Grand Prix de Monaco Historique: relived, not recalled.

Good things happen to those who wait. In the petrolhead’s calendar, the year is divided into must-go events, which usually occur yearly. However, some take 2 years to happen but when they do, it’s always something memorable. The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique is living history: it is a time capsule that will make you re-live the thrills of true legends battling on one of the oldest tracks in the world.

With the first edition held in 1997, it was a rampant success and quickly became one of the best events for classic Formula and Grand Prix racing in the world. Organized by the Automobile Club de Monaco, the 11th GP Historique this year counted 7 different classes of racing cars, spanning from 1929 to 1980.

The program also featured special parade laps to commemorate the 70th birthday of Porsche and the 1948 motorcycle GP, as well as the return of the legendary Lamborghini Marzal that belonged to Prince Ranieri III of Monaco. The car was back on track in Monte Carlo after 51 years, covering some demonstration laps with Prince Albert II behind the steering wheel and surrounded by breathtaking cars including a wonderful 1968 Espada.

Race cars do not belong to museums and we’re all glad there are still many enthusiasts who do not worry to fire up a Cosworth DFV and race it against Matra and Ferrari V12's. Where else in the world you get to see Jim Clark's Lotus 49 race against Clay Regazzoni’s Ferrari 312 B and Bruce McLaren's Cooper T79?

Alongside these great single-seaters, there was also a class dedicated to the 2 and 2* litre sportscars that competed in the 1952 GP de Monaco, which was the only year in which it was reserved to sportscars only.

Forget the film Rush and videogames like Assetto Corsa: for an entire weekend the echo of vintage motors animated a whole country with the sounds of bygone eras, which instead of being remembered are lived once again.