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Formula 1
Monaco GP
F1 Monaco GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2023 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.
The 2023 Monaco Grand Prix is the sixth round of the season, though was set to be the seventh had it not been for the Emilia Romagna GP's cancellation due to a weather emergency.
Max Verstappen starts on pole for the 78-lap grand prix around the streets of Monte Carlo, having edged Fernando Alonso in a thrilling Q3.
The sister Red Bull of Sergio Perez will start from the back of the grid after a Q1 crash, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc goes from sixth after being hit with a grid penalty.
The 2023 Monaco GP begins at 2pm BST.
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"How is the rain looking?" ponders Sainz. "In 45 minutes but it's slowing down the risk," reports his engineer.
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"Lando, possible rain, class one, 35 minutes", McLaren tells Norris. Presumably class one rain has something to do with DTM regulations?
After that spurt to build his lead out to 11.7s, on lap 26 Alonso was faster than Verstappen by a little over a tenth.
"Box to overtake Ocon," comes the order once more to Sainz.
The Ferrari pitcrew were in the lane, but once again Sainz stays out.
Alonso is quicker than Verstappen for a third lap in a row, but not by much. The Red Bull driver reports that his front left "really isn't pretty" as slow motion shots underline the extent of his graining issues.
Verstappen is about to catch traffic ahead and reports his concerns about losing time. Could he pit soon?
Perez has also been told "there's a risk of rain at the end of the race", which Red Bull believes is the reason for the train of cars he's found himself in.
Such is the nature of this race, Perez is about to be lapped by team-mate Verstappen!
Alonso was a second faster on lap 29 and again on lap 30, chipping the lead down to 9.4s.
Perez could pull a Verstappen and use his team-mate lapping cars to gain positions.
Ocon has been told to "keep doing what you're doing" when asked if he needs to deploy maximum pace as "Ferrari are getting frustrated". He's now pulled 1.9s on Sainz and dipped into the 1m16s bracket for the first time a few laps ago.
Pit stop
Hamilton has pitted for fresh hards and comes out in eighth behind team-mate Russell.
As Verstappen feared, the weight of traffic behind 12th place De Vries is helping Alonso. He's now 7.9s behind on lap 32.
Perez has gotten ahead of Stroll as Verstappen lapped the Aston driver.
Pit stop
Ocon has a slow stop and is out in seventh on new hards.
One lap after Ocon, Sainz is in. Can he jump the Alpine man?
Replay shows Perez tried to overtake Stroll around the outside of the chicane out of the tunnel as Verstappen unlapped himself, but cut the chicane having felt he was pushed off. The stewards may take a dim view of that.
Pit stop
Sainz is in and re-joins in seventh on new mediums, staying behind Ocon.
Perez has given the place back to Stroll as the incident was placed under investigation. That's a frustrating blow to the Red Bull driver's afternoon.
"It's almost undrivable," complains Verstappen, who is told he will fall behind Alonso if he pits now. The gap is just 6.8s to Alonso.
Perez didn't give the place back - he hit the back of Magnussen at the chicane! Perez says he was brake-tested, but Perez has lost a bit of his front wing and lost the position to Stroll.
Perez has been told to box.
Pit stop
Perez is in for a new front wing and fresh mediums. He will come out in last.
Leclerc has moved up to third on his hard tyres, and is 28.1s down on leader Verstappen. Gasly is 1.9s behind him and 2.5s in turn ahead of Russell, then Ocon.
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Sainz shouts "I don't care about Hamilton" behind him as he feels his strategy has ruined his race. He's seventh still.
Perez has gotten back into 19th ahead of Sargeant.
Sainz asked what Leclerc's pace was and says he was faster. Not a happy camper in that Ferrari right now.
Albon in 18th told there's a risk of rain with 20 laps to go.
Now clear of traffic at last, Verstappen's gap to Alonso is 8.0s starting lap 38. Rain continues to be a concern on the pitwall.
Stroll touched Magnussen at the last corner as he tried an overtake and reports he's got damage. He's still in 15th.
Stopwatch
Through all of the drama over the last few laps, Hamilton in eighth has posted the fastest lap of the race with a 1m15.650s.
The gaps between Leclerc, Gasly and Russell remain fairly stable. Ocon behind is biding his time knowing he's in a net third once they pit (assuming rain doesn't bring everyone back to the pits again).
The Stroll/Magnussen touch has been noted by the stewards.
Graining or not, Verstappen is still able to lap faster than Alonso and has extended his lead to 8.8s by going eight tenths quicker last time around.
By the end of lap 40 that gap has grown to 9.2s. Verstappen is really on it here trying to keep Alonso at arms length.
Everything's fairly stable at the moment. Hamilton is 2.2s behind Sainz in eighth, who is 3.1s behind Ocon ahead in sixth.
Gasly has moved a little closer to Leclerc in third, but is still out of DRS range for the time being.
Stroll is still looking for a way through on Magnussen for 14th despite having really banged up his Aston this race already and receiving a black and white flag for touching the Haas a few laps ago.
Alonso though is responding to Verstappen and sets a personal best of 1m16.719s last time though. It's still 9.3s between the leaders.
By: Autosport Staff
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