THE organising committee of the Automobile Club of Monaco deserve full marks for not pandering to the present-day ideas of the FIA in turning Grand Prix races into “sprint-type” events, for they kept the XVI Monaco GP to a traditional full-length GP of 100 laps of the tiny, narrow, 3.145km street circuit. On the other hand they overdid their enthusiasm in inviting 29 entries to compete when the maximum permitted for the starting grid was 16.
Selection was made by practice times, the fastest 16 being considered as qualifiers. When it is borne in mind that 14 factory cars entered, plus the professional equipes of Rob Walker and Gugliemeno Dei, there was little hope for any truly “independent” driver. Although only 25 entries appeared for practice, BRM being one factory entry short, it still meant that the also-rans were wasting their time and wearing their cars out to no purpose.
Peter Collins on his way to third in the Ferrari Dino 246
