Sebastian Vettel has done it again, this time at the prestigious principality of Monaco. The reigning World Champion who received his winner’s trophy by Prince Albert himself finished the 78-lap race about a second ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. Jenson Button of McLaren made it an all-champion podium with his third place.
The Monaco GP which is known to host boring races due to the lack of overtaking opportunities gave fans a rather eventful race this season. Vettel who started from pole maintained his position through Turn 1 at the start of the race while it was not as good of a news for Schumacher who started from fifth. The German who almost stalled on the grid dropped to tenth before making an interesting pass on Lewis Hamilton for ninth place.
As leader Vettel started Lap 2, it was Button and Alonso in second second and third respectively. This was followed by Webber, Rosberg, Massa, Maldonado, Petrov, Schumacher and Hamilton. On Lap 11, Hamilton wowed the spectators when the former World Champion overtook Schumacher for ninth place at St. Devote. The latter then pitted the next lap, likely due to tyre graining. The next battle was for fifth place, when Massa made a move on Rosberg in the other Mercedes car.
Vettel made his first pit stop at about Lap 16 but Red Bull mechanics were taking time with the tyres. Webber pitted at the same time as well, but had to wait for his turn a quite a long time. As the dust settled, Button who pitted earlier than Vettel was leading ahead of the German, followed by Alonso, Massa and Maldonado in fifth. Down the grid both Mercedes drivers, Rosberg and Schumacher were running in 14th and 15th and the latter made a nice move on his team mate at a hairpin.
The SLS AMG Safety Car made its first mid-race appearance this season following a crash involving Massa as he crashed onto the side barrier towards the end of the tunnel while fighting for position with Hamilton. At the same time, Schumacher called it a day as well following a mechanical problem. Green flags were waived on Lap 39 of 78 and just moments later, Hamilton was handed a drive-through penalty, as the stewards ruled that Hamilton caused the accident with Massa.
By the Lap 45, it was Vettel who was back in the lead ahead of Button and Alonso. Sutil, Kobayashi, Webber, Maldanado, Patrov, Hamilton and Heidfeld filled up the top ten. As more laps passed, leader Vettel started to receive pressure from Alonso. Button was right behind the Spaniard. With just a few laps remaining, the Safety Car was deployed again as Petrov and Buemi both hit the barriers. The Safety Car situation was then converted to a red flag as more time was needed to get Petrov out from this Lotus Renault. With the red flags deployed, all cars had to stop on the grid.
The race restarted under Safety Car conditions on Lap 73, with about five laps remaining. Hamilton caused yet another scene as he hit Maldonado and ended the Williams driver’s race. All eyes were on Vettel, Alonso and Button as the top three were battling each other out for the ultimate prize, with Alonso setting fastest lap times of the race multiple times. When the checkered flag was drawn, it was Vettel who emerged victorious with Alonso and Button maintaining second and third.
The championship situation now looks even better for Vettel. With 143 points, he is 58 points clear of Hamilton. Webber is close behind in third, with 79 points, followed closely by Button with 76 and Alonso with 69. Red Bull has scored 222 points thus far in the Constructors’ Championship with McLaren in second, thanks to 161 points. Ferrari is third with 93 points, 43 points more than Renault and 53 points more than Mercedes.
Please click here for the full results. The Canadian GP is next, on 12th June in Montreal.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
I have to change my mind on what I said before, this is probably one of Vettel’s finest drives!!
whatever happens, vettel still has the luck..and i’m getting tired to see him every race on the podium..wondering why webber does not get the same luck..
pity webber,alonso and hamilton, they’ve been working like menace but still wont get to beat vettel..
