The Formula OneMonaco Grand Prix has had a support race in many of its editions, the longest running of which was the Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three, held each year from 1964 to 1997, and again in 2005. It replaced the Monaco Grand Prix Formula Junior. The Formula Three race was replaced by Formula 3000 for 1998, which would then become the GP2 Series and then the Formula 2.
The Coupe Prince Ranier was held once in the 1930s, and the Prix de Monte Carlo held twice in the 1950s.
History
Coupe Prince Ranier
The first support race for the Monaco Grand Prix was held in 1936 as a race for 1.5 litre voiturettes, and was won by Prince Bira in an ERA. The Coupe Prince Ranier was repeated the next year but for sports cars instead, won by Laury Schell in a Delahaye. With the Monaco Grand Prix not held in 1938 and the interruption of World War 2, the Coupe Prince Ranier was not held again.[1][2]
Prix de Monte Carlo
After the first Monaco Grand Prix after the War in 1948, a motorcycle race was held, but this was never repeated. At the next Monaco Grand Prix, in 1950, was the first Prix de Monaco held for 500cc Formula Three cars, and was won by Stirling Moss. After another one-year hiatus the Monaco Grand Prix returned in 1952 now as a sports car race, with the Prix de Monte Carlo held for sports cars up to 2 litres. The Monaco Grand Prix was placed on hiatus again until 1955, but the Prix de Monte Carlo would not return.[1][2]
Monaco Grand Prix Formula Junior/Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three
The race became a permanent event first as a Formula Junior race in 1959. Formula Junior was replaced by Formula Two and Formula Three in 1964 and the support race was now held with Formula Three cars. A European Formula Three Championship was introduced in 1974 but the Monaco race was not part of it and instead attracted drivers from the various national and international F3 series held in Europe.
After the end of the European Championship it was one of the two unofficial European F3 races along with the Masters of Formula 3. The F3 race was cancelled after 1997. The F3 race was resurrected once again in 2005 as a part of the Formula Three Euroseries, but this championship never returned as it had mostly followed the DTM calendar.
Martini chassis won the event ten times between 1973 and 1986, the most of any manufacturer. Dallara have taken eight victories since 1988, while Lotus have four, Cooper have three, and Matra, Tecno, March, Ralt and Reynard all have two.
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