The Monaco Grand prix offers drivers the unique experience of racing at 175mph through the twists and turns of a tight and narrow street circuit, just inches from barriers and pavements and around the famous Monaco casino, hotels and harbour.

When Formula One comes to the south coast of France each May, it's more than just a race weekend. The entire principality is brought to a standstill for four days as anyone who is anyone descends on the tiny town centre, staying in luxury hotels or on yachts the size of houses.

Winning at Monaco is seen as more than just another haul of Championship points in the bag. Winning at Monaco is to stake your claim as one of the true Formula One greats of your generation.

From the Grand Hotel Hairpin - the tightest and slowest corner in Formula One - to the famous tunnel and complex around the harbour, Monaco has been the jewel in the F1 calendar for more than 50 years.

We take a look at the driver who have won at Monaco the most. 

Sir Stirling Moss won the Monaco Grand Prix in 1956, 1960 and 1961. Often described at the greatest driver to never win the World Championship, Moss won his first Monaco GP in the Maserati Straight-6, while his wins in '60 and '61 came at the wheel of the Climax Straight-4 and the Rob Walker Racing Team.

Moss is seen here on the front row of the grid alongside the 'sharpnose' Ferrari and Lotus. The image shows just how close spectators can get to the action at Monaco, and while seating is much further back at modern circuits than in the '50s and '60, the fans at the Monaco GP can get as close as even to the track.

Frenchman Alain Prost won the Monaco Grand Prix four times in the mid- to late-80s. In the 1988 season he was team-mates with Ayrton Senna and between them they won 18 of the 19 races that season, thanks to the unstoppable McLaren MP4/4.

Here, Prost is seen driving his MP4/1 around the final corner of the lap, before charging down the start/finish straight.

Prost won four World Championships during his Formula One career, in 1985, 1986, 1989 and 1993. Nicknamed 'The Professor', Prost would only race as hard as he needed to to win the championship, If a fifth place was all that he needed, then he would maintain fifth and look after his car, instead of pushing for a race win that her may not have required.

Prost is seen leading the field up to the first corner of the 1984 Monaco GP, at the wheel of his McLaren MP4/2. The Frenchman went on to win the race, seven seconds ahead of Ayrton Senna, who finished second in the Toleman car. Rene Arnoux finished third, a further 22 second behind Senna, in the Ferrari.

Due to torrential weather conditions, Prost waved frantically at the race stewards on lap 29 to indicate that it should be stopped. On lap 32 or 76 the race was stopped for safety due to safety concerns. After the flag was waved, Senna passed the slowing Prost and crossed the line one lap later thinking he had won, but the rules then stated that finishing positions are decided from the last completed lap before the race is stopped, leaving Senna in second.

Michael Schumacher won the Monaco Grand Prix five times for Ferrari in a time that saw the German driver / Italian team partnership set record after record as he won seven World Championships - a feat yet to be beaten.

Schumacher is seen here at the 2006 Monaco GP entering the Swimming Pool section, as the track winds its way around the famous harbour.

The German had qualified on pole position, but was relegated to the back of the grid after the stewards decided he had deliberately spun his car at La Rascasse hairpin at the very end of the session, blocking the track and therefore stopping anyone from setting a faster time.

Schumacher went on to finish 5th, an impressive feat given that overtaking is almost impossible on the tight circuit.

Schumacher, 43, retired from Formula One at the end of the 2006 season, but returned to the sport in 2010 to take a seat at the Mercedes AMG team (formerly Championship-winning Brawn GP).

His return to F1 has not yet been a success, with the German yet to win a race for his new team and he has been consistently outpaced by his younger team-mate, Nico Rosberg.

Schumacher is seen here at the 2010 Monaco GP plunging down the hill towards the harbour, after passing the famous casino. The Mercedes driver qualified in 7th place on the grid, just behind his team-mate, but finished down in 12th, while Rosberg picked up point for the team with his 7th place finish.

Graham Hill won the Monaco Grand Prix five times in the 1960s, during his time at the top of F1, culminating in him winning the World Championship in 1962 and again in 1968.

Of 176 race starts - and a further three that Hill failed to qualify for - Hill won 14 Grand Prix and finished on the podium 36 times during his 17 year motorsport career.

Hill's first race in Formula One was at the Monaco GP in 1958, where he retired, but it must be added that only six cars finished.

The Englishman's helmet was inspired by the London Rowing Club, of which he was a member, and the design was used by his son Damon - who was World Champion in 1996 - and Graham's grandson Josh Hill.

Graham Hill was killed in November 1975 when his light aircraft - which he was piloting and had bought himself as a gift - crashed into trees while attempting to land in North London in heavy fog.

The most successful F1 driver at Monaco of all time, Ayrton Senna won the race an unrivalled six times during his ten-year career that saw him win the Drivers' World Championship three times.

Senna scored 41 wins, 80 podiums and 65 pole positions during his 161 Formula One starts.

The Brazilian is seen here at the 1993 race, climbing the hill from Sainte Devote (1st corner) to Beau Rivage, before heading around the casino.

Senna started the race in third position, alongside Michael Schumacher and behind pole sitter and Alain Prost, who was now at Williams, following a return to F1 from retirement that season.

Senna won the race, from Damon Hill in second and Jean Alesi in third. Prost finished fourth after a stop/go penalty was award to him for jumping the start.

Alain Prost went on to win the 1993 World Championship, a comfortable 26 points ahead of Senna in second.

Prost retired from F1 again after the 1993 season, leaving a space at the dominating Williams team for Ayrton Senna to fill for the following year, alongside team-mate Damon Hill.

Senna was killed in the third race of the season, at the San Marino Grand Prix, after his Williams struck a barrier on the outside of the Tamburello corner.