Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday and took the championship lead from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who finished seventh despite the fastest lap.
The Dutchman now leads the drivers’ championship with a four point advantage over seven-time world champion Hamilton, and Red Bull also moved ahead in the constructors’ list for the first time since 2013, one point ahead of Mercedes, said dpa.
“It’s so special to win, and for me a first podium here. You never know what’s going to happen here, it’s all about looking after your tyres,” the race winner said.
Verstappen was first on the grid after original qualifying winner Charles Leclerc of Ferrari couldn’t start his home race due to a last-minute issue with the left driveshaft, which could not be fixed in time.
Ferrari at least celebrated a first podium this season with Carlos Sainz in second as he got the first top three result with the Italian team.
“When I reflect back on the weekend I’ll be happy and proud, and I think Ferrari should be proud of the car,” Sainz said.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was third, securing his second podium in 2021.
“I don’t know what to say, I didn’t think I’d be stood here. It’s always a dream to be on the podium here,” Norris said.
Hamilton had his worst result since the Italian Grand Prix last year, when he was also seventh.
Verstappen held off Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas at the start which was crucial for the final result as overtaking is almost impossible in Monaco.
The race got even better for the Red Bull driver as Bottas was forced to retire following a disastrous pitstop where one of his tyres didn’t come off. The wheel nut of his car machined onto the axle, meaning the wheel couldn’t be changed.
Hamilton, who was already far back in the midfield, lost positions. Sainz then seemed to be Vertappen’s new chaser, but the Dutchman managed to pick up the pace again and re-open the gap over the Ferrari car.
Leclerc had topped qualifying but also crashed there. Ferrari said after long examinations that a gearbox change bringing with it a grid penalty was not necessary.
But Leclerc awful luck on home soil with no finish continued after there was an issue at the start of the warm-up lap, which was “impossible to fix in time for the start of the race,” Ferrari said.
The driver told Sky Sports “it wasn’t a gearbox issue,” but still a problem related to the crash on Saturday.
Sergio Perez was fourth in the other Red Bull, while Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin was fifth, finishing in the points for the first time this season.
Rookie Mick Schumacher of Haas was 18th, behind team-mate Nikita Mazepin. The German driver missed qualifying due to a heavy crash in the last practice session, but was allowed to race.
Next stop on the F1 calendar is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on June 6.
BNA News
