This weekend will see the great and the good in F1 battle it out to win that most evocative and prestigious of races, the Monaco Grand Prix. Monaco is arguably F1's spiritual home, as famous for its luxury, exclusivity and nightlife as it is for the narrow, demanding track which carves its way through the city streets. To celebrate Sunday's race, we've cobbled together a list of the ten drivers we feel have led the 'F1 lifestyle' to the full.
James Hunt
James Hunt was the archetypal Formula One playboy. Dapper, charming and outspoken, Hunt drove hard and partied harder which made him a big hit with the ladies. He would often turn up to formal events wearing a T-shirt and allegedly slept with 33 British Airways Stewardesses before the race which won him the 1976 World Championship. Legend.
Kimi Raikkonen
The steely Finn is best known for three things: his talent and determination on the track, his economical use of words, and his drinking. Just before the start of the 2007 season, while most drivers were preparing for the Australian Grand Prix and training hard, Kimi was taking part in a snowmobile race. And not only did he win the snowmobile race, he took home the title in Melbourne too. Mad, totally mad.
Eddie Irvine
Eddie Irvine was one of the most charismatic drivers of his era, living the playboy lifestyle to the full and dating some of the most beautiful women in the world. He also revelled in the jet-set lifestyle, owning houses in Miami, Milan and Dublin. He was also known for his outspokenness -- when asked why his 1996 teammate Michael Schumacher had an oddly shaped helmet, Irvine replied "Because he's German, he's got an odd shaped head."
David Coulthard
Ah, good ol' DC. Charming and debonair, Coulthard perfectly encapsulates the glorious F1 lifestyle more than any other driver of his era. A resident of Monaco, he also owns homes in London, Switzerland and Belgium. These days he spends his time working as a pundit on BBC 1's F1 coverage, providing insight into the inner-workings of Grand Prix racing, as well as ridiculing Eddie Jordan's awful shirts.Lewis Hamilton
Lewis hasn't done badly for a kid from Stevenage and, besides winning the 2008 World Championship, he also owns a home in Switzerland, a 90ft yacht (painted silver and red to match his F1 car) and is going out with a Pussycat Doll. Git.
Mike Hawthorn
We delve into the history books for our next candidate. Mike Hawthorn was the quintessential English gentleman both off and on the track and was notorious for his hilarious drunken antics. After a night's drinking, one of his favourite past-times was knocking cyclists of their bicycles with a plank of wood.
Jenson Button
Button's playboy days are behind him now but that doesn't mean he's sacrificed the F1 lifestyle. Oh no. JB has lived in Monaco and Guernsey and has houses in London and Bahrain. Oh yes, and on top of this he used to have a Bugatti Veyron.
Graham Hill
With his Terry Thomas moustache and undeniable charm, Graham Hill was one of the most iconic racers of his day. He also wasn't averse to a bit of partying and famously had an accident when he impaled his leg on a wine glass during a moment of revelry. He later quipped that it was fortunate he was in his underpants at the time as otherwise he'd have ruined his trousers.
Jacques Villeneuve
The 1997 World Champion makes it onto this list purely on the basis of his musical career -- how fantastic has your lifestyle got to be if you decide to record your own album when you're not actually a musician? Unfortunately, his debut album, Private Paradise, was a total flop. On the plus side, you can buy it for £19.38 on Amazon. No thanks.
Innes Ireland
Ireland was a driver in the 1960s and was renowned for partying hard and drinking harder. Apparently, after one race he got so absolutely bladdered, he got onto the roof of his hotel and started firing a gun into the air. Somehow we find it hard to imagine Michael Schumacher pulling a similar stunt.
If you'd like to nominate an F1 driver who you think better encapsulates all that's great about the F1 lifestyle, feel free to comment below.
