Red Bull’s Max Verstappen showcased his exceptional driving skills as he conquered the treacherous conditions of a mid-race downpour to claim victory in the Monaco Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin finishing in a commendable second place.
Verstappen initially appeared to be in control at the front of the pack, but his race took an unexpected twist when Red Bull delayed his pit stop, hoping to synchronize it with the incoming rain.
Aston Martin had an opportunity to outmanoeuvre Verstappen by bringing Alonso in for a set of dry tires as the rain intensified. Had Alonso been equipped with treaded tires while Verstappen remained on slicks, it could have resulted in the Spaniard seizing the lead.
However, Aston Martin opted to pit Alonso for intermediates on the following lap, coinciding with Verstappen’s stop. Unfortunately for Alonso, his chances of victory evaporated.
Verstappen’s triumph, marking his fourth win in six races this season, propelled him 39 points clear of his teammate Sergio Perez in the championship standings.
In contrast, Perez endured a nightmare race, starting from the back due to a qualifying crash and ultimately finishing in a disappointing 17th position.
The rain began lightly on lap 51 and gradually intensified over subsequent laps, making tire strategy decisions challenging as certain sections of the track became wet while others remained dry.
By lap 54, with 24 laps remaining, Verstappen led the race ahead of Alonso, George Russell of Mercedes, Esteban Ocon of Alpine, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.
Verstappen held on with deteriorating medium tires, patiently awaiting the rain, while Alonso, running on hard tires, maintained a comfortable but distant position, approximately 13 seconds behind.
Aston Martin elected to pit Alonso on that lap, fitting him with medium, untreated slick tires instead of the intermediates chosen by Russell, Hamilton, Ocon, and Pierre Gasly of Alpine, who all pitted around 30 seconds later.
Verstappen and the Ferrari drivers opted to stay out, but as the rain intensified, Verstappen made contact with the wall at Portier, while Sainz spun at Mirabeau. If Alonso had been on intermediates, he might have gained enough time to overtake Verstappen during the Dutchman’s subsequent pit stop.
Instead, both drivers had to pit on lap 55 to switch to intermediates, with Verstappen successfully maintaining his lead.
Alonso’s advantage over the other leading drivers, who had all made their pit stops except for Russell, ensured his hold on the second place, while Ocon reclaimed the third position he had held from the start but temporarily lost during the pit-stop period prior to the rain.
Alonso rapidly closed the gap on Verstappen in the initial laps following the tire change, reducing the deficit by five seconds in as many laps and posting significantly faster lap times than any other driver on the track.
However, Verstappen gradually extended his lead once again and controlled the race until the checkered flag.
Ocon displayed great resilience as he fended off challenges from Hamilton and Russell, securing a well-deserved third place. Ferrari’s strategic decisions backfired as they delayed their pit stops by one lap compared to Verstappen and Alonso. As a result, Leclerc and Sainz slipped to sixth and eighth places, respectively.
This was the second questionable strategic move by Ferrari during the race, as they had earlier pitted Sainz against his wishes, costing him an opportunity to challenge Ocon while running on hard tires.
Sainz expressed his frustration over the team radio, emphasizing that this was precisely what he had warned against. He concluded the race in a disappointing eighth position, losing out to Gasly as well.
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri rounded off the top ten, securing ninth and tenth places, respectively, and earning valuable points. The rain-soaked Monaco Grand Prix proved to be a thrilling and unpredictable contest, highlighting the skill and adaptability of the drivers in the face of challenging weather conditions.
