My Monaco Grand Prix, Part 2: 1994
1994 Monaco F1 Grand Prix commemorative postcard.
Click the image to enlarge.
Perched in the grandstands overlooking Tabac and Louis Chiron corners, here are selected photos from our second trip to a Monaco Grand Prix qualifying session, this time in 1994. In contrast to the usual fanfare that attends an F1 race, this was a somewhat somber event, being as it was the first race after the death of three-time world champion Ayrton Senna.
Senna’s Williams teammate Damon Hill raced alone that weekend, and the first two grid positions were left empty in tribute to the fallen Brazilian champion and Roland Ratzenberger, a Simtek driver who experienced a fatal crash during qualifying at Imola. German Michael Schumacher in his Benetton-Ford, having a penchant for the tight, twisty circuit, was widely expected to win the race, especially given his dominance of the early part of the 1994 season.
As for my experience, it was much as you’d expect: The smell of race fuel, the clear blue of the Mediterranean just a few hundred feet away and the wails of exotic V8s, V10s and V12s reverberating off the high-rises all around… Heaven. Enjoy the photos!
Race ticket. Click the image to enlarge.
Coming down the post-chicane straight toward Tabac corner.
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Blasting away from Tabac toward Louis Chiron. Click the image to enlarge.
Qualifying leaderboard. It was early in the session.
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A Footwork leading a Ligier and a McLaren through Tabac. Click the image to enlarge.
Future first-time world champion Michael Schumacher rounding Tabac in his Benetton. Click the image to enlarge.
The bitter end: One of Team Lotus’ last races. Click the image to enlarge.
Senna’s teammate Damon Hill soldiering on alone in the sole Williams
to race at Monaco that year. Click the image to enlarge.
My driver: Gerhard Berger in the incomparably beautiful Ferrari 412T1.
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Want more? Here are some pictures from our earlier trip to the Monaco GP in 1987.
Great stuff! Love it….I remember the whole experience and Jean Alesi crashing after his 2nd or 3rd qualifying lap and walking off while waving to the crowd.
I vaguely remember that…
It was a fantastic day, all in all. :)
Hey, at least Alesi’s name was on the leader board. The blurriness of Schumacher’s picture must be because he was moving so much faster than everyone else…
Schumi was definitely “on” that race weekend (may have been the only driver that was). Won the race going away, IIRC.
Oh man, the 412 T1…the prettiest of all Ferrari F1 cars. Thank you John Barnard.
I love the way it looks. Wrote an article about it:
https://www.spannerhead.com/2012/02/28/the-aesthetics-of-racing-ferrari-412t/
Even the T2 is attractive, in a more baroque way. Last of the V12 Ferrari F1 cars…
Hi Matt. I’m a ticket collector and I’ve been looking everywhere for the qualifying day ticket from this race. Do you have it? Thanks.
Hi Alexander. No, we didn’t go to qualifying, just to free practice on Thursday. Sorry!