Lyons rules the Monaco streets
Racing returned to Monte-carlo from 23-25 April with the 12th Grand Prix de Monaco Historique.
Michael Lyons starred, winning three of the seven races. His first was in the contest for 3-litre Formula One cars from 1966-’72, driving a Surtees TS9. He overtook polesitter Stuart Hall’s Yardley Mclaren M19 at Beau Rivage on the opening lap and resisted constant pressure from Hall to take the chequer.
In Race F (for 3-litre F1 cars from ’73-’76), poleman and threetime Le Mans victor Marco Werner in his Lotus 77 lost the lead to Grand Prix winner Jean Alesi in an ex-niki Lauda Ferrari 312 B3 at Sainte Dévote, only for the pair to tangle three laps from the flag. Lyons took the spoils in an ex-james Hunt Mclaren M26 before swapping to a Hesketh 308E to take to the following grid for Race G (for 1977-’80 3-litre F1 cars). When leader Jordan Groger (Arrows A3) hit the wall under pressure into retirement, Lyons won by 12 secs from Mike Cantillon’s Tyrrell 010.
The other winners were Christian Traber in a Talbot-lago T150C and Mark Shaw in an ex-jim Clark Lotus 21; Guillermo Fierro-eleta was twice victorious in Maseratis, claiming Race B in his 250F and Race C in his 300S.