Memorable Monaco moments: 5 of the best Monaco Grand Prix races

Jonathan Victoria • 23 May 2025 Features

The stage for great drama and triumph.

The Monaco Grand Prix is more than just a race - it’s a crown jewel of motorsport steeped in glamour, legacy, and unforgiving challenge. Its tight, twisting circuit winds through the heart of Monte Carlo, where millimetres matter and the smallest mistake can end in the barriers. 

Over the decades, the streets of Monaco have played host to races that defy belief, from chaotic endings and breathtaking duels to moments of controversy and personal redemption.

We’re reliving five of the most unforgettable Monaco Grands Prix, each etched into the sport’s lore for very different reasons - but all showcasing why Monaco remains F1’s most legendary stage.

The race no-one wanted to win (1982)

The 1982 Monaco Grand Prix descended into chaos in the final laps, earning its nickname as "the race no-one wanted to win." 

The race was playing out fairly normally, with the only incident being pole sitter Rene Arnoux crashing out on lap 15. 

With just a handful of laps remaining, Alain Prost crashed out while leading in the wet-drying conditions, handing the lead to Riccardo Patrese—who then spun at the hairpin and stalled his car. 

Didier Pironi took over at the front, only to run out of fuel, followed by Andrea de Cesaris, who did the same a lap later. Derek Daly also dropped out, having lost his rear wing and gearbox, leaving the bewildered commentators and fans unable to keep track of who was actually still running. 

Patrese, who had miraculously restarted his car by rolling downhill and bump-starting it, crossed the line to claim his maiden F1 victory in a finish as surreal as it was unforgettable.

Senna vs Mansell (1992)

In 1992, Nigel Mansell arrived in Monaco with an unstoppable Williams and a string of dominant wins—but on this tight circuit, he met the immovable force of Ayrton Senna. 

After a late pit stop due to a loose wheel nut, Mansell emerged with fresh tires and visibly superior pace, rapidly reeling in Senna in the closing laps. What followed was one of the most dramatic defensive drives in Formula 1 history, as Senna masterfully placed his McLaren in all the right positions, lap after lap, denying Mansell even a sniff of an overtake. The crowd was on its feet as the two cars danced through the tunnel, inches apart, with Senna using every inch of his racecraft to hold off the faster Williams. 

He crossed the line just 0.2 seconds ahead, underlining his legendary status and proving that raw brilliance can trump technical superiority on the streets of Monaco.

Senna’s mastery around Monaco was clear to see in every edition he raced, but in this instance he showed his craft in defending rather than just pure speed. It was brilliance meeting brute force, and brilliance prevailed.

Trulli’s underdog win (2004)

Jarno Trulli was often the nearly-man of Formula 1, known for his one-lap speed but rarely delivering across full race distances. But in Monaco 2004, the stars aligned for the Italian in spectacular fashion.

After securing pole position with a sublime qualifying lap in his Renault, Trulli held off persistent pressure from Jenson Button throughout the race to take a flawless, lights-to-flag victory.

It was a high-stakes game of consistency and focus, where Trulli never put a wheel wrong under immense stress. The win marked not only his first and only Grand Prix triumph, but it was a performance that proved sometimes, even in F1, the underdog gets their day in the sun.

Rascassegate (2006)

Controversy erupted at Monaco in 2006 when Michael Schumacher, chasing Fernando Alonso in qualifying, stopped his Ferrari at the tight Rascasse corner, bringing out yellow flags and preventing Alonso from completing a flying lap that could have taken pole. 

The move was widely seen as deliberate gamesmanship—a tactical act to protect his provisional pole position. The stewards agreed, penalizing Schumacher and demoting him to the back of the grid for the race. 

The incident sparked fierce debate across the paddock and among fans, casting a shadow over the weekend. 

Alonso would go on to win the race, but the real story was the scandal itself, highlighting the razor-thin line between genius and gamesmanship that Schumacher often walked throughout his career.

Ricciardo’s redemption (2018)

Daniel Ricciardo’s Monaco redemption arc reached its climax in 2018, two years after a devastating loss caused by a botched pit stop cost him a certain victory. 

Determined to right that wrong, Ricciardo put his Red Bull on pole and led the race with calm control—until disaster struck. 

Midway through the race, an MGU-K failure robbed him of over 160 horsepower, leaving him down on speed and vulnerable to the chasing pack. 

But what followed was one of the grittiest drives in modern F1, as Ricciardo adapted his braking points, carefully managed tire degradation, and fought off Sebastian Vettel with surgical precision. 

His voice cracking over team radio as he crossed the line said it all: after the heartbreak of 2016, he had finally conquered Monaco on his own terms, wounded car and all.