HAMILTON SURVIVES VERSTAPPEN CHARGE TO WIN MONACO GP
Lewis Hamilton held off Max Verstappen to win the Monaco Grand Prix – Photo: LAT
Lewis Hamilton has survived an intense battle with Max Verstappen to win the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver held off the Red Bull for more than 60 laps as the Dutchman relentlessly pushed for the lead of the race with significantly better tyres.
Verstappen made a desperate lunge down the inside of Hamilton at the chicane with two laps remaining. The made contact but Hamilton was able to hold his position and take the win.
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) completed the podium after a five-second penalty was applied to Verstappen’s result after an unsafe release from his pit stop. The Red Bull driver made contact with Bottas squeezing in front of him as the two left the pits.
Horrid weekend for Charles Leclerc – Photo: LAT
Local driver, Charles Leclerc endured a horrid race, after starting 16th, he was starting to push his way through the field on the track notoriously difficult for passing. The Ferrari suffered a puncture on Lap 9 after a spin while trying to pass Nico Hulkenberg and some light contact with the barriers. While he managed to get back to the pits to replace the damaged tyre, would ultimately retire later in the race.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo put his Renault in the points with a ninth-place finish. He had been running as high as fifth but opted to take another pitstop under the races only Safety Car to clean up the debris from Leclerc’s tyre.
Formula 1 – Monaco Grand Prix – Results
| Pos | Num | Driver | Car | Laps | Time/Retired |
| 1 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 78 | 1:43:28.437 |
| 2 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 78 | +2.602 |
| 3 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 78 | +3.162 |
| 4 | 33 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda | 78 | +5.537 |
| 5 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Red Bull Racing Honda | 78 | +9.946 |
| 6 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | McLaren Renault | 78 | +53.454 |
| 7 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 78 | +54.574 |
| 8 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda | 78 | +55.200 |
| 9 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | Renault | 78 | +60.894 |
| 10 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | Haas Ferrari | 78 | +61.034 |
| 11 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren Renault | 78 | +66.801 |
| 12 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | Haas Ferrari | 77 | +1 lap |
| 13 | 11 | Sergio Perez | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 77 | +1 lap |
| 14 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Renault | 77 | +1 lap |
| 15 | 63 | George Russell | Williams Mercedes | 77 | +1 lap |
| 16 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Racing Point BWT Mercedes | 77 | +1 lap |
| 17 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 77 | +1 lap |
| 18 | 88 | Robert Kubica | Williams Mercedes | 77 | +1 lap |
| 19 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari | 76 | +2 laps |
| NC | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 16 | DNF |
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