The famous Monaco circuit is one of the most iconic stops on the F1 schedule, but it’s also one of the most dangerous. hairpin down.wall close enough to kiss. A dark tunnel that throws the driver into blinding sunlight.
And it’s a good day.
Sunday was not a good day. When the rain started to fall during the Monaco Grand Prix and the tires started to lose grip, the situation deteriorated so quickly that even the most experienced teams might have been filled with anxiety.
But Max Verstappen is no average driver. While others struggled, he just sprinted to take his fourth win of the season and 39th of his career. It was Monaco’s second victory in three years, extending its lead over Red Bull in the season points standings.
“It was incredibly slippery,” Verstappen said of managing conditions in the first rain of the current F1 season. “When you have a big lead, you don’t want to push too much, but you don’t want to lose too much time.”
“I cut the wall a few times.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished second in the starting race, while Alpine’s Esteban Ocon did the same to finish a satisfying third. But neither was a serious challenger to Verstappen in a race that lasted nearly two hours. Fast cars slowed at times as drivers tried to keep their nerves down.
where the race changed
The rain, which everyone had been wary of since the first half of the race, finally started to fall around lap 50, and the leaders rushed into the pits and changed tires repeatedly. The problem was that initially there was no rain in all sectors of the track, so the tires, which were fine on the dry pavement, suddenly became unwieldy on the slippery surface.
It created a series of frenzied scenes and different decisions. Alonso running second, Two pit stops in quick succession After his team put on the wrong type the first time. Ferrari announced that two cars had pitted at the same time to make changes. Other drivers lost sight and subsequently lost control.
A combination of tight turns, close quarters and slick tires created dozens of unnerving moments. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. slid into the barrier. Kevin Magnussen lost control of Haas but escaped serious damage. Lance Stroll wasn’t so lucky. He was forced to withdraw from the race after an accident late in the race left his Aston Martin out of action.
But all the while Verstappen kept his cool and the team made the right decision. He came out of a chaotic few laps and when the race started, when the rain started, when the change started, he was where he was: in the lead.
Race in pictures
best days ranked
Verstappen. He was brilliant at strategy and race management, even if he couldn’t help himself in the closing stages. He gave his team a final scare as he climbed over the barrier with a lead of more than 20 seconds. But on a day when a lot could have gone wrong, it worked for him and Red Bull too. His advantage over team-mate Sergio Perez, who moved up to 16th on Sunday after a last-place start after a crash in qualifying, increased to 39 points and 51 over third-placed Alonso.
Okon. His third-place finish in qualifying came as a surprise to some, and his podium finish was probably more than one. However, he and Alpine managed the car and position well throughout the day, giving the team its first podium finish of the year.
Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell quietly came back in 4th and 5th. And while neither were in contention for the top spot (or podium, really), Mercedes will see hope in those performances. The small team in Monaco didn’t have the best laboratory to test the improvements the team rolled out this week, but Mercedes will leave with a treasure trove of points and valuable data. It’s a win for a team in a hurry to catch up with their rivals.
what they say
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“That was the real Monaco.” Verstappen.
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“Braking was very vulnerable. I think everyone did a great job today to keep the car on track.” Fernando Alonsowho have seen some things.
Drivers’ Championship Standings
After five starts, the only remaining race for Red Bull is against himself.
