural F1 race in the Principality provided a first ever win for future five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio driving an Alfa Romeo. That victory was one of three the Argentine scored that season, winning at each of the three races he finished at Monaco, Spam and Reims-Gueux.
2: Senna's record
Plenty of drivers have tried their hand at taking home the win in Monaco, but Ayrton Senna stands above them all with six victories at the circuit between 1987 and 1993 over the course of his career. Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher have the next best records on the track with five wins each, while Alain Prost achieved four first place finishes during his career. McLaren have the most wins of any team with 15, followed by Ferrari with 10 and Mercedes with eight.
3: Winning at Monaco from the back
In the modern era, the Monaco track comes in for some criticism for producing boring races, with the tight circuit making it difficult for drivers to overtake. Back in 2008, Sir Lewis Hamilton was the last driver to win without starting from pole position after he qualified in third, while the lowest grid position for a race winner was from Olivier Panis, who won a wet race from 14th position for Ligier in 1996 when only three cars finished.
4: A unique podium
Most Formula 1 races conclude with the podium ceremony for the top three drivers, but that is another area where Monaco stands apart. Instead of getting on top of the podium to spray some bubbly, the drivers take to the Royal Box with the Principality's monarch Prince Albert II who presents the winning driver with their trophy.
5: The Tunnel Run
One of the most iconic parts of the Monaco F1 track is the tunnel which makes up the run from the exit of Turn 8 into the chicane at Turn 10. The tunnel runs underneath the Fairmont Hotel and is one of only two to make an apperance on the current F1 calendar, the other being at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi. There was another tunnel previously on the calendar, on the Detroit street circuit which hosted races between 1982 and 1988.
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