2018 Monaco Grand Prix: Ricciardo beats Vettel to Monaco victory

ricciardo_wins_monaco_grand_prix

Daniel Ricciardo wins the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix despite ailing engine

Daniel Ricciardo survived engine issues to complete a perfect weekend with victory in the Monaco Grand Prix.

The Australian led every lap, despite an engine problem that left him down on power and forever in the clutches of the second-place Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton claimed third for Mercedes, struggling throughout the race with tyre graining, while Kimi Räikkönen held off compatriot Valtteri Bottas for fourth place.

With Max Verstappen having to come through the pack after missing qualifying, ending the race ninth, Esteban Ocon secured best of the rest in sixth place for Force India.

The race seemed Ricciardo’s from the start, beating Vettel away from the front row and holding off early pressure to scamper away out of DRS range. But then Ricciardo’s Monaco curse appeared to hit once again when he lost power compared to Vettel and was forced onto the back foot. But with every car seeming to struggle with tyres, he was able to manage the race and just keep Vettel out of DRS range. A late virtual safety car for a dramatic crash for Charles Leclerc offered him respite, and was able to nurse his car home.

Elsewhere, Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly once again impressed to finish seventh and beat Nico Hülkenberg of Renault, closely followed by Verstappen.

Renault’s Carlos Sainz Jnr claimed a distant 10th, with Marcus Ericsson 11th. Sergio Pérez’s race was undone by a slow pitstop, coming home 12th ahead of Kevin Magnussen, Stoffel Vandoorne and Romain Grosjean.

Williams duo Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin endured another race to forget, finishing at the foot of the field after Sirotkin was handed a 10-second stop-go penalty for missing the three-minute warning and Stroll picked up two punctures.

Fernando Alonso became the race’s first retirement when his McLaren stopped on lap 54 with a gearbox issue before Charles Leclerc crashed heavily into the back of Brendon Hartley on the run down to the chicane.


Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix results

1 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull  
2 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari +7.336sec
3 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +17.013sec
4 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari +18.127sec
5 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes +18.822sec
6 Esteban Ocon Force India +23.667sec
7 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso +24.331sec
8 Nico Hülkenberg Renault +24.839sec
9 Max Verstappen Red Bull +25.317sec
10 Carlos Sainz Jr Renault +69.013sec
11 Marcus Ericsson Sauber +69.864sec
12 Sergio Pérez Force India +70.461sec
13 Kevin Magnussen Haas +74.823sec
14 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren +1 lap
15 Romain Grosjean Haas +1 lap
16 Sergey Sirotkin Williams +1 lap
17 Lance Stroll Williams +2 laps
DNF Charles Leclerc Sauber DNF
16 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso DNF
DNF Fernando Alonso McLaren DNF

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