![Prost International [PINT]](https://prostinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PINTtFontLogoRoboto1536x78.jpg)
Max Verstappen dominated a lacklustre Monaco Grand Prix while title rival Hamilton could only finish seventh.
Carlos Sainz beat his former McLaren teammate Lando Norris as the duo completed the podium as the Brit fended off a charging Sergio Perez in the latter stages of the race. Sebastian Vettel claimed driver of the day as he finished an impressive fifth.
He beat Pierre Gasly and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton who failed to improve upon his qualifying position. Lance Stroll made good progress to secure a double points finish for Aston Martin in eighth, he headed Esteban Ocon and Antonio Giovinazzi as they completed the points-paying positions.
Starting Grid
Verstappen inherited pole position when Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari sustained a driveshaft issue after his collision with the wall during qualifying. The Monegasque driver failed to start the race after further inspection which promoted the Dutchman and the rest of the field up one position.
Next to the Red Bull driver was the first Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas while Leclerc’s teammate Sainz was promoted to third. Norris started in fourth ahead of AlphaTauri driver Gasly and reigning world champion Hamilton.
Four-time world champion Vettel started from seventh ahead of Perez in the second Red Bull. Giovinazzi started from ninth while Ocon was promoted to the top 10 but still had free tyre choice for the start of the race.
Daniel Ricciardo started in 11th, behind him came Stroll and the second Alfa Romeo of Kimi Raikkonen. George Russell started in 14th ahead of rookie Yuki Tsunoda and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
Nicholas Latifi was in 18th ahead of Nikita Mazepin as he and Mick Schumacher rounded off the grid ahead of the race.
As It Happened
Verstappen led the grid into turn one, despite momentarily having Bottas on his inside. Everyone kept their noses clean as there was not much movement up and down the field with Stroll one of a few drivers who was in a hurry as he promoted himself into 11th.
It was line astern during the opening stint as the drivers slowly started to get to grips with the track conditions, as Hamilton failed to make an impression on Gasly in his bid to salvage his weekend.
Gaps started to form up and down the grid as we edged towards the pit window, it was championship leader Hamilton who was first to blink as he tried to undercut Gasly as he slotted into a clean air ahead of Giovinazzi.
It soon didn’t pay off for the current champion as not only Gasly was able to over-cut the Mercedes driver, but a matter of laps later, Aston Martin’s Vettel emerged from the pit lane ahead of the duo.
Gasly attempted to go side by side with the Aston Martin into sector one, although he was forced to back out as the German used his vast amount of experience to retain the position.
In the meantime, second place driver Bottas opted to pit for a fresh set of tyres in his bid to ruffle both Verstappen and Red Bull’s chances of winning the Grand Prix. The Finn’s stop was not only slow, but his race soon came to a stop.
There was a problem with the front-right tyre of the 31-year-old’s car as they failed to dismount his soft compound tyre. After attempting to dislodge this tyre for 30+ seconds, the issue was terminal and the car had to be retired.
This meant that Verstappen could easily pit and retain his lead of the race with ease with Sainz 10 seconds behind the Dutchman. The second Red Bull of Perez was left to extend his stint after his team saw the sheer potential of the overcut with Hamilton stuck behind Gasly.
Perez soon entered the pit lane, emerging well clear of Hamilton, Gasly and Vettel as he inherited fourth place in the race. The Mexican had executed the overcut perfectly as he gained three positions with Norris ahead of Perez in third.
Stroll was the last car to pit after he started on the hard compound tyre. The Canadian put in a scintillating drive which was made even better when he exited the pit lane ahead of Esteban Ocon as he retained eighth position.
Perez tried to hunt down a struggling Norris during the final 10 laps of the race, but with the nature of Monaco, the 31-year-old failed to leave a glove on the ever-confident Norris.
Sainz mounted a small amount of pressure in the latter stages but Verstappen soon responded as he won the Monaco Grand Prix by nine seconds. The Dutchman has taken the Championship lead with 105 points, four ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was able to salvage the fastest lap in the dying embers of the Grand Prix as he pitted for the soft compound tyres, although it was not enough to retain his Championship lead. It is the first time that Verstappen has ever led the World Championship in his career.
What’s Next?
There is not long to wait until the next Grand Prix as they start to come thick and fast as we approach the busy part of the season.
We visit Baku, Azerbaijan in two weeks as the drivers battle around another street circuit. It’s safe to say Lewis Hamilton will be asked to respond after a disappointing weekend in the principality.
Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt
