Max Verstappen Takes His First Monaco Grand Prix Win
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing RB16B Honda during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 23, 2021 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Max Verstappen takes the lead in the World Championship for the first time in his career after winning the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix.
“It’s of course so special around here to win and also for me the first time on the podium here, so an amazing race," Verstappen said after the victory. “You always want to win this Grand Prix. I remember when I was very little already watching this Grand Prix. Standing here I’m very proud but I’m also thinking ahead it’s still a very long season. Of course, it’s a great way to continue."
Before the race began, Ferrari discovered that polesitter Charles Leclerc’s gearbox was faulty, meaning the Monegasque driver would not start the race.
Just hours before, Formula 1 had announced the local favorite was set to start the race and his gearbox was cleared following a crash during the 2021 Monaco GP Qualifying.
GPBlog.com reports Verstappen's World Championship rival Lewis Hamilton suffered from a poor Mercedes strategy and a weak qualifying session in the streets of Monte Carlo: "The Dutchman started from the second grid box but from pole position after Charles Leclerc failed to reach the grid. The man from Monaco retired with an issue relating to his crash in Saturday's Q3."
"Verstappen controlled the race throughout and never had a challenge for the lead. Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris rounded off the podium after Valtteri Bottas had to retire following a stuck tyre in a pitstop. Norris had to perform a strong defensive drive to keep fourth-placed Perez in his mirrors.
Sebastian Vettel scored his first set of points for Aston Martin. The four-time world champion had a longer first stint and managed to jump a couple of places by doing this longer stint. Lance Stroll also scored points following a 59 lap stint on the hard tyres.
Norris secures his third podium in his career and his second of the season following the P3 in Imola. Whilst it was good for Norris on a special weekend for McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo was stuck in P12 with Norris lapping the Australian.
Hamilton started from sixth but failed to make any ground. The seven-time World Champion was one of the first drivers to pit for the hard tyres. A strategy error that compounded the poor qualifying performance. As a result, the British driver massively misses to Verstappen this weekend.
Verstappen secures the 12th win of his Formula 1 career, pushing him above Rubens Barrichello and Felipe Massa in the all-time list of winners. It's Verstappen's first win in Monaco and his second of the current season following his P1 in Imola."
In lap 31, came for Valtteri Bottas during his pit stop on lap 31. The wheel nut of his right front tire got stuck and his crew wasn't able to swap his tires.
Bottas’ race was destroyed — wheel nut machined the thread off the axle, which meant the wheel nut couldn’t be removed.
“You never know what’s going to happen but it was all about looking after your tires and finding a good stop gap," Verstappen said. "Of course, the others went earlier so that made it a bit easier for me. I was pretty much in control."
The full results can be seen below:
Courtesy of Formula 1.