The most chaotic end to an F1 grand prix took place on this day, 23 May, in 1982.
The Italian driver’s brief stint in first place ended quickly due to treacherous conditions, spinning at the Loews hairpin and stalling, blocking the track.
Prost’s crash on lap 74 gave the lead to Patrese in the Brabham-Ford, only for light rain and oil on the track to cause chaos in the final laps.
Alain Prost seemed poised to win before Pironi’s Ferrari and de Cesaris’s Alfa Romeo suffered sudden fuel issues on the last lap.
The chaotic conclusion to the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix led to Patrese securing his first F1 victory in a race dubbed “the race nobody wanted to win.”
With multiple lead changes and contenders dropping out in the last moments, Monaco Grand Prix of 23 May 1982 stands as one of the sport’s most remarkable events.
