Monaco Grand Prix race day

By: Geoff Creighton

Summary


	Hamilton wins the Monaco Grand Prix after spending the race defending from a chasing Verstappen
	Verstappen fails to finish on the podium and will be fourth after a five second time penalty applied for an earlier unsafe release in the pitlane
	Vettel second for Ferrari and Bottas third
	Leclerc retires from his home grand prix and causes only safety car of the race

Status: Stopped

18:23 And here's the full report! Thanks for joining us this afternoon, it's been a blast. Au revoir, and see you for the Canadian Grand Prix in a couple of weeks' time. (Oh, and the Indy 500 is on in a couple of hours if you've not got your racing fill just yet...)

Monaco Grand Prix: Hamilton escapes contact with Verstappen to win

Lewis Hamilton survived late contact with Max Verstappen to win Formula 1's Monaco Grand Prix, as an incident in the pitlane with Valtteri Bottas ultimately cost Verstappen second place

18:14 Hamilton guns it down to the bottom of the podium and soaks everyone in sight. I think that was Nico Rosberg he chased after there...that sounds familiar, no?

18:11 The British and German national anthems ring out over Monaco in deference to Hamilton's victory, performed by a live band. You have to wonder how many anthems they've learned in preparation...

18:09 Lovely to see the Niki tribute hats on the podium. Well played.

18:07 Ricciardo must have been absolutely flying at the end of that, as Grosjean has been demoted to P10. First points for Renault since China.

18:07 Bottas: "Obviously a disappointing weekend for me because I think the speed was there. We had to stop the same time as Lewis, so I lost a bit of time, and then Max left me no room in the pitstop."

18:05 Vettel: "It was obviously a tough race to manage. I thought we had a good stop but Max must have had an incredible stop. There was a good chance that we could capitalise on Valtteri's puncture, we always tried to stay in range. [My tyres] we just not getting hot! It's all about Niki, I think he would be happy today. He'll always be around, but we'll miss him."

18:03

18:03 Hamilton: "I was never going to come in, a few years ago I was in the lead and learned the hard way. I was either going to crash or finish, and drive around on nothing. I think it was the wrong tyre, but nonetheless the team has done an incredible, what we've done in the past six races is incredible."

18:02 "That was the hardest race I think I've had," says Hamilton. "I was fighting with the spirit of Niki. He's been truly an influential person in our team in making it what it is today. We truly miss him."

18:01 Hamilton's celebrations are muted, and after that race, is it any surprise? He lifts aloft his Lauda tribute helmet in triumph.

18:00 Just look at Hamilton's tyres. Wowzers.

17:59 Gasly gets the fastest lap point, while Sainz, Kvyat, Albon, Grosjean and Ricciardo complete the top 10.

17:59 "Lewis, it's James. Incredible drive" says James Vowles. It was a bit of a corker, wasn't it? "That was for Niki", adds Toto Wolff; a poignant victory indeed.

17:56 Hamilton wins the Monaco Grand Prix, Verstappen crosses the line second but he'll fall to fourth behind Vettel and Bottas with his penalty.

17:56 Verstappen is just too far back as they come out of the tunnel, it's going to be Hamilton's race and Verstappen won't even be on the podium.

17:55 One lap to go sorry, even more of a last chance situation for Verstappen!

17:55 Two laps to go, and Verstappen is back within 0.7s of Hamilton. Time for one more go...?

17:55

17:54 That was a huge lunge from Verstappen towards the chicane, ending in a touch of right front to left rear. Hamilton just skipped over the chicane and continued unscathed.

17:54 "Good effort mate," Red Bull tells Verstappen. "He just turned in..." replies Verstappen.

17:53 Verstappen keeps going too, but he's now 1.4s behind Hamilton with two and a half laps to go.

17:53 Verstappen takes a lunge, they make slight contact! Hamilton holds on in the lead.

17:52

17:51 That's a five-second time penalty for Grosjean. It's not going to have too much effect, but does end any chances of rising higher than ninth.

17:51 Four laps to go now.

17:51 Verstappen gets a big twitch out of Mirabeau, but gathers it all up quickly enough that he has a half-look at the chicane.

17:49 Grosjean appears to have crossed the pit exit line post-stop. With his 16s gap to Ricciardo behind, it shouldn't be too much cause for concern, but it might be a penalty nonetheless...

17:49 Another fastest lap for Gasly, he must be pretty certain of that point now with a 1m14.279s.

17:47

17:47 Verstappen knows that even if he does passes Hamilton, he needs to do it with enough time to then pull a five-second gap. And there aren't many laps left in which to do that...

17:47 Verstappen loses a bit of ground as he carries too much speed and has to cut over the run-off at the Swimming Pool.

17:46

17:45 Just 2.7s cover the top four with nine laps left.

17:45 Hamilton is properly clinging to the inside through the hairpins as Verstappen tries harder and harder.

17:45 "Verstappen has been given more power, but you have the overtake button if you need it," Mercedes tells Hamilton, who replies pretty sardonically.

17:44 Russell's doing a fab job in the Williams, currently sitting in P15. Both Alfa Romeos are behind - the Swiss outfit is having a dismal weekend.

17:44 "Mode 7 to the end, when you're ready," Red Bull gives Verstappen more Honda to play with.

17:43 All Verstappen can do at the moment is edge to Hamilton's outside going down to Loews and try to bother him. Everywhere else, the Mercedes is just far ahead enough.

17:42