Gallery: Monaco Historic Practice – motorsport up close and personal
We’re on the ground on the Riviera for a sunny start to the motorised festivities at the 2018 Monaco Historic. We’ve got to say, we’ve never experienced anything quite like the way the towering monoliths of the principality harness the howl of a historic racer on full song, as it traverses the staple GP circuit’s dips, dives, kinks and sweeps. The mechanical music seems to all appearances to be battling the tumbling clouds into dispersal as they attempt to roll down the mountains into the city.
Incredible, too, is the way you can get so close to the action. There’s very little run-off, very little in the way of distance between lucky spectator (us) and screaming racing cars. This is thanks entirely to the fact that the Monaco streets must be surrendered by its residents ready for a race weekend (we joined them in their commute frustration just this morning). You don’t see sprawling gravel traps and towering catch fences on your local high-street. That contemporary F1 returns to this day (in a fortnight, actually) is as miraculous as it is glorious. An event for which we can thank the prestige and glamour of this mythical place that affords it its status as an integral load-barer of the sport – it’s a jewel in the triple crown after all… So enjoy this gallery of historic motorsport’s hostile takeover of Monaco’s city streets – up close, personal and from afar – with both action from the barriers and quiet anticipation from the pits.
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Photography by Tom Shaxson.
Monaco Historic
Monaco Historic 2018