Boat International US Edition – May 2019

A STIRLING PERFORMANCE

OnMay 13 1956,themightyroarof 14 race-carengines
echoedthroughthestreetsofMonteCarlo.The
MonacoGrandPrixhasalwaysbeenacontestof
nerveandskill,andfromMay 23 to 26 thisyearitwill
onceagainattracttheworld’sbestFormulaOne
driverstoitstightandtwistyroadtrack.
Thisimagefromthat 1956 raceshowsoneofthe
greatestdriversofalltimeatthewheel.JuanManuel
FangiohadalreadywonthreeF1titlesandwasclosing
inonhisfourth.Here,heleadshisScuderiaFerrari
team-mate,theItalianEugenioCastellotti,intothe
notoriousGasworkshairpin–thespotwhere,justa
yearearlier,Italy’sformerworldchampionAlberto
AscariswervedofftheroadandplungedhisD50
LanciaintoMonacoharbor.
AcoolandcollectedStirlingMoss,theyoungBriton
whowasdrivingforOfficineAlfieriMaserati,tookan
earlyleadintherace.Inhotpursuit,Fangiohadaseries
ofmishapsandhadtomakeapitstopandswitchhis
batteredFerrari-Lanciaforanothertofinishtherace.
OneofhisnicknamesistheMaestro,andheproved
worthyofitinthefinalstages,completingthefinallap
inathen-recordtimeofoneminuteand44.1seconds.
Butthe 1956 MonacoGrandPrixneverwashistowin.
Onthatsunnyday,itwasMosswhocameawaywith
hissecondF1victory.

Eye Opener

WORDSCecileGauert