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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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"Gasly's backing me up I reckon, not sure why," quips Russell. The Alpine man though remains 1.2s behind Leclerc in third.
Verstappen tells his team "I'm not sure how long I can keep this up". He's beginning to lose time again to Alonso behind, the gap chipped back to 9.0s on lap 44.
Gasly has suddenly closed to within a second of Leclerc, who then pits from third.
Pit stop
Leclerc drops out of the top six into eighth as he makes his stop for fresh mediums.
Now in clear air Gasly sets his best lap of the race last time around as he seeks to overcut Leclerc.
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"Rain in about 15 laps potentially," is the response when Alonso checks in.
This cat and mouse fight between Verstappen and Alonso continues to rage, the two 9.2s apart split by tenths each lap. Remarkable fight, and we have no clue yet how this will play out.
Piastri got very close to disaster as he kissed the barrier on the way out of the Swimming Pool section. He's circulating in 11th at the moment.
In now comes Gasly. Can he overcut Leclerc?
Pit stop
Gasly makes his stop and he's eighth on his return to the track on fresh medium tyres, still behind Leclerc.
"There are some pockets of rain on the track we're monitoring," Verstappen is told. Is he staying out in the hope of rain?
Apparently Sargeant's afternoon has been turned into a school lesson as Williams is teaching him how to manage graining on those soft tyres.
Sainz, presumably still miffed about being brought in to cover Hamilton when he had eyes on overcutting Ocon, is 2.5s behind the Alpine and the same margin ahead of the Mercedes following.
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"Maybe drops of rain around Turn 6 to Turn 8," is Verstappen's advice over the radio.
Rain
"Spitting in Turn 3," reports Russell.
Verstappen's mediums are 51 laps old but he was still a tenth quicker than Alonso last time around.
Pit stop
Norris boxes from 10th for hard tyres.
Norris comes back out in 11th, which may well be ill-timed if this rain gets any heavier.
"Yeah, it's raining more and more," says Russell. By prolonging his first stint he could reap dividends from worsening rain. The Mercedes driver is third at the moment, but yet to stop.
Sainz is right on Ocon now, the conditions seemingly getting worse. His medium tyres are now preferable to the harder rubber on the Alpine.
Pit stop
Stroll is in the pits, as is Bottas. They have gone onto intermediate tyres.
Verstappen has pulled the gap back out to 12.3s through traffic. It's getting heavier in the middle sector.
"It might just be survival in that section of track," Verstappen is told as the rest of the track isn't as wet.
Pit stop
Zhou and Albon are also in the pits for intermediates.
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"He's leaving me no space, they need to do something about it, we're going to crash," complains Sainz. Round two of his bout versus Ocon is in full swing.
Pit stop
Tsunoda has boxed too on intermediates.
Pit stop
In comes Alonso! He takes mediums.
Pit stop
Russell, Ocon and Hamilton all in too. They all go for inters.
Sainz spins at Mirabeau. It's mayhem in the middle sector for those on dries!
Pit stop
McLaren is double stacking its drivers as they switch to inters.
Pit stop
Verstappen comes in for inters. Was that the wrong call for Alonso and Aston Martin to take mediums?
Pit stop
It certainly appears so, because Alonso has come back into the pits. Ferrari brings both cars in too, double-stacking Leclerc and Sainz.
Sainz is back out in eighth after Ferrari had to double stack its drivers. Magnussen has stayed out on hards.
It is now officially lashing it down.
Sainz had a very lazy half spin down into Turn 5 and was lucky to not hit the barriers very hard. Stroll crashed his Aston at the hairpin on inters. The front wing got stuck under his front wheels and sent him into the barrier again.
Replays show Verstappen grazed the wall at Portier on the mediums, but he did well to avoid nosing into the barrier on exit.
Magnussen is still out there on hard tyres. He's 18th at the moment and going very slowly. Hulkenberg has eased past him.
Magnussen is going to take full wets at his stop.
That extra stop means Alonso is now 20s behind Verstappen. Ocon is boosted to third by a decisive early stop for inters. He was behind Russell, who has now dropped behind both Ocon and Hamilton.
Crash
Magnussen has crashed.
By: Autosport Staff
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