Luck or not, he still have to drive his ass of that RB in monaco.
its the car…too fast…i wonder why cant other teams match their speed.hmm
if it’s too fast, why he had hard time shaking off Alonso from his tail and had a hard time chasing Button when Button is in front of him…
Basically, it’s the nature of the track, strategy they apply, and situation pretty much sided with him… and as far as the season goes, why Webber can’t match with Vettel even Webber double the efforts, I would say Vettel’s take off at the starts of the races has been better than Webber…
alonso is a freakin great driver man..red bull just have a great machine
only one stop. great strategy by Red Bull
Vettel is the new breed of champs.he’s starting to be like schumi during his ferrari years…
Its not because of luck. Its purely strategy and skills…
GO GO VETTEL…
dude did you watch the race ? button almost lead vettle 15+sec on their 1 pit stop is the safety car rune button race .and again red flag help vettle again
Dude, I don’t think that’s luck, that’s strategy. A racing incident occurs, anything can happen, if ever, I feel d 1st safety car favored Alonso n Button as they pitted n have fresher tyres. Button was so close to Alonso, Vettel was struggling with his degraded tyres n I think he stopped using KERS midway through d race.
Next comes d skill element. Despite strategy putting Vettel at a big disadvantage, he drove well to keep his position. If he had no skill, just a kid relying on luck, Alonso n Button would’ve overtake Vettel already.
Luck is only when Alonso n Button accident with each other or some other failures that make Vettel’s win easy. Obviously it was a very difficult n deserving win for Vettel.
Now I hope I’m not hearing Hammy complain Petrov accident to make it easy for Vettel to win…
LOL
yeah I get it when happens to bigger team it is strategy not luck no way
but if it happens to smaller teams.. it is pure luck because of accident or other teams misfortune not strategy
damn I love the way malaysian evaluate certain situation
:D
pity Petrov, well done Kobayashi!
Kobayashi and Sutil drove very good and aggressive races.
Maybe McLaren should replace that Ham with Kobayashi.
IMHO JB & FA drive better in Monaco. Well when u talk about Monaco, luck is very important along with strategy. Pity to McLaren. Indeed I really enjoy the GP
Yabedabedooooo!!!!
Great drive by Vettel!! Any doubts that he’s a champion only bcuz of d car, bt he drove absolutely fantastic!! Truly suspenseful throughout the race after d 1st safety car, truly epic race. No one can say he won it as if it was a stroll in d park hahahaha!!!
So Hammy, wat happened? Gonna b a crybaby, blaming ur team again n stuffs? Mayb u will. Serves u rite Hahahaha!!!
that hammy drive as good as I am… ramming into everyone… if he’s gonna say everyone getting on his way this time (and he already said Massa turn onto him at the hairpin before Massa slam into the wall in the tunnel), I would say let’s ban him from any race in the future… XD
I have lost respect to Hamilton after this Monaco GP.Crashing into 2 cars causing Massa and Maldonaldo to retire, and still complaining the stewards were biased, what the hell this kid is thinking???? Check this report and u sure be pissed with hamilton’s immaturity!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/91854
LOL!! Dam straight I’m pissed reading that, even joking (which is NOT FUNNY at all) stewarts punishing him cuz he’s black, accusing racism, totally unprofessional!!
Even before Monaco I’m pissed how he talk cock abt him being d chosen one to stop Vettel’s domination, totally underestimating Webber, Alonso n Button. And then accusing Toro Rosso n RBR colluding to compromise his Spanish GP. Tsk tsk tsk
He blame stewarts anti-him putting a show for his fans? Nah, his fans must be disgusted with his crybaby shittalk, they want him to race GOOD, nt get over his head, thinkin he can simply bulldoze other racers until they crash. He better shut his mouth n have some good dose of humble pie before putting himself as Vettel’s rival. Very disgusting attitude he has there
I never like Hamilton, but this race make him worst. He is ego, and ignorant. Start when he is still the new star of McLaren, he is showing his bad attitude toward other driver, both on the track and off the track. This is not the first time he drove so reckless. Out of this year six races, he had been to the stewards five times!! He show no sportsmanship at all. Still remember why Alonso is moving to Ferrari? Part of the reason is Hamilton does not treat him as a team mate.
Hamilton’s starting to show how much of a sore loser he is when he’s not up in front. Even when he was up in front his moves right across the track at the starts seems pretty dangerous.
the man of the race for me would be jenson button.just that luck wasn’t on his side and vettel was and somehow extremely to win.
Vettel will be the new youngest double world champion.