“Mad Max” strikes again! Max Verstappen honored his status as reigning double world champion by winning the prestigious Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, ahead of Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Frenchman Esteban Ocon. Starting at the head of the race, the Red Bull driver, who arrived in the Principality with the label of the man to beat, has been faithful to his rank and will never have been worried by the competition – hardly by the rain which started is briefly invited to the last third of the race. “We didn’t really know what was going to happen (…) we had to stay calm, drive in all conditions”, reacted the Dutchman on the arrival of this 80th Monaco GP.
One champion hiding another, the Spaniard Fernando Alonso finished 2nd in this 6th round of the season. Starting second, the double F1 world champion in 2005 and 2006 will also not have been really worried by his pursuers. On the other hand, his team’s strategy against the capricious Monegasque sky could have cost him dearly since the veteran of the grid (41 years old) was first called to the pits to put on medium tires… before being called back a lap later to put on the intermediates, better suited to the wet track.
“It’s been difficult,” conceded the “Asturian Bull”. “We had to play with strategy. Max rode really well with the mediums (in the first part of the race, editor’s note), then the rain arrived. It complicated things and it was not easy to drive in these conditions.
In the championship, Verstappen consolidates his lead over his teammate Sergio Pérez, only 16th in a weekend to forget for the winner of the event in 2021. The Mexican still retains his second place overall, ahead of Alonso who returns to 12 units from Red Bull driver to overall.
In a setting that, like every edition, combines a touch of glamor – with his yachts moored in the port – and the undeniable historical cachet of an event that has been on the calendar continuously since 1955, the Frenchman Esteban Ocon won the third podium of his F1 career. “What a great weekend, we improved the car all weekend without making a single misstep”, savored the Norman, euphoric. Thanks to his 3rd place, he also gave Alpine its first podium since 2021.
Under the eyes of an audience of stars – including PSG player Neymar and British actor Tom Holland – the local child Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finished 6th behind the Mercedes of the British Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. The day before, the Monegasque, qualified 3rd, had been penalized three places for having hampered in qualifying the McLaren of Briton Lando Norris, 9th Sunday.
When the lights went out on Sunday, the reigning vice-champion had therefore started from 6th place. Before crossing the finish line 78 laps later, with the regret of having again failed to clinch a first podium at home.