After incessant rain during the day, there was a lot of standing water on the track. Heavy rains in Monaco ensured that the race began under a safety auto. Daniil Kvyat was immediately in trouble as he was stuck in constant speed mode.
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Perez was delighted with his seventh career podium, because “in these conditions it’s one of my best races”. Ricciardo made a strong getaway and pulled a gap to Rosberg and Hamilton. After a while, Kimi Raikkonen crashed his Ferrari into the hairpin barriers, breaking his front wing and thus being eliminated from the race.
Mercedes head of motorsport Toto Wolff confirmed Rosberg had received team orders to let Hamilton through. A week after the result in Barcelona Ricciardo revealed he was still waking up each morning with the race on his mind and in the direct aftermath of Sunday’s result he admitted he had hit a new low.
Mercedes initially asked Rosberg to up his pace, but when he was unable to do so it called on him to move aside for Hamilton.
Ricciardo let his feelings be known after a slow pit stop on lap 32 proved to be costly, with the Australian having switched to intermediate tyres while Hamilton remained on wets in changeable conditions. Once the defending world champion was in second, he set about attempting to catch Ricciardo. “I said ‘thanks for being a gentleman, ‘” said Hamilton.
The reigning champions switched the group of engineers and mechanics around at the end of previous year, with most of those who had worked with the Briton now assisting his German team mate Nico Rosberg. Its the same if youre given Fernando [Alonso] or Sebastian [Vettel] as a driver. “There are already a few things that have come up – brakes for sure were an issue”.
Ricciardo said: “I guess, from the outside, we put on a show, but it shouldn’t have been exciting”. The stewards after an investigation cleared Hamilton. I didn’t have the pace to fight for the win and we need to understand why. But the team also have to improve Ricciardo’s mood after two desperately disappointing weekends. Championship leader Rosberg finished P7, with Sainz, Button and Massa completing the top 10 positions.
The start of Hamilton’s title defence had been beset by reliability problems and collisions and he had not won a race since last October’s US GP, where he clinched his third world title. “I don’t like being up here being miserable – when it happens two races in a row, it’s hard not to be”.
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Up at the front, Daniel Ricciardo was displaying fantastic driving skills as the Red Bull streaked ahead, with Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton fighting it out for second place. But clearly Red Bull will challenge Mercedes very strongly during the rest of the season.
