The biennial Grand Prix de Monaco Historique brings together some of the Globe’s most enthusiastic owners, drivers and spectators for a weekend of motorsport on arguably its most glamorous circuit. One week before M. Schumacher and F1 were due in town, the names Dayton, Stretton, Marcais, Williams and Walker were the focus of attention. Monaco has always been an accurate reflection of driving talent, thus it is no surprise that the first two named have dominated this event in recent years.

The re-profiled paddock and pit lane (on land reclaimed from the harbour) had been completed in record time, to an excellent standard - and the cars were shaded from the Mediterranean sun by huge canopies. At 3,000 euros entry fee per race, there are rarely non-starters in the Principality and as in ’02, the American presence continues to grow.

The “Stars 'n Stripes” flag bearer was undoubtedly Duncan Dayton, who along with Joacquin Folch (both in Lotus 16s) set a scorching pace in the Pre ’61 GP race. Never more than 1.5 secs apart, it was Dayton who took the flag ahead of the Spaniard with the chairman of Bugatti Motors, Thomas Bscher, a distant third. It’s a long time since a race in this category has included 9 Maserati 250Fs and it was fantastic to see Barrie Williams (fresh from his paddock power nap!) finish ahead of most in the A type Connaught…just reward for an overnight cylinder head rebuild. This race also included the “drive of the weekend”; after practice maladies, Philip Walker (Lotus 16) started from the rear and in a superb driving display took the chequer in 6th - if only F1 was as exciting!

Sir Stirling Moss and Phil Hill are two of our sport's all-time heroes - still enjoying their racing in their early ‘70’s! Sir Stirling has recently purchased an original Jaguar 'C' Type (just as he raced in the ‘50s) and entrusted its restoration to Stoke-based Don Law. It is now refreshed and resplendent in pale green…the car, not Stirling! Phil was at the wheel of Laurence Auriana’s Alfa Romeo 3000CM – he practiced well but struggled in the race with brake troubles. In the pre ’53 sports car category, emergent “historic talent” Flavien Marcais raced his father in law’s Jaguar 'C' type to a win from John Ure (Frazer Nash) and Richard Pilkington (Talbot Lago). Shell Historic Challenge regular and former British Hillclimb Champion David Franklin had borrowed fellow (retired) hillclimber Ken MacMaster's BMW 328, and American enthusiasts Ed Davies and Stephen Dudley were having fun in 166MM and 195 Ferraris respectively.

In the pre’47 Grand Prix race, more Shell Historic Challenge frontrunners bolstered an already superb field: Robert Fink (Alfa P3), Stefan Schollwoeck (Maserati 6CM) and the recently ennobled Irvine Laidlaw (Maserati 6CM) are experienced club racers, but were no match for long time HGPCA racer John Ure in Peter Mann’s ERA R9B. Ure’s smooth yet aggressive drive was worthy of race victory with Laidlaw 2nd and Schollwoeck 3rd.

The Tyrrell P34 F1 car was an exploratory concept based on sound physics but which sadly never realised its full potential. Martin Stretton and Italian Mauro Pane hoped to redress that in the pre ’77 Grand Prix category. Stretton, driving Simon Bull’s example demonstrated superb commitment in his exit from the Tunnel and round the Swimming Pool complex which helped extend his margin of victory to 15secs. Monaco resident, Frank Sytner drove his latest acquisition, a Penske PC3 with his customary verve and skill to finish a fine 2nd and TGP regular Rodrigo Gallego was 3rd.

The race action on Sunday was interspersed with the Corse Clienti organised Ferrari F1 parade and by the official opening ceremony for the new pit complex. In the presence of Race Directeur, Jacky Ickx and several members of Le Club des Ancienne Pilotes, Prince Rainier cut the tape on the impressive pit lane which is central to the land reclamation scheme….as is Max Moseley’s new F.I.A. office! With ceremonies complete, Prince Albert drove his father around the circuit at a sedate pace in the family collection’s Lincoln Continental, stopping to acknowledge the statue of fellow Monagasque and Grand Prix driver Louis Chiron.

The previous evening Bonhams and Coys had held auctions in the principality – both were an excellent barometer of the classic marketplace - though Coys lacked a few punters and I wondered how acquisitive the chandeliers were. No such concerns in the reception hall of Prince Rainier’s Motor Museum, where Bonhams had their best night in Monaco for a decade, selling 5.8 million euros of stock and the following Ferraris:

• 1965 330GT MK2, £41,000
• 1973 Daytona, £74,266
• 1966 275GTB/Competizione, £616,414
• 1989 F40, £138,701
• 1963 Lusso, £149,811
• 1952 212 Inter, £201,656
• 2000 F1, £964,515

This auction had demonstrated once again the value of provenance in the successful sale of a Ferrari; it also proved again that magic formula:

warm weather + alcohol + interesting lot = world record price

(i.e. Lancia Aurelia Spyder £135,000), seemingly whatever the age and condition.

The 4eme Grand Prix de Monaco Historique was fun and with low budget airlines flying to Nice from all over the UK and grandstand seats at 30 euros it's surprising the event is not better attended. The dates for 2006 are provisional, but the volume of accommodation in the Principality and its pan-European accessibility mean that fellow petrolheads should add this to their diary as a priority...now if only the weather is like this at Spa Ferrari Days!

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