Biennially two weeks before the F1 circus arrives in the Principality, the ACM stages the Grand Prix Historique, undoubtedly one of the most prestigious historic events on the European calendar. Such has become the popularity and accessibility of this event that for the 6eme Historique, 22 members and friends of the North West Area Group of the Ferrari Owners' Club of Great Britain made the trip to the sunny Cote D’Azur.

With practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday for the seven categories, supported by a 21 car Corse Clienti demonstration, a re-enactment of the 1948 GP Moto and two auctions presented by Coys and Bonhams there was plenty to see……...

• Event sponsor Chopard in co-operation with Audi Tradition, provided a 1936 Auto Union C Type for a lunchtime demonstration, by ex Scuderia Ferrari pilota and six times Le Mans 24hr winner Jacky Ickx. The shrill of the V16 520bhp supercharged engine created much attention and I can only imagine what the noise was like in Monte Carlo 72 years ago, when Achille Varzi and Hans Stuck finished 2nd and 3rd in the same type of car to Rudolf Caracciola’s winning Mercedes.

• Racing motorbikes on the streets of Monaco? – it happened in 1948, when a grid of Gileras, Moto Guzzis, Nortons and Velocettes raced the same course as the Grand Prix cars and in ’08 they marked its 60th anniversary with a 16 bike demonstration, including a Moto Guzzi originally ridden by Jean Behra. It isn’t widely known that Behra commenced his motorsport career on 2 wheels, before transferring to 4 and success with Gordini, Maserati, Porsche, B.R.M. and Ferrari in the ‘50s, before a fatal accident at the wheel of a Porsche RSK at Avus in late ’59.

• It's well known that Enzo Ferrari was Alfa Romeo’s motor-sport team manager long before he made his own cars. In 1932 he had a team of 40 who ran one of my favourite Grand Prix cars of all time – the Alfa P3. Designed by Vittorio Jano (who was later responsible for the Lancia Aurelia) this 2.9 litre straight eight engined masterpiece was all-conquering until the Auto Unions and Mercedes arrived in 1936. In Monaco this year was the extremely rare sight and sound of four P3s racing together. Matt Grist was the fastest, running second to Julian Bronson’s ERA in Serie A with Tony Smith’s example fifth, Umberto Rossi seventh and only Californian Warren Spieker not making it to the finish.

• During the 1970’s several F1 teams contemplated a 6 wheel configuration on their cars, but only one team actually raced one, let alone had any success with it. In 1976 Derek Gardiner designed an innovative Tyrrell which had four 10 inch wheels at the front and conventional width tyres at the rear. Hampered by tyre wear and the excessive vibration of the Goodyear supplied rubber it won only once, driven by Jody Scheckter at Anderstorp ahead of Patrick Depailler, making it a 1-2 for Tyrrell and the P34’s most successful day. In Serie G for F1 cars built between 1975 and 1978, Italian Mauro Pane and Martin Stretton proved that the P34 has lost none of its pace with Pane finishing only 2.1 secs behind winner Paul Edwards driving Doug Mockett’s Penske PC3. Click here to see it at Monaco in Depailler's hands.

• Recently tested by ITV’s Martin Brundle to celebrate 60 years of GPs at Silverstone, the unique Maserati 250F based Tec Mec was driven in Serie B by its owner Barrie Baxter. With US historic regular Duncan Dayton (Lotus 16) unopposed after Joacquin Folch’s (Lotus 16) retirement, it was left to Baxter and Tony Smith (Ferrari Dino) to provide the excitement. Despite multiple position swaps and close racing, the finishing order was Dayton, Baxter and Smith.

Elsewhere the well-attended event provided wins for John Ure (Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica), John Monson (BMC Mk1), Simon Hadfield (Lotus 21) whilst Duncan Dayton took a further win in his Brabham BT33, clearly establishing him as the event's most successful driver.

Situated less than 10 mins walk from each other Coys (Espace Fontvielle) and Bonhams (Le SAS Prince’s Car Collection) offered over 160 cars and 100 + lots of automobilia for auction with cars to tempt every pocket, from an Abarth 500 to an ex N.A.R.T Competition Daytona and a stunning Bugatti T55.For once, Coys had a wider range of consignments which were well presented in contrast to the frankly dingy car collection, whereas Bonhams consignments were mixed with exhibits and seemed lacking….

Trying to watch practice for the Historique GP and attend two auctions was never going to be easy, but with help from Mitch Clayton, Sydney Brown and Paul Bentley we made it and Part 2 of this article (coming soon) will reflect on an indifferent weekend for both auction houses, despite some strong bidding…..

Jean Louis Duret in his Lotus 76	The main pits were occupied by Corse Clienti	John Monson (Surtees TS9B) chases James Wood in Ron Maydon's Cooper T88	Jacky Ickx was reunited with his 1972 mount the Ferrari 312B2
Julian Bronson driving Mac Hulbert's ERA R4D heads towards La Rascasse...	....and onto victory in Serie A ahead of Matt Grist's Alfa P3 and Willi Balz's Maserati 6C	Brabham Alfa BT45B, now owned by "biscuit king" Hubertus Bahlsen	Ferrari F500 F2 was driven during his world championship winning '52 season by Alberto Ascari

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