Hamilton takes spray-soaked Monaco GP
NEW LEADER FOR F1 CHAMPIONSHIP
May 25, 2008
By Tim Collings
Briton Lewis Hamilton won Sunday's 2008 Monaco Formula 1 GP and reignited the scrap for the Drivers' World championship with a memorable drive for McLaren in a race of treacherous wet, then dry, conditions.
It was a dream result for the 23-year-old Englishman, his first win on the famous Mediterranean street circuit in his favourite race. He came home three seconds clear of his friend, Pole Robert Kubica in a BMW, with Brazilian Felipe Massa third for Ferrari after starting from pole.
It was Hamilton's second win of the 2008 season and the sixth of his career. Australian Mark Webber was fourth for Red Bull
Ferrari's defending Drivers' World champion Kimi Raikkonen had a wild race of accidents and incidents and finished ninth and out of the points.
This all left Hamilton on top of the title race again for the first time since the season-opening race in Australia. He has 38 points, Raikkonen 35 and Massa is third on 34.
Hamilton had a dazzling start and found a way past Raikkonen on the inside going into the first corner to take second behind Massa. As rain began to fall steadily, and with Hamilton's team mate Heikki Kovalainen starting from the back of the grid after a pre-race stall, the contest turned into a circus of chaos.
There were incidents and accidents with double World champion Fernando Alonso involved in two collisions and Hamilton himself smashing into the barriers on lap six at Tabac
David Coulthard climbed from 15th to the top 10 but rain played havoc with the race for several minutes as Alonso, followed by Coulthard and Sebastian Bourdais, crashed into the barriers.
Then Raikkonen was given a drive-through penalty because Ferrari had failed to fit his car's tyres properly within the three-minute pre-race deadline. After he had performed his punishment, the running order at the top was Massa followed by Kubica and then Hamilton, who had pitted and recovered.
On lap 16, as the field grappled with the slippery conditions, Massa spun off and recovered but gave Kubica the lead in his BMW. The Pole stayed there until he had to pit and that put Massa back in front until he pitted after 32 laps.
Hamilton then took over and opened up a commanding advantage – more than 25 seconds ahead of the Brazilian by lap 44.
Hamilton in command
As the track dried the field settled down with Hamilton inspired. He was 36.7sec clear of Massa by lap 52 with the Ferrari driver, in turn, just a half-second ahead of Kubica in third.
Amazingly, German driver Adrian Sutil, who revels in the special conditions of Monaco, was fourth for Force India at this stage.
It was clear Hamilton was in command - provided the weather didn't change – and his lead was so luxurious he could pit after 53 laps and stay out in front when Massa followed suite three laps later.
Massa's second stop also cost him a position as he was passed in the pits by Kubica.
With 17 laps remaining, Nico Rosberg caused the second safety car deployment when he lost control in the swimming-pool complex and wrecked his car in a big accident.
By now, following their pit stops, the leading drivers have switched from rain tyres to dry and the track had dried considerably - and the safety car break meant, also, that Hamilton's big lead was cut back.
Vettel collected points
Hamilton raced clear when racing resumed but on lap 68 Raikkonen made a major mistake, lost control of his car as he came out of the tunnel, and ran into the back of Sutil. Both drivers had to pit for repairs but it was the end of the race for Sutil who had had the drive of his life.
German Sebastian Vettel collected points in fifth for Toro Rosso and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello came in sixth for Honda.
Japanese Kazuki Nakajima was seventh for Williams and Kovalainen eighth in the second McLaren after starting from the pits. – AFP
Results of the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren (no race time - race ended after two hours)
2 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber +3.064
3 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari +4.811
4 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull +19.295
5 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Toro Rosso +24.657
6 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda +28.408
7 Kazuki Nakajima (JPN) Williams +30.180
8 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren +33.191
9 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari +33.792
10 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault +1 lap
11 Jenson Button (GBR) Honda) +1 lap
12 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota +1 lap
13 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota +1 lap
14 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber +4 laps
15 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India +87 laps
Overall standings
Drivers' points
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) - 38
2 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) - 35
3 Felipe Massa (BRA) - 34
4 Robert Kubica (POL) - 32
5 Nick Heidfeld (GER) - 20
6 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) - 15
7 Mark Webber (AUS) - 15
8 Fernando Alonso (ESP) - 9
9 Jarno Trulli (ITA) - 9
10 Nico Rosberg (GER) - 8
11 Kazuki Nakajima (JPN) - 7
12 Sebastian Vettel (GER) - 4
13 Jenson Button (GBR) - 3
14 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) - 3
15 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) - 2
Constructors' points
1 Ferrari - 69
2 McLaren - 53
3 BMW Sauber - 52
4 Williams - 15
5 Red Bull - 15
6 Toyota - 9
7 Renault - 9
8 Toro Rosso - 6
9 Honda - 6
|
HIGH-RIDER: McLaren's Lewis Hamilton rides on his team's shoulders after winning the 2008 Monaco Formula 1 GP. Second was BMW's Robert Kubica and third Ferrari's Felipe Massa. Image: AFP |
By Tim Collings
Briton Lewis Hamilton won Sunday's 2008 Monaco Formula 1 GP and reignited the scrap for the Drivers' World championship with a memorable drive for McLaren in a race of treacherous wet, then dry, conditions.
