Lewis Hamilton celebrates his Monaco victory with champagne. Photo: Srdjan Suki
(Photo: dpa)
Ironically, it was his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg who paved the way for the British Formula 1 title defender to take part in a world championship drive at the classic in Monte Carlo. On the orders of the pits, Rosberg let the Briton past on lap 16. “It was very painful, but also a simple decision,” emphasized the 30-year-old Rosberg.
His fourth win in a row in the Principality didn’t work out, but Hamilton was able to look forward to the dinner in the Prince’s Palace. Also because he benefited from a fateful tire stop by debut pole man Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull. “Thank God it went the way I hoped it would. It was a great weekend,” said Hamilton after the end of his dry spell and his 44th career success – 44 is also his number in Formula 1. “I can’t find the words, I prayed for a day like this. I feel blessed.”
Rosberg in particular played a major role in this. “I had to let Lewis pass to give him the chance to win,” the Wiesbaden native admitted contritely. But a big gesture for his employer. “Nico helped Lewis win,” stressed Daimer boss Dieter Zetsche on Sky: “It was a team effort.”
According to Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff, the tires on Rosberg’s racing car simply didn’t get up to temperature. The brakes also caused problems. “If I had a cap like Niki, I would take it off,” said Wolff, full of respect for Rosberg, based on team supervisory board member Niki Lauda.
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Rosberg clearly missed the long-awaited fourth victory in Monaco in seventh place, Sebastian Vettel in fourth place in the Ferrari did not make it onto the podium either. Nico Hülkenberg achieved his best result of the season in sixth place in his Force India, while Manor man Pascal Wehrlein had to settle for 14th place. Rosberg remains first in the drivers’ standings with 106 points, but Hamilton in second is now just 24 points behind his stable rivals.
World champions Hamilton & Co. had to wait six laps before they were finally allowed to step on the gas. Because of more or less heavy rain, the classic in Monte Carlo had to be started behind the safety car. “We should finally start the race now,” Hamilton radioed impatiently, as did several other drivers. Eventually the view got better.
After only a few kilometers, however, the field was slowed down again. The Virtual Safety Car was deployed after Renault driver Jolyon Palmer crashed into the crash barrier. And Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen demolished the front of his Ferrari after a driving error in the Loews curve. The stewards investigated the incident involving the Finn, which also injured Romain Grosjeans Haas.
Vettel was the first in the lead to switch to the faster intermediates. After the fatal crash in Barcelona two weeks ago, attention was focused primarily on Rosberg and Hamilton. Born in Wiesbaden, he had problems and received instructions from the pits to let his much faster British team-mate pass. The world championship leader obeyed.
Hamilton took the lead after the Australian’s first pit stop and, after his series of defects, finally had a Grand Prix without disappointments. A tire game developed. Hamilton had the ultra-soft rubber marked purple on his Mercedes, then Ricciardo came into the pits and experienced a debacle, because his Red Bull mechanics were obviously not prepared for a tire change. “I was called into the box, they should have been ready,” criticized Ricciardo. “It really hurts.”
Hamilton retained the lead. In a borderline manoeuvre, he blocked the passage for Ricciardo, who was driving almost the same. “What the hell was that?!” the Perth man scolded. The race stewards later refrained from punishing Hamilton, who had lost victory in 2015 after a fatal announcement from the Mercedes pits. This time the Brit had the better end on his side.
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Information about Sebastian Vettel
