Monte Carlo has staged Formula 1 races since its inaugural season back in 1950, so F1 Oversteer has looked into which F1 drivers are the most successful at the Monaco GP.
An array of Formula 1 legends have mastered the narrow streets of the Principality over the years. In fact, there have so far been 17 repeat winners of the Monaco GP with four of them taking to the top step of the podium on at least four occasions during the previous editions.
Dominating F1 at the Monaco GP during the 1960s even earned Graham Hill the nickname, Mr Monaco. Yet the heroic BRM and Lotus driver is no longer the most successful F1 icon at the Monaco GP. But modern heroes in Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso still lag behind.
Ayrton Senna is the most successful F1 driver at the Monaco GP
Hamilton won his first Monaco GP during his debut title-winning season with McLaren back in 2008. Yet it took the Stevenage-born star until the 2016 season before he mastered those famous streets again. His move to Mercedes in 2013 also saw Hamilton win the 2019 meet.
Alonso also won the Monaco GP with McLaren in 2007 to enjoy back-to-back victories after topping the podium with Renault in 2006. But the Spaniard is still yet to win again in Monte Carlo. So, his record remains at a third of what Ayrton Senna achieved from 1987 until 1993.
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Senna became the new Mr Monaco driving for Lotus and McLaren with six Monaco GP wins in just seven years. He may have even won eight, as well, had the 1984 edition not stopped early due to rain as the Brazilian icon in his breakthrough with Toleman hounded Alain Prost.
The premature stoppage that Prost pleaded for meant Senna had to settle for second spot in 1984. Yet a move to Lotus in 1985 laid the foundations for Senna’s first Monaco GP win and he became the new Mr Monaco after switching to McLaren in 1988 to be Prost’s teammate.
The Monaco GP has seen 17 repeat winners
Prost had threatened to become Formula 1’s new Mr Monaco himself before Senna joined the Frenchman at McLaren. He enjoyed victories in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1988 to move to within one of Hill’s tally. But Senna mastered those streets like no driver had and has since.
Senna even described his 1988 Monaco GP pole position lap as ‘well beyond my conscious understanding’ after posting a 1:23.998 to beat Prost with a 1:25.425. But his out-of-body experience ended on Lap 66/78 as Senna crashed at Portier after being told to slow down.
Seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher was the next F1 driver to master the Monaco GP. Yet the German could only match Hill with five wins from 1994 to 2001. He also did not finish a visit to Monte Carlo higher than second place after 2002 or third after 2003.
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