Monaco, the most prestigious and historic race on the Formula One calendar, is back for another year. Red Bull driver and two-time World Champion; Max Verstappen, is the pole sitter, which surprisingly is his first in the principality. His teammate, Sergio Perez, suffered a big hit during the first qualifying session meaning it's a 20th place start for the Mexican. Not ideal when you're fighting for the championship.
With all the drivers ready and lined up on the grid, the lights go out and it's Verstappen who leads them into the first corner. Further along the lap, at Mirabeau, the Haas and Williams of Nico Hulkenberg and Logan Sargeant, make contact, resulting in a penalty for the former. Both drivers, however, continue on.
Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin reports damage over his team radio and pits for what he thinks is a puncture. Hulkenberg, Perez and Zhou Guanyu also follow him into the pits. This looks like a strategy call for the Red Bull of Perez. He switches to hards which indicates he is going to the end.
Up front Verstappen is still leading ahead of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon, who had his best Monaco qualifying to date. Mercedes driver, George Russell, finds himself under investigation due to an "incorrect starting location." This is quickly dismissed when the stewards decide there is no need for further investigation.
Lap 11 and Carlos Sainz damages his Ferrari while hunting down Ocon. He's advised by the team to pit but carries on his way. A yellow flag is brought out in sector three which presumably is for the debris that has fallen off the Spaniard's car. Fellow countryman, Alonso, quickly comes onto the radio, worrying that he has caused himself a puncture while running over the debris. The Aston Martin team check the data and everything seems ok. Sainz gets shown the black and white flag for his tussle with Ocon.
At the back of the field, a train is starting to form with Sargeant at the forefront. Kevin Magnussen pulls off an overtake on the American driver into Mirabeau. Stroll and Perez follow him through.
Ferrari are still trying to get Sainz to box with no luck. Williams pit both of their drivers with tyre deg worse than predicted. Russell, who is yet to pit, has a struggle with his breaks with warnings appearing on his dash. He carries on. Further back, Perez's comeback is stalled while he's stuck behind Stroll and Magnussen.
Lap 26 and Sargeant is pitting for Williams, again. He has a left-rear puncture. Talk of rain starts to circulate over team radio with it being predicted to arrive by lap 35. In reality, no one seems to know.
Verstappen, who is still leading, is complaining of graining on his tyres. He is also catching the back markers. Ironically, this includes his teammate, Perez, who is still stuck behind the Aston Martin of Stroll. Verstappen is nearly 10 seconds ahead of 2nd place man, Alonso. However, the Spaniard, who is on the hard tyre compared to Verstappen's medium, is starting to come back at the reigning World Champion.
Lap 32 and many drivers are still yet to pit as they're waiting for either a safety car or the incoming rain. Lewis Hamilton's tyres seem to have had enough, so Mercedes call him in. Third place man, Ocon, also dives into the pit lane. It's a slow stop for the Alpine.
Timing screens show that Perez has finally passed Stroll. Replays differ, instead showing Verstappen lapping Stroll and Perez attempting to follow his teammate through, cutting the chicane in the process. He tells his team that Stroll pushed him off the track. He doesn't give the place back and finds himself noted by the stewards.
Ferrari finally get their way on lap 34 when Sainz pits. He comes out behind Ocon but ahead of Hamilton. However, the Ferrari driver seems furious with the team's strategy calls. Towards the back of the field, things go from bad to worse for Perez when he runs into the back of Kevin Magnussen's Haas, accusing the Dane of break testing him. However, this incident gives Stroll the opportunity to take his position back from Perez. Due to this, the stewards do not feel any need to investigate the earlier incident between the two. A few laps later and this time it's Stroll and Magnussen that come together. Magnussen cuts Stroll off, damaging the Aston Martin's front wing in the process.
Verstappen is still out there on the tyres he started the race on. He says over team radio that he's not sure how much longer he can stay on them. However, rain seems to be on horizon, so pitting him now would be pointless. But still, teams are unsure as to what will happen. Ferrari decide to bring in Leclerc and Alpine; Gasly, for their mandatory stops.
It's lap 50 and drivers are starting to see rain drops - specifically in turn 3. Despite this, McLaren pit Lando Norris for a set of hards. Russell tells his team that the rain is starting to come down harder. It quickly becomes visible on camera. Things are about to get spicy.
Valtteri Bottas and Stroll are the first drivers to gamble with the intermediate tyres. Zhou and Albon are quick to follow. Aston Martin bring Alonso in for his stop. Surprisingly, he switches to the mediums with hope that the extra grip on his new tyres will do the trick on the slippery track. Verstappen, who still is yet to come in, clips the barrier at Portier and tells the team he is ready for inters. Red Bull finally bring him in and get him back out without loosing the lead. Sainz, on slicks, goes off and finds himself slipping down the order. Ferrari pit him, alongside his teammate; Leclerc, for inters. Alonso is also back in for an appropriate change of tyre. However, it's bad news for his teammate. Stroll goes off at Portier and brings out the yellow flag. Unfortunately, he's unable to get going again and becomes the first retirement of the race.
With the rain still falling, Magnussen, on his way to the pits, hits the barrier at Rascasse. He get's going again and boxes for the full wet tyre. The first driver to do so. Lap 60 and it looks as if Perez's race is becoming more of a test session in order to aid his teammate who is leading the race. Red Bull fit the Mexican with full wets. However, these wets are a new tyre configuration and don't come out of tyre blankets.
Russell goes off at Sainte Devote and rejoins in an unsafe manner, getting tagged by Perez in the process. He is handed a 5-second penalty. Luckily for him, he is currently over 5 seconds ahead of the next driver; Charles Leclerc. Talking of penalties, Hulkenberg pits but doesn't complete his 5-second penalty that he was handed earlier on in the race. The stewards look into this and slap him with a further 10-second penalty.
By lap 65, the rain has eased and the track is bone dry in places. Alpha Tauri give their driver Yuki Tsunoda the hurry up and get a very vocal reply with the Japanese driver declaring "these brakes sucks!" Further forward and Ocon is still holding onto the final podium place. Verstappen's lead to Alonso has grown, with the Dutchman creating a gap that would give him a free pitstop. Pierre Gasly has a trip over the chicane and receives a black and white flag. As for tyre situations, some drivers are still sporting wets but the track seems more suited to inters right now.
Tsunoda's breaks are starting to get worse. He his passed by both McLaren drivers before going straight on at Mirabeau. He falls out of the points to 13th. Verstappen, with his monstrous lead, is pushing. He doesn't need to but he is. He clips the barrier but continues on. He soon laps Perez for a second time. The closest gap on track is between Gasly and Sainz in their fight for 7th. Just a few laps from the end now and Magnussen is back in the pits. He becomes the second driver to retire after Stroll.
The last lap and Verstappen is still in a league of his own. He crosses the finish line to win what his is only second ever win in Monaco. Alonso holds onto 2nd, his best finish this season. Ocon claims the final podium position despite Hamilton hunting him down in the latter stages. Russell, Leclerc, Gasly, Sainz, Norris and Oscar Piastri are the final point scorers.
It's true what they say, "anything can happen in Monaco." And, with only one week until the next race, we don't have to wait too long to watch more nail-biting racing! See you next week for the Spanish Grand Prix!
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