Sunday
May232021
MAY 26, 2021
Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 12:36PM 
(Dan Istitine/F1)
Max Verstappen (No. 33 Red Bull Racing Honda) won the Monaco Grand Prix to take the lead in the Formula One world championship standings for the first time in his career, with rival Lewis Hamilton left fuming at his Mercedes team. Verstappen, who started from the front after pole-sitter Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderia Ferrari) was ruled out following a mechanical failure, led virtually every lap on his way to a crushing victory here in Monte Carlo. But Hamilton (No. 44 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) took the checkered flag in seventh after he lost two positions during the opening round of pit-stops. Verstappen crossed the line 8.9 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz (No. 55 Scuderia Ferrari), with Lando Norris (No. 4 McLaren F1 Team) claiming the third podium of his career following another fine drive to third. Verstappen headed into Sunday's race 14 points behind Hamilton but now leaves the principality four points ahead of the seven-time world champion. Hamilton, who was facing an uphill task after qualifying only seventh, took aim at Mercedes after he became the first of the leading pack to stop for tires on lap 29 of 78. He emerged from the pits in eighth, and then saw both Sebastian Vettel (No. 5 Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team) and Sergio Perez (No. 11 Red Bull Racing Honda) re-join ahead of him after they changed for rubber several laps later. "I don't understand, guys," said Hamilton on the radio. "I saved the tires to go longer and we stopped before everyone." Hamilton's race engineer Peter Bonnington then had to deliver the grim news that Perez was also ahead of him on the track. "We have lost the position to Perez, too," Bonnington said. "Sorry about that." With overtaking largely impossible on the narrow Monte Carlo streets, Hamilton was unable to make any impression on Pierre Gasly (No. 10 Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda). In the closing stages, he stopped for a second time to take on fresh rubber and claim a bonus point for the fastest lap before finishing almost a lap down on Verstappen. The Dutchman's path to glory was sealed when Leclerc retired from the race before it had started. Ferrari elected not to change the Monegasque's gearbox following his 110mph crash in the closing seconds of qualifying on Saturday. The decision ensured Leclerc escaped a five-place grid penalty, but it backfired after he reported problems immediately upon leaving his garage. "No, no, no, no, the gearbox, guys," said a slowing Leclerc over the radio as he emerged from the tunnel. He made it back to the pits but was unable to start the race after his Ferrari crew identified a left driveshaft failure. (Thank you to Phil Duncan/The Telegraph)
Max Verstappen (No. 33 Red Bull Racing Honda) won the Monaco Grand Prix to take the lead in the Formula One world championship standings for the first time in his career, with rival Lewis Hamilton left fuming at his Mercedes team. Verstappen, who started from the front after pole-sitter Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderia Ferrari) was ruled out following a mechanical failure, led virtually every lap on his way to a crushing victory here in Monte Carlo. But Hamilton (No. 44 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) took the checkered flag in seventh after he lost two positions during the opening round of pit-stops. Verstappen crossed the line 8.9 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz (No. 55 Scuderia Ferrari), with Lando Norris (No. 4 McLaren F1 Team) claiming the third podium of his career following another fine drive to third. Verstappen headed into Sunday's race 14 points behind Hamilton but now leaves the principality four points ahead of the seven-time world champion. Hamilton, who was facing an uphill task after qualifying only seventh, took aim at Mercedes after he became the first of the leading pack to stop for tires on lap 29 of 78. He emerged from the pits in eighth, and then saw both Sebastian Vettel (No. 5 Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team) and Sergio Perez (No. 11 Red Bull Racing Honda) re-join ahead of him after they changed for rubber several laps later. "I don't understand, guys," said Hamilton on the radio. "I saved the tires to go longer and we stopped before everyone." Hamilton's race engineer Peter Bonnington then had to deliver the grim news that Perez was also ahead of him on the track. "We have lost the position to Perez, too," Bonnington said. "Sorry about that." With overtaking largely impossible on the narrow Monte Carlo streets, Hamilton was unable to make any impression on Pierre Gasly (No. 10 Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda). In the closing stages, he stopped for a second time to take on fresh rubber and claim a bonus point for the fastest lap before finishing almost a lap down on Verstappen. The Dutchman's path to glory was sealed when Leclerc retired from the race before it had started. Ferrari elected not to change the Monegasque's gearbox following his 110mph crash in the closing seconds of qualifying on Saturday. The decision ensured Leclerc escaped a five-place grid penalty, but it backfired after he reported problems immediately upon leaving his garage. "No, no, no, no, the gearbox, guys," said a slowing Leclerc over the radio as he emerged from the tunnel. He made it back to the pits but was unable to start the race after his Ferrari crew identified a left driveshaft failure. (Thank you to Phil Duncan/The Telegraph)