It was a dream result for the 23-year-old Englishman, his first win on the famous Mediterranean street circuit in his favourite race. He came home three seconds clear of his friend, Pole Robert Kubica in a BMW, with Brazilian Felipe Massa third for Ferrari after starting from pole.
It was Hamilton's second win of the 2008 season and the sixth of his career. Australian Mark Webber was fourth for Red Bull
It was Hamilton's second win of the 2008 season
.Ferrari's defending Drivers' World champion Kimi Raikkonen had a wild race of accidents and incidents and finished ninth and out of the points.
This all left Hamilton on top of the title race again for the first time since the season-opening race in Australia. He has 38 points, Raikkonen 35 and Massa is third on 34.
Hamilton had a dazzling start and found a way past Raikkonen on the inside going into the first corner to take second behind Massa. As rain began to fall steadily, and with Hamilton's team mate Heikki Kovalainen starting from the back of the grid after a pre-race stall, the contest turned into a circus of chaos.
There were incidents and accidents with double World champion Fernando Alonso involved in two collisions and Hamilton himself smashing into the barriers on lap six at Tabac
As rain began to fall the contest turned into a circus of chaos
. His rear right tyre was left hanging as he returned to the pits.David Coulthard climbed from 15th to the top 10 but rain played havoc with the race for several minutes as Alonso, followed by Coulthard and Sebastian Bourdais, crashed into the barriers.
Then Raikkonen was given a drive-through penalty because Ferrari had failed to fit his car's tyres properly within the three-minute pre-race deadline. After he had performed his punishment, the running order at the top was Massa followed by Kubica and then Hamilton, who had pitted and recovered.
On lap 16, as the field grappled with the slippery conditions, Massa spun off and recovered but gave Kubica the lead in his BMW. The Pole stayed there until he had to pit and that put Massa back in front until he pitted after 32 laps.
Hamilton then took over and opened up a commanding advantage – more than 25 seconds ahead of the Brazilian by lap 44.
Hamilton in command
As the track dried the field settled down with Hamilton inspired. He was 36.7sec clear of Massa by lap 52 with the Ferrari driver, in turn, just a half-second ahead of Kubica in third.
Amazingly, German driver Adrian Sutil, who revels in the special conditions of Monaco, was fourth for Force India at this stage.
It was clear Hamilton was in command - provided the weather didn't change – and his lead was so luxurious he could pit after 53 laps and stay out in front when Massa followed suite three laps later.
Massa's second stop also cost him a position as he was passed in the pits by Kubica.
With 17 laps remaining, Nico Rosberg caused the second safety car deployment when he lost control in the swimming-pool complex and wrecked his car in a big accident.
By now, following their pit stops, the leading drivers have switched from rain tyres to dry and the track had dried considerably - and the safety car break meant, also, that Hamilton's big lead was cut back.
Vettel collected points
Hamilton raced clear when racing resumed but on lap 68 Raikkonen made a major mistake, lost control of his car as he came out of the tunnel, and ran into the back of Sutil. Both drivers had to pit for repairs but it was the end of the race for Sutil who had had the drive of his life.
German Sebastian Vettel collected points in fifth for Toro Rosso and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello came in sixth for Honda.
