The first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929 had been hailed by bewildered observers as ‘the nearest approach to a Roman chariot race that has been seen of recent years’. With its glamorous Riviera backdrop and spectators afforded unrivalled, close-up views of the action, it quickly became an immensely popular addition to the racing year, and in 1933 broke new ground by being the first Grand Prix at which grid positions were decided on practice times rather than by ballot. The race itself would go down in history as the scene of one of the greatest duels of all time, between those old foes Achille Varzi and Tazio Nuvolari, and one which, even after 99 laps of non-stop cut and thrust, still managed to provide a sensational sting in the tail.
The practice sessions were dramatic enough. Rudolf Caracciola ploughed into a wall, badly injuring his right leg – an accident which kept him out of racing for over a year and left him with a permanent limp. And Nuvolari completed only 11 practice laps before bending his car so badly at Sainte Devote that it was not repaired until race day. The all-important times produced a front row of Varzi (Bugatti), Louis Chiron (Alfa Romeo) and Baconin Borzacchini (Alfa Romeo). Nuvolari’s Alfa was on the second row. The Alfa was faster than the Bugatti in a straight line but there aren’t too many of those at Monaco, where the Bugatti’s superior cornering was expected to come into its own.
From the inside berth, Varzi shot into the lead on the first of the 100 laps, ahead of Borzacchini, Marcel Lehoux and Nuvolari. On lap two Nuvolari moved up into second and next time round he edged into the lead. For the next 50 laps the pair exchanged leadership of the race with bewildering regularity, there rarely being more than a second between the two cars. The pace they set was so furious that the first of the back-markers was lapped after just seven circuits. Behind the two leaders was an equally ferocious scrap for third spot between the Alfas of Borzacchini and Philippe Etancelin, but then the flamboyant Frenchman skidded at the chicane, allowing Borzacchini to pull clear. Etancelin pressed on and broke Varzi’s lap record on lap 51, eventually catching Borzacchini seven laps later. But then on lap 65 Etancelin’s axle shaft broke, putting him out of the race.
This battle, however, paled into insignificance alongside the one which continued unabated for the lead. Nuvolari was driving in typically demonic fashion, taking corners with just one hand on the wheel because the other was almost constantly occupied with the gear lever. Although he had managed to maintain his narrow advantage for much of the race, the lead continued to change hands frequently and on lap 80 Varzi got past once more. On lap 83, Nuvolari led; by lap 93, it was Varzi; on lap 98 – with just two remaining – it was Nuvolari. With no more than a car’s length separating them, they sped around the world’s tightest and trickiest circuit as if joined by an invisible piece of string. Before the end of lap 99, Varzi had seized the initiative (setting a new lap record in the process), only to be re-passed at the beginning of the final lap. Surely now Nuvolari would hold on, but as the pair went up the hill to the Casino for the last time, smoke was seen pouring from the Alfa’s bonnet. An oil pipe had burst as a result of Nuvolari over-revving on the hill. Varzi gratefully accepted the invitation and shot by to record a memorable victory.
Meanwhile Nuvolari coasted grimly on towards the finish until the hot oil caused a fire. As flames shot out from beneath the Alfa’s bonnet, he jumped from the burning car and pushed it across the finish line, hotly pursued by irate officials waving fire extinguishers. Unfortunately one of the Alfa crew also lent a hand, which resulted in Nuvolari being disqualified, second place going to Borzacchini and third to René Dreyfus in a Bugatti. So the little man had nothing to show for what was, even by his standards, an inspired drive. Of the 100 laps, he had led for 64 and Varzi for only 36, but on the vital last lap Lady Luck had chosen to side with Varzi.