Max Verstappen leads the Formula 1 world championship for the first time in his career with victory in the Monaco Grand Prix, while rivals Mercedes suffered a nightmare race.
Carlos Sainz secured his first podium since moving to Ferrari in second, ahead of former teammate Lando Norris. The Brit continued his impressive form as he recorded his second podium of the season.
Pole position start for Max
Verstappen was due to start second before he inherited pole position when Charles Leclerc suffered a driveshaft issue which forced the Monegasque to watch on from the garage.
The Dutchman held off Valtteri Bottas at the start as pulled clear to dominate proceedings as he won for the first time around the streets of Monaco.
Reigning world champions’ Mercedes were left hopeless as a disastrous pit stop ensured Bottas was forced to retire from the race, meanwhile Lewis Hamilton was left lingering in seventh.
A cross-threaded wheel nut on the right front tyre meant that Bottas was unable to complete the race, making it his second DNF of the season.
Bad day for Hamilton
Elsewhere, Hamilton had issues of his own as he was left furious with Mercedes’ strategy as he was overcut by Pierre Gasly, Sebastian Vettel and Sergio Perez.
Two weeks ago, the Brit won because of a scintillating strategy call, it was far from the same this time around. His disappointing weekend saw him lose the lead of the championship for the first time this season.
Hamilton attempted to undercut the drivers around him in an attempt to gain lost time, but it ultimately backfired when he was he saw his competitors emerge from the pit lane.
He was never unable to regain lost ground – with the nature of Monaco – as he struggled to execute a pass on the drivers around him.
Perez finishes fourth
Perez finished a second behind Norris as he finished fourth for Red Bull, the Mexican pushed for a podium but never laid a glove on the McLaren driver.
We saw a glimpse of the best of Vettel as he impressed throughout the whole weekend as he finished fifth, securing his first points finish since moving to Aston Martin.
Gasly finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton as it seemed the sister Red Bull team had locked horns with the seven-time world champion all afternoon.
Esteban Ocon took ninth for Alpine as they secured two valuable points in what was a damage limitation weekend for the French outfit.
Antonio Gionviazzi rounded out the top-10 as he scored his first points of the season for Alfa Romeo.
Verstappen has taken the lead of the championship by four points over Hamilton as the Mercedes driver claimed the fastest lap of the race.
His team, Red Bull, have also claimed top spot in the Constructors’ championship after both cars finished within the top four.
Action returns in two weeks at another street circuit, this time in Azerbaijan as the drivers face the streets of Baku.
