MONACO – Max Verstappen took the lead in the Formula One championship for the first time with a dominant victory Sunday at the Monaco Grand Prix, his first victory on the so acclaimed circuit.
Verstappen took advantage of the race from the start from the position of the moment, partly because poleman Charles Leclerc failed to start the race due to a mechanical problem.
Verstappen ahead of Valtteri Bottas and led from start to finish for his momentary victory of the season and the twelfth of his career. Red Bull’s driving force took a four-point lead over seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton in qualifying.
“It’s a master elegance and you lead the championship. Well done, buddy,” Team Manager Red Bull Christian Horner told Verstappen as he crossed the baseline.
It is the first time since the German Grand Prix in 2018 that Mercedes does not lead the championship. Hamilton finished seventh on a bad day for the trusty Mercedes team.
Bottas withdrew from the race after a rocket from the right front axle was stripped of its pit stop and Mercedes was unable to remove the tire.
Verstappen ran towards him and jumped into his arms after the race.
“It’s so special to win here. Of course I’m very proud,” Verstappen said. “But I’m thinking about the long run for the rest of the season. “
She then greeted tennis star Serena Williams, who waved the checkered flag and was the guest of honor at the event.
“It’s so special to win here. It’s the first time I’ve been on the podium here,” said Verstappen, whose father Jos has two podiums in 106 F1 races and seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher’s teammate in Benetton.
“I don’t forget when I was very young, you have to win this one.
Including the Abu Dhabi GP that ended last year’s season, Verstappen won 3 and finished in the last six races.
Verstappen finished 8. 9 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr.
“It’s a smart result,” Sainz Jr. said, “If you’d told me before you came to Monaco, I’d finish second, I’d take it. “
Lando Norris claimed the third podium of his career in the same week he signed a contract extension with McLaren.
“I don’t know what to say, it’s a dream to be on the podium here,” said the 21-year-old British pilot. “I didn’t think it was going to happen. I’m going to appreciate it. “
Sergio Pérez finished fourth for Red Bull, who returned to the most sensible striker in the Mercedes constructors’ championship.
Mercedes has won the last seven drivers’ and builders’ championships, but on Sunday marked the first time in five races this season, as Hamilton and Verstappen finished 1-2.
Sergio Pérez fourth for Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel, who won his 4 world titles with Red Bull in 2010-13, finished fifth in his most productive result of the season with Aston Martin.
Leclerc’s chances of winning his home run from pole position ended when he left the track with a cash challenge of warm-up changes. It crashed 18 seconds from the end of qualifying on Saturday and risked a five-seat penalty on the grid if Ferrari changed gearboxes.
First, the team stated that Leclerc was in a position to overtake and that the gearbox was correct, but about 20 minutes before the race, Leclerc went to the garage. Two years later, Leclerc retired early in Monaco in his first season at Ferrari. .
The race director did not move Verstappen from one moment to the next and left that area empty, which gave Bottas more room to overtake internally from the start. He never had a chance when Verstappen slapped.
The 3. 4-kilometer (2. 1-mile) course is the maximum difficult to overtake in F1, and Hamilton got stuck in traffic for the most of the race. Hamilton took a bonus point for the fastest lap towards the end, a rare bright spot on a dark day for the protective champion and his team.
Bottas fell to fourth place in what could be his last season at Mercedes, while Norris climbed to third.
A youthful-looking podium with a combined age of 70 also presented a long-term look even without Leclerc, 23, who has 8 poles and two career victories.
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