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Formula 1 Monaco GP

F1 Monaco GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race day

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12

Live Standings

Stopped

Summary

    • Verstappen wins F1 Monaco GP having controlled the race throughout
    • Sainz takes a strong second for Ferrari, as Norris holds off Perez for the final podium spot
    • Disaster in the pits for Bottas as Mercedes was unable to get the wheel off his car and he retires from the race
    • Hamilton doesn't gain any places in the early stages and finishes seventh after poor strategy from Mercedes
    • Drama before the start as polesitter Leclerc fails to make the grid with driveshaft issue

  • Leaderboard
    1. Verstappen, Red Bull
    2. Sainz, Ferrari
    3. Norris, McLaren
    4. Perez, Red Bull
    5. Vettel, Aston Martin
    6. Gasly, AlphaTauri
    7. Hamilton, Mercedes
    8. Stroll, Aston Martin
    9. Ocon, Alpine
    10. Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo

Live Text

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Hello everyone! We've got 33 minutes before the Monaco Grand Prix gets underway - and we've ALREADY got drama.
Mechanical problem
Charles Leclerc got pole yesterday, despite a crash. But that crash, despite repairs, has apparently lingered and Leclerc has reported gearbox issues on his recon lap.
Ferrari checked the gearbox once last night and again this morning and reported it a-okay, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I guess.
The pitlane is going to close shortly - and Leclerc is currently in the garage. Leclerc's Monaco hoodoo hath continueth.
The pitlane has now closed and Leclerc will not make the grid. Ferrari has like, 25 minutes to get him race-ready.
Leclerc's pole spot will be left empty, as a result - so the inside line is some much-coveted real estate.
Leclerc's out of the car, so that, uh, doesn't look great.
Mechanical problem
Laurent Mekies tells Michael Masi that Leclerc will not race. A great shame for the Monegasque at his home race.
Quote
A statement from Ferrari: 
"Charles will not start the race due to an issue with the left driveshaft which is impossible to fix in time for the start of the race"
Breaking news
Confirmation of Leclerc's inability to start due to lingering effects from his crash: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/leclerc-fails-to-start-monaco-gp-with-gearbox-issue
As a result, Verstappen and Bottas is your "front row" - Verstappen starts from the P2 box, however, with Bottas third. Then, Sainz, Norris, Gasly and Hamilton.
Spare a thought for Charles - he has to go through all of the pre-race shenanigans, listen to his home anthem, and then sit it out. At least he can go home quickly.
Leclerc gets a hug from Prince Albert, before taking the walk of shame back to...wherever he's off to next. I'd be in the corner, knee-deep in a few bottles of wine if I was in his position...
Verstappen, starting on the outside, will have to chop Bottas off at the start. But if Bottas is in "give no quarter" mode, he won't want to concede it too easily.
Ferrari now has just one horse in this race - can Carlos Sainz Jr salvage something good here?
Sun
We've got a risk of rain of 0%, an air temp of 20.7 degrees C, track temp 41.5 degrees C. It's not particularly scorchio.
For those just joining us - Charles Leclerc, who was supposed to be on pole today, will not start the race. How a right-side impact affects a left-side driveshaft is still something we're mulling over...
We've got Ocon, Raikkonen, Russell, Alonso and Latifi on mediums, Tsunoda and Stroll on hards - everyone else on softs.
Sorry, that's Ricciardo on mediums, not Ocon. Ocon's on the soft tyre.
Green flag
The formation lap begins.
We've got a stopper in the Rascasse! An Alfa was stranded - but it's got going again.
Lights out
The Monaco Grand Prix begins!
Verstappen holds off Bottas to hold the lead into Turn 1! That's absolutely crucial around here.

Further back, Ocon and Perez go side-by-side at the first corner and it looks like the pair make minor contact but continue without any issues. But then Ocon gets mugged at the hairpin to lose places to Giovinazzi and Vettel.

The top six begins as you were, then - Verstappen ahead of Bottas, with Sainz, Norris, Gasly and Hamilton behind them.

Super start by Alonso who gains three places on the opening lap to move up to P14 - one of those was of course for the DNS for Leclerc.

Stopwatch
Verstappen kicks off the fastest lap fight with a 1m17.298s, as he seeks to build a break over Bottas.
Bottas got a little closer to Verstappen on the previous lap, but the Dutchman brings the laptimes into the 1m16s.

Having had an elbows out start to the race, Perez in P8 is now tucked up under the rear wing of Vettel. But, as we know at Monaco, it is extremely tricky to find a way through.

Stopwatch
Verstappen and Bottas are, at the moment, trading fastest times at the front - with the gap now opened up to 1.5s after Verstappen logs a 1m16.722s.

Who is the best driver to keep an eye out for from the midfield runners? It is Lance Stroll. He is currently P11 and the highest runner not on the softs, with the Aston Martin driver on the hards for an alternative strategy.

Stopwatch
There's Norris in P4 with a fastest lap now, logging a 1m16.655s - but he's still just under 3s away from ex-team-mate Sainz.
Just a thought, who's Netflix filming this weekend?

Dad joke extraordinaire Vettel has pulled out a couple of seconds ahead of Perez, while the rest of the pack is also starting to stretch out a little.

The fastest lap point is back with Verstappen at this stage - a 1m16.265s. But those times will tumble.
Stopwatch

Perez joins the battle for the fastest lap point with a 1m15.949s. It is the prize they all really want...

 

Mazepin has been shown the black and white flag for exceeding track limits. We are only 14 laps into this race so the Russian is going to have to be very careful.

Stopwatch
The fastest lap is back with Verstappen now, doing a 1m15.818s to slowly extend his advantage over Bottas. Sainz is keeping tabs on the front pair.

If you are all wondering how drivers are exceeding track limits at Monaco, I should point you to Turn 10, better known as the Nouvelle chicane. That's where Mazepin is being pinged.

By: Jake Boxall-Legge, Haydn Cobb, Stephen Lickorish

Published: