“Max Verstappen Wins Rainy Monaco Grand Prix and Extends Championship Lead”

The Dutchman keeps his nerves in a sometimes confused race and clearly extends his championship lead.

Max Verstappen doesn’t allow himself to slip up in Monaco.Chassignoe/AFP

Rain chaos, tire gambles and a wild slide in the streets of Monaco – but even under these circumstances, Max Verstappen remains invulnerable: The world champion also won the confused Grand Prix in the Principality and overcame a number of hurdles in the process. The track wasn’t supposed to suit his Red Bull and heavy rain in the second half of the race caused a lot of confusion.

In the end, Verstappen was the first to cross the finish line and significantly extended his lead in the world championship. Fernando Alonso was only second – also because his Aston Martin team made a completely confused tire decision on a suddenly wet track and called him into the pits twice within two laps. In third place, Esteban Ocon celebrated a great success for the Alpine team, the top three started in exactly that order.

Mercedes achieves a decent result

Verstappen’s World Cup rival Sergio Pérez clearly missed the points, he had already lost the race in qualifying on Saturday and is now 39 points behind his team-mate.

Behind the top three, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell secured fourth and fifth place for Mercedes, a decent result, especially compared to Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz only finished sixth and eighth. Nico Hülkenberg im Haas experienced a completely unsuccessful Sunday, received two time penalties and only ended up in 17th place.

The predicted rain was a long time coming, but it did come in the end, and it shaped a race that had previously been a great bore. In the morning it was still sunny over Monaco, as on the previous days. Just in time for the start of the race, the first clouds could be seen over the Principality.

Neymar and Kylie Minogue are among the spectators

Minutes before the start of the race, the prominent people on the start straight were still in the sun, Neymar next to Kylie Minogue, next to David Alaba and Maria Sharapova. Of course, VIPs crowded the grid, Monaco always delivers in that regard. And qualifying on Saturday, with constant changes in the lead and several pole candidates, was the most exciting of the season so far.

However, the problem on the street circuit has always been the race Sunday, and that’s how the first half of the race developed. Nothing changed at the top, Verstappen confidently defended his pole position, Alonso stayed behind, and there were no shifts at all up to 13th place – behind them Hülkenberg caused a bit of excitement.

The German shot up four places from 18th place, but collided with Williams driver Logan Sargeant. His front wing was damaged, Hülkenberg had to make a long stop and was given a five-second penalty a little later. He didn’t pay for it correctly, which is why another ten seconds were added later.

Aston Martin gives up the chance to win

At the front, Verstappen pulled away from Alonso, but had put on the softer tires. So he would have to pit earlier, which was a bit exciting – just like looking up at the sky. Dark clouds hung in sight over the coast, and the teams kept telling their drivers that rain could still fall during the course of the race. When exactly, they did not agree.

It stayed dry until halfway through the race, but then everything happened very quickly. The first drops were reported after 50 of the 78 laps, a few laps later the track was wet and it was downright pattering at times. At this stage, the race could be won or lost – and Aston Martin at least lost the chance of winning: Alonso got new slicks, while some competitors were already sliding around helplessly on the track. The pits corrected this mistake just one lap later, the Spaniard received intermediates like the other pilots – but Verstappen was finally up and away.