5 replies to this topic

[Pete Stanley]

I've recently purchased a fine book, entitled Grand Prix de Monace , at US$39.95, a steal! As the title suggests, the book is entirely focused on the GP in Monaco, from 1929 to 1998, including 1952.

It is more of a photograph book than anything else. Many many quality photos of the cars and drivers are exhibited within, though there are a few paragraphs on each years' grand prix. The full results from every year are included as well. Also, there are special sections on the origins of the race, Nuvolari, Carocciola, Fangio, Moss, Hill, Surtees, Lauda, the logisitics of the race, Prost, Senna, and Mansell and Schumacher. All text and photo captions are in English, French, and German.

My favorite photo is a real gem from the 1959 race; Behra slides his Ferrari's rear end out to the curb, front wheels at full lock, captivating the audience in the stands. Moss's Cooper follows closely. Careful scrutiny shows Moss's facial muscles pulled back in a broad grin.

I would recommend this book. Rainer Schlegelmilch took many of the photographs and, I assume, selected those he did not, since his name appears on the cover. Hartmut Lehbrink wrote the text.

ISBN 3-8290-0658-6

I'm just now browsing the photographic credits. Some are from something called the "Ludvigsen Library." Hmmm.

[This message has been edited by Pete Stanley (edited 05-05-2000).]

[Don Capps]

Pete, I had the great pleasure to be at that race...

That Jean Behra was something else...

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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

Semper Gumbi: If this was easy, we’d have the solution already…

[Barry Lake]

Don
I envy your having been to Monaco in the 1950s. I first saw photos of the Monaco GP and the principality in the June 1955 issue of Motor Sport and wanted to go there ever after.
I didn't get there until the 1980s and it was no longer quite the place I had wanted to see. There was a lot of the old architecture but also too many new high-rise buildings.
I did see Ayrton Senna score the first (and only?) win for a Lotus with active suspension.
I stayed at Beaulieu-sur-Mer at a remarkably affordable price in a little hotel and I caught the train to Monaco each day (15-20 minutes).
For race day someone had given me a tip that paid off handsomely. An enterprising fisherman filled his little boat (like an over-grown rowing boat with a putt-putt engine in the middle, under a box) with cane chairs, all facing forwards. It could hold a dozen or so passengers (at around $10 a head, from memory) and we putt-putted along the coast and into Monaco Harbour.
What a sight on GP day! Incredible!
The scenery along the coast was magnificent, an endless stream of helicopters overhead shuttled the rich and famous to the track. On the way into the harbour we could see the Royal Palace, passed all the luxury yachts (complete with naked damselles), and he dropped us off at the chicane just after the tunnel.
I walked from there along the edge of the harbour to the pits.
As I said, not quite the 1950s, but something incredibly special nevertheless.

[Ray Bell]

I learned that traffic doesn't flow so well that weekend, most of the roads either being closed for the race or jammed with cars arriving therefor... one Ferrari owner got a helicopter to pick up his car and take it to the hotel for him... across the rooftops.

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Life and love are mixed with pain...

[Dennis David]

Pete that's Karl cornering the market!

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Regards,

Dennis David
Grand Prix History

Life is racing, the rest is waiting

[Tarnik]

My favorite pictures from the book are from the 30s, especially the one of Rosemeyer (I beleive) sliding his Auto Union at the chicane to avoid a pile-up. The photos of Bandini's crash are incredible-and very saddening.