1966 Monaco Grand Prix: F1 Race, Qualifying & Winners

Jackie Stewart won the opening race of Formula One’s new three-litre era, beating Lorenzo Bandini and Graham Hill at Monaco. Only four drivers were classified after a demanding afternoon of attrition.

Result	Driver / Time	Team
Pole position	Jim Clark	Lotus
Pole time	1:29.9
Fastest lap	Lorenzo Bandini	Ferrari
Fastest-lap time	1:29.800 on lap 90
First	Jackie Stewart	BRM
Second	Lorenzo Bandini	Ferrari
Third	Graham Hill	BRM

Weekend Schedule

Date	Session	Local Time
19 May 1966	Thursday timed practice	Start time unconfirmed
20 May 1966	Friday morning timed practice	Approximately 08:00–09:00
21 May 1966	Saturday final qualifying	Start time unconfirmed
22 May 1966	Race	Start time unconfirmed

All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.

Championship background

The engine limit had doubled from 1.5 litres to three litres for naturally aspirated cars, with 1.5-litre supercharged engines also permitted. Many teams were still developing their new machinery, so enlarged older engines remained competitive on Monaco’s tight streets.

Race entries

McLaren made its championship debut as a constructor with Bruce McLaren driving the new Ford-powered car. Brabham used a Repco V8, Ferrari brought three-litre V12 machinery alongside Bandini’s smaller V6, and Cooper used Maserati engines. BRM demonstrated its H16 but retained the lighter V8 cars for the race; Clark also relied on a smaller-engined Lotus.

Thursday timed practice

Stewart quickly established the pace as the roads dried after a light shower. McLaren began developing his new car, while Hill gave the complex BRM H16 an exploratory run. Clark lost time to final-drive trouble. Ferrari and Brabham missed the session because of travel delays, leaving several major contenders still to appear.

Friday morning timed practice

The full works field arrived, and Surtees showed that Ferrari’s three-litre car could compete around the slow circuit. Bandini and the two BRM drivers also ran strongly. Clark, his Lotus repaired, produced a late fastest lap, while Hulme impressed in the four-cylinder Brabham. McLaren continued making steady progress with the new chassis.

Saturday final qualifying

Clark broke the ninety-second barrier to secure pole, narrowly ahead of Surtees. Bandini tried Ferrari’s new V12 as well as the V6 but chose the smaller car for the race. Brabham’s Repco engine developed trouble, and BRM kept its H16 in the pits while Hill concentrated on grid position. Bondurant joined the running in a privately entered BRM.

Qualifying Classification

The fastest eligible lap across three timed practice sessions set the grid. Film-camera running for Grand Prix was separate from the sporting contest and is not treated as an additional championship entry.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Best Time
1	4	Jim Clark	Lotus	1:29.9
2	17	John Surtees	Ferrari	1:30.1
3	12	Jackie Stewart	BRM	1:30.3
4	11	Graham Hill	BRM	1:30.4
5	16	Lorenzo Bandini	Ferrari	1:30.5
6	8	Denny Hulme	Brabham	1:31.1
7	10	Jochen Rindt	Cooper	1:32.2
8	15	Bob Anderson	Brabham	1:32.5
9	9	Richie Ginther	Cooper	1:32.6
10	2	Bruce McLaren	McLaren	1:32.8
11	7	Jack Brabham	Brabham	1:32.8
12	6	Mike Spence	Lotus	1:33.5
13	14	Jo Siffert	Brabham	1:34.4
14	18	Jo Bonnier	Cooper	1:35.0
15	21	Guy Ligier	Cooper	1:35.2
16	19	Bob Bondurant	BRM	1:37.3
DNS	20	Phil Hill	Lotus	1:42.2

What happened in the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix?

Surtees led the opening stages before his Ferrari’s differential failed, handing control to Stewart. Hulme also retired, while Clark’s recovery ended through suspension trouble as he disputed a podium place.

Bandini pushed hard and set the fastest lap, but eased his pace to preserve the Ferrari’s brakes. Stewart remained in command and took his second World Championship victory, with Bandini second and Hill third.

