Photo: Eric Alonso (Getty Images)
The FIA Formula One World Championship certainly had a less-than-usual start for its annual visit to the Principality of Monaco. As the teams prepared the cars on the grid for the start of the race, it started to rain. Today’s Monaco Grand Prix was officially declared a wet race, but did not fit the traditional mold of a wet F1 race. The tire strategy was put at the forefront.
The rain was initially light, a rain at best. Seeing that a heavier shower was coming, the control of the race decided to delay the start. The race started behind the safety car after the delay. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led the field behind the safety car as a pole-sitter, followed by teammate Carlos Sainz. As drivers circled the harbor side track, the intensity of the rain increased. It was really too wet to run with stagnant water around the circuit. Race control threw the red flag and stopped the race.
When the rain subsided, the Monaco Grand Prix finally began. According to the regulations for starting a wet safety car, all cars had to start with full tires. The big question was when the competition surface will be dry enough for intermediate tires. A number of drivers followed the safety car to the pit lane for intermediates. Pierre Taly of Alpha Tauri was the first to return to the track.
When Gasly’s lap times improved and he became the fastest rider on the track, some teams made the switch. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton pitted for intermediate tires on lap 16. McLaren’s Lando Norris pitted from fifth on lap 18.
The most shocking pit stop (or stops) would take place on lap 22. Scuderia Ferrari intended to pit only Carlos Sainz in pits from the lead for hard compound slick tires. The Spaniard had inherited the lead after his teammate turned 19 for the intermediates. When Sainz came in for the stop, Ferrari mistakenly told Leclerc to stop as well. Leclerc’s engineer corrected himself, but it was too late, and the Monegasque pilot shouted a series of improvisations on the radio as he drove down the pit lane.
In response, Red Bull’s double pit stops for the two riders on the next lap. The double stack was successful, with the Red Bulls jumping the Ferraris in running order. Sergio Pérez led, followed by Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in that order. This four-car train would cross the finish line in the same order.
The race was limited in part due to the delay in the rain at the start, but a second red flag ensured it during the race. Haas’ Mick Schumacher was involved in a massive crash on lap 27. He lost control of his car at left-right speed in the pool section. His Haas slid down the track and first crashed his back into a TecPro barrier. Schumacher was fine, but his Haas broke in half in the gearbox.
Race result – Top 10
- Sergio Pérez
- Carlos Sainz
- Max Verstappen
- Charles Leclerc
- George Russell
- Lando Norris
- Fernando Alonso
- Lewis Hamilton
- Valtteri Bottas
- Sebastian Vettel
Max Verstappen leads the World Drivers’ Championship by 9 points over Charles Leclerc. Formula 1 will return in two weeks’ time for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.