Martin Brundle Reveals The Gruelling Physical Toll Monaco Once Had On F1 Drivers

F1 legend Martin Brundle has lifted the lid on just how punishing the Monaco Grand Prix was for drivers during his racing era.
Monaco has featured on the Formula 1 calendar consistently since 1955, with the race itself dating all the way back to 1929.
The street circuit is widely regarded as one of the most iconic motor races in the world, with cars navigating normally public roads beside the harbour front.
The tight, winding corners present drivers with a considerable test of skill simply to keep their cars on the track throughout the race.
However, in the modern era, the event has increasingly become a procession, with the wide cars finding it extremely difficult to overtake along the narrow streets.
Brundle, who raced in Formula 1 between 1984 and 1996, suggested the physical demands were even more extreme during his time competing at the circuit.
His best result at Monaco came at the 1994 Monaco Grand Prix, where he finished in second place.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Brundle described the brutal physical strain drivers endured, revealing that blood was a regular feature of race day.
“In those days it was hugely physical,” Brundle told Sky Sports F1. “And we changed gear about three thousand times in the race.”
“You used to have blood pouring out of your hands. We’d tape our hands with tank tape to try to help it, or some plasters or something like that.”
“But the cars, we didn’t have power steering or anything like that, so the cars were super physical, you’d be going in the race just thinking ‘this is tough, it’s relentless’.”
Brundle went on to describe the psychological challenge of enduring such punishment lap after lap with no margin for error.
“One mistake and you’re out of the grand prix. And then you’d come past the pits and they’d show you a board that said 50 laps to go.”
“And you’re like, ‘you are kidding me, I thought we were halfway there already’. It was tough back then.”
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