Alonso's Unique Monaco Feat That Seems Unbeatable
Fernando Alonso holds a Formula 1 record that has a lot to do with timing, team changes, and winning at the most prestigious circuit on the calendar.
The Spaniard is the only driver to have won the Monaco Grand Prix in consecutive years with different teams. He took victory for Renault in 2006 and then repeated the feat for McLaren in 2007.
For someone whose team switches have not been as great as others', this is a unique feat.
That record has stood for nearly two decades, and it is one of those niche statistics that perfectly captures the chaos and opportunity of F1's silly season.
Alonso's Monaco Wins
Fernando Alonso McLaren MP4-22 at 2007 Monaco F1 GP
Alonso's first Monaco win in 2006 came during his second championship season with Renault.
He controlled the race from pole position after Michael Schumacher was controversially demoted in qualifying for apparently parking his Ferrari at the Rascasse corner, preventing others from improving their laps, including Alonso.
It was a dominant performance from the Spaniard on Sunday.
The 2007 race was different. Alonso had moved to McLaren alongside a rookie named Lewis Hamilton.
The two chromed cars finished over a minute ahead of the field. Hamilton pressured Alonso for the entire 78 laps, but the Spaniard held firm to take his second consecutive Monaco victory.
F1 Drivers Who Won at Monaco for Different Teams
Alonso's feat is rare for a reason. Winning Monaco twice in a row is difficult enough. Switching teams and then winning it again has proven to be impossible for most.
Juan Manuel Fangio
The legendary Juan Manuel Fangio won twice in Monaco, in 1950 with Alfa Romeo (his first F1 win) and in 1957 with Maserati.
Since he remains the only driver in F1 history to win World Championships with four different constructors: Alfa Romeo (1951), Maserati (1954 and 1957), Mercedes (1954 and 1955), and Ferrari (1956), any knowledgeable F1 fan would've thought that his name would've joined Alonso on this feat.
However, the Argentine driver faced circumstances that did not help his case. He competed in Monaco only four times in his career, but was on Pole Position each time.
He achieved consecutive poles from 1955 to 1957, but his Mercedes car failed in 1955, and then he damaged his Ferrari in 1956 before winning in 1957 with Maserati.
Maurice Trintignant
Maurice Trintignant won Monaco twice, both for different teams (Ferrari and an independent Cooper) but his wins were three years apart (1955 and 1958).
Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss won the Monaco Grand Prix three times: in 1956 (Maserati), 1960 and 1961 with Lotus, but could not do it in consecutive years with different brands.
He holds the record for most wins across different constructors in F1 history, though, having won Grands Prix for five different teams: Mercedes, Maserati, Vanwall, Cooper and Lotus.
Graham Hill
A Monaco master, Hill won the race five times, holding the record from 1969 until Ayrton Senna surpassed it in 1993.
Hill won three straight at Monaco with BRM from 1963 to 1965, then added two more with Lotus in 1968 and 1969.
Jackie Stewart
Stewart won three times in Monaco, in 1966 with BRM and in 1971 and 1973 with Tyrrell.
Jody Scheckter
Ayrton Senna (BR), Camel Team Lotus Honda 99T, on his way to his first win of 1987 and his first around the streets of the Monaco Principality.
Monaco Grand Prix, 31/05/1987, Monte Carlo.
Scheckter won twice at Monaco in a three-year span, with Wolf in 1977 and Ferrari in 1979.
Ayrton Senna
Senna, on his side, won Monaco for the first time in 1987 with Lotus. The following year, he joined McLaren and was dominating the 1988 race with a massive lead when he crashed at Portier corner on lap 67.
After the 1988 disappointment, Senna went on to win the next five Monaco Grands Prix from 1989 to 1993, establishing a new record of six victories at the circuit.
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher won Monaco in 1994 and 1995 with Benetton. In 1996, his first year with Ferrari, he started from pole position but crashed out on the first lap.
He recovered to win the race in 1997 with Ferrari, giving him three Monaco wins in four years with two different teams. Schumacher would go on to win the race five times in his career, adding victories in 1999 and 2001.
Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton has won three times in Monaco in his career, the most among active drivers. However, his wins came in separate years. He won for McLaren in 2008 and for Mercedes in 2016 and 2019.
Sebastian Vettel
Vettel won twice in Monaco in his career, in 2011 with Red Bull and 2017 with Ferrari.
A Unique Record That Requires More Than Skill
Alonso's record is a reminder that Monaco rewards not just speed but also timing and opportunity. He moved to a new team in 2007 and immediately won the sport's most prestigious race.
Nearly two decades later, that achievement still belongs only to him. And given how rare it is for drivers to switch teams at the peak of their powers nowadays, it may stand for a long time.
Related: Visit our just upgraded F1 Driver Records page to see more amazing records!
