1984 Monaco Grand Prix

Lore & Background

The race, held amidst heavy rain, was one of the most contentious in Formula One history. The race start was delayed by 45 minutes due to the heavy rain. Niki Lauda sought out Bernie Ecclestone on the grid to have the tunnel flooded, as it was dry but coated with oil. Ecclestone used his power to arrange for a local fire truck to water down the only dry road on the track. Pole-sitter Prost led from the start. Nigel Mansell passed Prost on lap nine to lead a Grand Prix for the first time, but retired six laps later after sliding on a painted white line. Prost resumed the lead, but Ayrton Senna closed in. On lap 29, Prost waved to the stewards to indicate the race should be stopped. The red flag was shown at the end of lap 32 after clerk of the course Jacky Ickx decided conditions were too poor. Senna passed Prost before the finish line, but positions counted were from lap 31, when Prost was still leading. Ickx was suspended from his race control duties for not consulting the stewards. Stefan Bellof finished third but was later disqualified due to weight restrictions broken by Tyrrell.

In Their Own Story

The rain didn't fall; it hammered the tarmac with relentless fury. Inside the cockpit of the silver MP4/2, Niki Lauda couldn't see the barrier ahead, only the spray kicked up by the car in front. His world was reduced to the rhythm of his breathing and the faint glow of the dashboard lights. Beside him, Alain Prost fought a similar battle, the Frenchman pushing harder, desperate to overtake for the points that would steal the title. But Lauda, the veteran survivor, knew better than to gamble on a track where death waited in every shadow. He held his line, inch by agonizing inch, as the race director waved the red flag. The checkered flag never fell, but the championship had already been decided in the silence of that flooded tunnel.

Reader's Guide

The 1984 Monaco Grand Prix is remembered for its dramatic wet-weather conditions, the emergence of Ayrton Senna, and the controversial red flag that handed victory to Alain Prost. The race was stopped on lap 32 due to heavy rain, with Prost declared winner based on the standings at the end of lap 31. Senna, who had passed Prost after the red flag, was classified second. Stefan Bellof's drive from last to third was a standout achievement, though he was later disqualified. The race marked Prost's first pole for McLaren and the first pole for the McLaren MP4/2 and TAG-Porsche engine.

Did You Know?

• Ayrton Senna set his first Formula One fastest lap during this race.
• Stefan Bellof was the only non-turbo qualifier in his Tyrrell-Cosworth, qualifying 20th and last.
• Martin Brundle crashed heavily at Tabac during practice and was withdrawn from the weekend after being found to be slightly concussed.
• The race was the only one of the 1984 championship run in wet weather.