2010 Top Sporting Occasions - The Monaco Grand Prix

2010 should be a great year for sports fans, but of all the sporting events due which will be the best?

The Super Bowl, the football World Cup, Wimbledon tennis and the Tour de Franc? What about the Monaco Grand Prix? Year in and year out, the Monaco Grand Prix is one of the world's most watched sporting events.

In a recent poll of British sports enthusiasts, the race was voted the top sporting event outside of the UK. The event gained 18 percent of the vote, beating the Olympics.

The Monaco Grand Prix is held annually and the first one was held in 1929. It is arguably the premier annual international racing event on the international racing circuit.

Originally conceived by Anthony Noghes, the event is often referred to as the jewel of the Formula One crown. The event rivals the Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans for international fame. It is held on the most beautiful course of the three races.

The first race was won by William Grover-Willams driving a Bugatti. The narrow streets and tight course is a mainstay of the event, as it has been since its inception. It is one of the most demanding and prestigious courses in Formula One racing. The course weaves through city streets, curving around water and dodging at high speeds past the buildings of Monte Carlo. The demanding course is also a dangerous one, but it has been conquered by many skilled racers.

Brazil is home to the racer with the most wins at the Monaco Grand Prix, Ayrton Senna. He holds to his credit six victories, five of which occurred between 1989 and 1993.

Complications in international racing arose during the Second World War. Between 1937 and 1945 international racing waited as the world watched history unfold. In 1945, however, European racing started up again just over four months after the war ended.

Formula One established itself formally on the international race circuit in 1946. The first race ran in 1948. It was won by Nino Farina, the future world champion, driving a Maserati.

The following year, the Grand Prix was cancelled due to the death of Prince Louis II. There was also no race in 1951 and 1952. Since these unfortunate postponements, the Monaco Grand Prix has been an annual sports fixture.

The years ahead were dominated by racing dynasties. In 1957, the race saw a double winner. In 1961, Stirling Moss in his Rob Walker Racing Team Lotus 18 upped the ante with his third win in the race. In the 1960s, Britain's Graham Hill managed to win the race five times and earn the desrved nickname of Mr Monaco.

The tradition of race dominance continued in the 1980s. From 1984 to 1993, only two drivers won the Monaco Grand Prix - Brazil's Ayrton Senna and France's Alain Prost. Senna holds the record for the most race victories with six first place finishes under his belt.

He is closely followed by Michael Schumacher and his five time champion status. Schumacher made his last appearance at the 2006 event, where controversy enshrouded his performance. To this date, Schumacher had one of the most memorable finishes in the race - and he is back out of retirement for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2010.

The event is filled with drama and intrigue. Every year, fans delight in the jewel in the crown of Formula One racing. Sports fans can clearly see why it was top of the list of Seven Wonders of the Sporting World and will continue to be a highlight on the sporting calendar.

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