You were there: At the heart of the action in 1966
Press guest with extra privileges: Being Ford’s guest at Le Mans in 1966 is already pretty lucky, but Robert Ames also became a film extra while Grand Prix was being shot at Monaco the same year — and got paid too.
![Jochen Rindt at Monaco in 1966](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Jochen-Rindt-at-Monaco-in-1966-800x450.jpg)
Jochen Rindt pats his Cooper’s Maserati V12 motor – which would fail him in the race
![Stirling Moss at Monaco in 1966](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Stirling-Moss-at-Monaco-in-1966-800x450.jpg)
Moss being charming as ever at Monaco
![Piero Taruffi demonstrates the Lancia D 50 in Monaco in 1966](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Piero-Taruffi-demonstrates-the-Lancia-D-50-in-Monaco-in-1966-800x450.jpg)
Veteran driver Piero Taruffi demonstrates the surviving Lancia D50 car before the race
![Film lead James Garner buys ice cream for his co-stars Bandini and Ginther. Robert remembers they got talking when Garner noticed they wore the same Heuer watch](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/JAmes-Garner-buying-ice-cream-for-Lorenzo-Bandini-and-Richie-Ginther-during-filiming-for-Grand-Prix-in-Monaco-in-1966-800x450.jpg)
Film lead James Garner buys ice cream for his co-stars Bandini and Ginther. Robert remembers they got talking when Garner noticed they wore the same Heuer watch
![Phil Hill talks to Jackie Stewart in his BRM at Monaco in 1966](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Phil-Hill-talks-to-JAckie-Stewart-in-his-BRM-at-Monaco-in-1966-800x450.jpg)
Phil Hill crouches to talk with Jackie Stewart sitting in his V8 BRM during practice
![Filming for Grand Prix in Monaco in 1966](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Filming-for-Grand-Prix-in-Monaco-in-1966-800x450.jpg)
After the race some drivers stayed on for filming, and Robert was taken on as an extra. This shows Garner’s ‘Pete Aron’ with co-stars and mocked-up ‘F1’ cars – actually F3 machines from Jim Russell
![Graham Hill at Monaco in 1966](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Graham-Hill-at-Monaco-in-1966-800x450.jpg)
Monaco proved a hollow triumph for BRM who finished 1-3-4, split by Bandini’s Ferrari – but only those four finished. Hill, above and below, came third
![1966 Le Mans start](https://msm.tjlabs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/1966-Le-Mans-start-800x450.jpg)
Graham Hill’s Alan Mann Ford MkII is well away before the rest of the factory cars as the 24 hours begin