Hamilton masters rain-hit Monaco GPposted in F129 | 05 | 2016
LEWIS HAMILTON KICK-STARTED his bid to win a fourth Formula One World Championship when he won a thrilling, rain-hit Monaco Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver — who started from third on the grid, the same position he started when he won his first Monaco GP in 2008 — pulled a strategy masterstroke to win.
After heavy overnight rain continued through the morning, the 78-lap race started behind the safety car. But once the race went ‘live’, polesitter Daniel Ricciardo quickly established a 13-second lead ahead of second-placed Nico Rosberg.
The world championship leader was clearly holding up his Mercedes team-mate, who was tucked up behind the German’s exhaust. As it became clear that Rosberg’s car was struggling with brake and tyre problems, Mercedes instructed him to let Hamilton pass.
The defending world champ then set about slashing Ricciardo’s lead. But when the Aussie pitted for intermediates, handing Hamilton the lead, the Englishman remained out on full wets, as the track continued to dry.
Not surprisingly, the Red Bull of Ricciardo caught Hamilton quickly and retook the lead when the Mercedes pitted for the ultra-soft at the end of lap 31 of 78.
The Australian pitted next time around for slicks, but a miscommunication meant the tyres were not ready when he reached the pitbox.
Related: Ricciardo feels "screwed" after Red Bull botch
Eventually, the team fitted super-softs and got him out, but as he exited the pits Hamilton swept around the outside to retake the lead.
Hamilton then absorbed pressure from Ricciardo to keep the lead and claim his 44th career victory. It was the first race Hamilton had won since he clinched his third world title in last year's United States GP.
Sergio Perez handed Force India a dramatic boost when he claimed the team’s first podium of 2016. the Mexican was forced to repel intense pressure from the Ferrari of fourth-placed Sebastian Vettel.
The Garman’s team-mate, Kimi Raikkonen, retired early in the race when he crashed at Loews, blocking Romain Grosjean’s Haas as he tried to rejoin. Raikkonen then pulled off at the exit of the tunnel with his front wing lodged underneath the car.
McLaren claimed a brilliant fifth place with Fernando Alonso, while Force India’s Nico Huldenberg stole sixth off a low-key Rosberg with a final dash to the line off the final corner. The top 10 was completed by Carlos Sainz Jr, Jenson Button and Felipe Massa.
Max Verstappen, who won last time out in Spain on his Red Bull debut, fought his way up into the points after starting from the pitlane but crashed at Massenet: it was his third crash of the weekend.
The result means Hamilton has now slashed Rosberg’s lead in the world championship from 43 points at the start of the race, to just 24 as they head to Canada in a fortnight.
Formula One — Monaco Grand Prix (Result).
1. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes-Mercedes 78 laps 1h 59m 29.133s
2. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull-Renault +07.252s
3. Sergio Perez MEX Force India-Mercedes +13.825s
4. Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari-Ferrari +15.846s
5. Fernando Alonso ESP McLaren-Honda +85.076s
6. Nico Hulkenberg GER Force India-Mercedes +92.999s
7. Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes-Mercedes +93.290s
8. Carlos Sainz Jr ESP Toro Rosso-Ferrari +1 lap
9. Jenson Button GBR McLaren-Honda +1 lap
10. Felipe Massa BRZ Williams-Mercedes +1 lap
11. Esteban Gutierrez MEX Haas-Ferrari +1 lap
12. Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams-Mercedes +1 lap*
13 Romain Grosjean FRA Haas-Ferrari +2 laps
14. Pascal Wehrlein GER Manor-Mercedes +2 laps*/*
15 Rio Haryanto INA Manor-Mercedes +2 laps
Retired:
Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber-Ferrari 51 laps completed
Felipe Nasr BRA Sauber-Ferrari 48 laps completed
Max Verstappen NED Red Bull-Renault 34 laps completed
Kevin Magnussen DEN Renault-Renault 32 laps completed
Daniil Kvyat RUS Toro Rosso-Ferrari 18 laps completed
Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari-Ferrari 10 laps completed
Jolyon Palmer GBR Renault-Renault 7 laps completed
Fastest lap
Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 17.939s lap 71
* denotes driver penalised 10secs
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Jim McGill