Double world champion Max Verstappen led a soggy and slippery Monaco Grand Prix from start to finish on Sunday to stretch his Formula One lead to 39 points and earn Red Bull a sixth win in as many races this season.
In a race livened up by a downpour after a processional 51 laps in dry conditions, Spaniard Fernando Alonso finished second for Aston Martin but a massive 27.9 seconds behind at the chequered flag.
Frenchman Esteban Ocon completed the podium in third place for Renault-owned Alpine, their first of the season, with Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton fourth and taking a bonus point for fastest lap.
Brazil and PSG football star Neymar ahead of the Monaco GP on Sunday. Getty Images
“That was a real Monaco,” Verstappen said after a 78-lap race that lasted an hour and 48 minutes.
“It was incredibly slippery and when you are that far in the lead you don’t want to push too hard but also you don’t want to lose too much time so it’s quite difficult in that scenario.
“I clipped the wall a few times and it was super difficult out there. But that’s Monaco.”
The win was Verstappen’s fourth of the season, second in Monaco and 39th of his career. Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, his closest title rival, started in last position after a qualifying crash and finished two laps down in 16th.
Mercedes’ George Russell was fifth and home hero Charles Leclerc finished sixth for Ferrari.
Verstappen led away cleanly from the start on the medium tyres, with Alonso opting for the harder compound and slotting in close behind with no change to the rest of the points positions.
If the podium ended up being the same top three as on the starting grid, the rain brought added excitement as drivers slid around the track, some getting too close to the barriers, before pitting for intermediate tyres and then full wets.
Verstappen delayed his pitstop to coincide with the rain while Alonso initially pitted for medium tyres and then had to come in again for intermediates, losing a possible chance to take the lead.