Monaco has always been in love with the automobile, with the first race held there in 1897 - the Monaco-Marseilles-Monaco road trial. In 1911, the Monaco Rallye was organized by Alexandre Noghès and his son Antony Noghès.
Several auto trials and hillclimbs were held in the 1920s, and in 1928 a committee was formed, headed by Antony Noghs, to set up a Grand Prix race through the streets of the town. The citizens were first against it but, after being offered a stipend from a special fund, agreed, and on April 12, 1929, the first Grand Prix of Monaco was held. It has become the most prestigious race on the Formula One calender.
The first Grand Prix of Monaco was won by William Grover-Williams in a Bugatti T35B. William Grover-Williams was an honest to god hero, but not for what he had done on a race track. During WWII, he was a member of the Royal Signal Corps and parachuted into occupied France alone. With no inside help or contacts, he set about creating a resistance force and spy ring. He was later captured by the Germans, and for many years after the war, it was believed they had executed him.
But recent relevations have indicated that he was being held in a POW camp that was liberated by the Red Army. He spent a couple more years doing intellegence work and was then secreted away to the United States, where he was reunited with his wife and lived under an assumed name to a ripe old age. The first winner of the Grand Prix of Monaco was a hero of the highest order.
The first Monaco Grand Prix after the war was held in 1948, which was won by Guisseppe Farina in a Maserati 4CLT. There was no race in 1949, but in 1950 it would return with a spot on the new World Driving Championship schedule. The race was won by Juan Manuel Fangio. The race was dropped from the schedule again in '51 and wouldn't return to it until 1955. However, it was contested in 1952 as a sportscar race. The race would be won by Vittorio Marzotto in a Ferrari Spyder. Stirling Moss would make his first appearance at Monaco that day - he would sit on pole - but would be black flagged for outside assistance. The most notable action of the day would be Luigi Fagioli suffering fatal injuries in a crash.
In 1955, Ascari would have probably the most memorable moment ever at Monaco. While leading late in the race, he would spin on oil and go into the port. He would come away unhurt, but very wet. Maurice Trintignant would win the race for Ferrari. The 1956 race was held just three weeks after the storybook wedding of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly. In 1958 Maurice Tringtinant took victory in a Cooper-Climax. It was the first win for a British make at Monaco, but certainly not the last - a British car would win the next 16 Monaco GPs. In 1959, Jack Brabham wrapped up the Drivers' Championship in the principality.
The Sixties at Monaco were dominated by British teams and drivers. One of the all time greats was Graham Hill. "Mr Monaco", as he was known, would win the Monaco Grand Prix five times (all of them in the 60s), which is a record that has been bettered by only one man - the legendary Brazilian Ayrton Senna.
1967 would be the last race at Monaco for two great drivers: Jim Clark, who crashed out of the event. He was unhurt but it would be his last Monaco event as he was killed in an F2 event later on; Lorenzo Bandini gave his all on the day, but was killed in a fiery crash. He remains only the second fatality in the history of the race.