Japanese Kazuki Nakajima was seventh for Williams and Kovalainen eighth in the second McLaren after starting from the pits. – AFP
Results of the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren (no race time - race ended after two hours)
2 Robert Kubica (POL) BMW Sauber +3.064
3 Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari +4.811
4 Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull +19.295
5 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Toro Rosso +24.657
6 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Honda +28.408
7 Kazuki Nakajima (JPN) Williams +30.180
8 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren +33.191
9 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari +33.792
10 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault +1 lap
11 Jenson Button (GBR) Honda) +1 lap
12 Timo Glock (GER) Toyota +1 lap
13 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota +1 lap
14 Nick Heidfeld (GER) BMW Sauber +4 laps
15 Adrian Sutil (GER) Force India +87 laps
Overall standings
Drivers' points
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) - 38
2 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) - 35
3 Felipe Massa (BRA) - 34
4 Robert Kubica (POL) - 32
5 Nick Heidfeld (GER) - 20
6 Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) - 15
7 Mark Webber (AUS) - 15
8 Fernando Alonso (ESP) - 9
9 Jarno Trulli (ITA) - 9
10 Nico Rosberg (GER) - 8
11 Kazuki Nakajima (JPN) - 7
12 Sebastian Vettel (GER) - 4
13 Jenson Button (GBR) - 3
14 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) - 3
15 Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) - 2
Constructors' points
1 Ferrari - 69
2 McLaren - 53
3 BMW Sauber - 52
4 Williams - 15
5 Red Bull - 15
6 Toyota - 9
7 Renault - 9
8 Toro Rosso - 6
9 Honda - 6
Free NEWSLETTER
McLAREN V. BMW: McLaren's Lewis Hamilton ahead of BMW's Robert Kubica - who was having a brilliant race - and Renault's Fernando Alonso at 2008 Monaco GP. Image: AFP
JUMP START: Ferrari's Felipe Massa drives ahead of McLaren Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who moved from third to second at the start of the 2008 Monaco F1 GP. Image: AFP
LEAVING THE STATION: The race train falls into line immediately after the start of the 2008 Monaco GP with Massa leading and Hamilton second. Image: AFP
Right-click on ad for new window.
HOME
- Four stage wins take Loeb to front of Acropolis
- It's Fiesta time for Ford in Mexico
- New Ferrari gets the California blues.
- Inside story on Alfa's upcoming Mi.To mini
- 'Acropolis will be a tough one' - Loeb
- Honda sniffing out new market segment...
- Is mass-transit overload the future for SA?
- Sexy Green Car Show - way to go!
- 'Resign, Mosley!' - 17 national federations
- Sasol RunX team pulled from Production Cars
LATEST LAUNCHES
- Fiat's Bravo goes green with new engines
- Lancer Evo X - yet another evolution
- 1 Series convertible - fabulous but flawed
- Renault coupé debuts in maximum glamour glare
- Aston Martin Vantage gets a power boost
- Daihatsu Terios stretches to seven seats.
- Rolls Tungsten - now we're talking exclusive!
- C5 Tourer - station wagon with French flair
- Honda to produce cheaper hybrid
- SL, SLK and CLS supercar broadside from Merc
ROAD TESTS
- BMW 135i punches above its weight
- Audi Q7 - fit for a superhero!
- Going topless adds real sex appeal
- Close, but no cigar for Cadillac's STS
- Europa S is all Lotus, no frills
- WE DRIVE: Model X that's put soul back into Saab
- Peugeot 308 - more of the same
- WE DRIVE: Jaguar's XF 2.7D - best of the brand
- Maserati GranTurismo: Sex appeal on wheels
- Here's why Fiat's new 500 is oh, so retro!
F1 GRAND PRIX
- Mosley sues News of the World – in Paris
- Kimi goes with his instincts at celebrity auction
- Is this the start of the Hamilton era?
- 'We were so close' - Adrian Sutil
- Hamilton takes spray-soaked Monaco GP
- Coulthard fine - but dumped down-grid
- Fisi will start 200th race in 20th spot
- Coulthard relives 'big one' at Monaco
- Massa 'amazed' - but can he do a Scheckter?
- Ferrari lock-out for Monaco grid
MOTORSPORT
- Huge entry for weekend's Sun City 400
- Damseaux & Son - now the race is on!
- Morais the man to beat at Scribante
- Expect fireworks at tight and twisty Scribante
- Daring Danica nails IndyCar males' balls to the wall
- 'At last!' Danica IndyCar's first woman winner
- Can Ralf master the Merc in DTM?
- Gearbox glitch steals SA hopes in Shanghai Feature
- Jani makes double-pole count in Shanghai Sprint
- Expect fireworks in Estoril MotoGP
