Lewis Hamilton claimed his second Monaco Grand Prix victory with a brilliant strategic decision that allowed him to jump pole sitter Daniel Ricciardo during the pit stops, which was also aided by a costly Red Bull error.
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The incident reversed the team’s fortunes after the Spanish Grand Prix where the two Mercedes drivers collided on the opening lap and gifted victory to debutant Dutch teenager Max Verstappen. The vehicle of Renault driver Jolyon Palmer of Britain is removed from the circuit after crashing during the Formula One Grand Prix at the Monaco racetrack in Monaco, Sunday, May 29, 2016.
Such was the advantage of the intermediate tyres that Ricciardo was back on the rear of Hamilton’s vehicle just four laps later, but in Monaco track position is key and Hamilton was able to hold off the faster Red Bull until lap 31 when he stopped for a set of ultra-soft slick tyres.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished second for Red Bull, a botched second pitstop wrecking his chances after he started on pole position.
“I don’t really want to talk about the race”, Ricciardo said.
“I’m telling you, that was the longest run, particularly after I stopped for those tyres”, he admitted, “It was insane how long it was and, really, to understand how much wheelspin you’re allowed, how much you can use the tyres – because you don’t know to what end they’re going to go”.
Hamilton was congratulated by Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber as he stepped out of the auto in the pit lane before the podium celebration.
“I don’t like being up here being miserable – when it happens two races in a row, it’s hard not to”.
“Two weeks in a row I’ve been screwed”, said the driver, who had also led in Spain two weeks ago until a strategy error handed the advantage to 18-year-old Dutch team mate Max Verstappen, who became the sport’s youngest victor. “(They) have been tense all (season) long. “Today must be a great relief for them”.
This time, there were no such glitches for Hamilton, whose other win in Monaco was back in 2008 when he was driving for McLaren.
“I haven’t even thought about it just yet”, Hamilton added when asked about cutting Rosberg’s lead.
The Safety Car finally came in at the completion Lap 7, and Ricciardo led the field away. Red Bull put their mistake down to miscommunication between the strategists and the pit-crew.
The Australian driver was unforgiving, saying “everyone was running around like headless chucks (chickens)”.
By contrast, Hamilton – who had not won since clinching last season’s United States Grand Prix – was delighted, grabbing the race trophy from Monaco’s Prince Albert and tossing it up in the air.
Hamilton – still on his original wets – pitted first, Ricciardo second.
Victor of seven of the past eight races, including the first four this season, Rosberg’s terrible day was compounded when he was overtaken at the line by Nico Hulkenberg.
“It was more painful the feeling I had in the vehicle, that was the worst”, Rosberg told reporters at the team motorhome.
Daniel Ricciardo pitted just one lap later, but his team did not have his tires ready and, when he emerged, Hamilton was in front of him. “They should have been ready”.
Hamilton eventually overtook Rosberg after 16 laps and quickly pulled clear of the German and started to hunt down Ricciardo’s Red Bull.
But Hamilton held his line at the Mirabeau turn, prompting an angry reaction from Ricciardo, who waved his right hand furiously.
“I was trying to defend from him”.
“This is one of the, if not the toughest race to win”.
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Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel was fourth, ahead of McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and Hulkenberg, who is Perez’s teammate. His Red Bull caught the side of the tight circuit, forcing the youngster out of the race. As soon as the order was given to start racing, British driver Jolyon Palmer crashed his Renault on the start-finish straight.