Bondurant finished fourth and was the only other classified driver. The requirement to complete at least ninety percent of the winner’s distance excluded other cars still circulating, so fifth- and sixth-place points were not awarded. The older, smaller-engined BRMs had prevailed in the first race of the new formula.

After the race, Jackie Stewart headed the drivers’ standings with 9 points, followed by Lorenzo Bandini on 6. BRM led the constructors’ table on 9, with Ferrari on 6.

1966 Monaco Grand Prix race results

The 1966 Monaco Grand Prix was held on 22 May 1966.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time / Retired	Pts.
1	12	Jackie Stewart	BRM	100	2:33:10.5	9
2	16	Lorenzo Bandini	Ferrari	100	+ 40.2	6
3	11	Graham Hill	BRM	99	+ 1 lap	4
4	19	Bob Bondurant	BRM	95	+ 5 laps	3
Ret	9	Richie Ginther	Cooper	80	Transmission	0
NC	21	Guy Ligier	Cooper	75	+ 25 laps	0
NC	18	Jo Bonnier	Cooper	73	+ 27 laps	0
Ret	4	Jim Clark	Lotus	60	Suspension	0
Ret	10	Jochen Rindt	Cooper	56	Engine	0
Ret	14	Jo Siffert	Brabham	35	Clutch	0
Ret	6	Mike Spence	Lotus	34	Suspension	0
Ret	7	Jack Brabham	Brabham	17	Gearbox	0
Ret	17	John Surtees	Ferrari	16	Transmission	0
Ret	8	Denny Hulme	Brabham	15	Transmission	0
Ret	2	Bruce McLaren	McLaren	9	Oil leak	0
Ret	15	Bob Anderson	Brabham	3	Engine	0
DNS	20	Phil Hill	Lotus		Camera car	0
WD	1	Chris Amon	McLaren			0
WD	3	Peter Arundell	Lotus			0
WD	5	Richard Attwood	BRM			0

1966 Monaco Grand Prix Fastest Laps

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Lap	Time
1	16	Lorenzo Bandini	Ferrari	90	1:29.800

Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.

1966 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings

Championship standings after the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix.

1966 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings

POS	Driver	Nationality	Car	PTS
1	Jackie Stewart	British	BRM	9
2	Lorenzo Bandini	Italian	Ferrari	6
3	Graham Hill	British	BRM	4
4	Bob Bondurant	American	BRM	3
–	Richie Ginther	American	Cooper	0
–	Guy Ligier	French	Cooper	0
–	Jo Bonnier	Swedish	Cooper	0
–	Jim Clark	British	Lotus	0
–	Jochen Rindt	Austrian	Cooper	0
–	Jo Siffert	Swiss	Brabham	0
–	Mike Spence	British	Lotus	0
–	Jack Brabham	Australian	Brabham	0
–	John Surtees	British	Ferrari	0
–	Denny Hulme	New Zealander	Brabham	0
–	Bruce McLaren	New Zealander	McLaren	0
–	Bob Anderson	British	Brabham	0

1966 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings

POS	Car	PTS
1	BRM	9
2	Ferrari	6
—	Cooper – Maserati	0
—	Lotus – Climax	0
—	Brabham – BRM	0
—	Lotus – BRM	0
—	Brabham – Repco	0
—	Brabham – Climax	0
—	McLaren – Ford	0

Drivers and constructors counted their best 5 results. Only the highest-placed eligible car for each constructor could score constructor points.

1966 Formula 1 Race Calendar

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	1966 Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo	22 May
2	1966 Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot	12 June
3	1966 French Grand Prix	Reims-Gueux, Reims	3 July
4	1966 British Grand Prix	Brands Hatch, West Kingsdown	16 July
5	1966 Dutch Grand Prix	Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort	24 July
6	1966 German Grand Prix	Nürburgring, Nürburg	7 August
7	1966 Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza	4 September
8	1966 United States Grand Prix	Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York	2 October
9	1966 Mexican Grand Prix	Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City	23 October