World champion Lewis Hamilton ended his six-month wait for a win on Sunday when he secured an unexpected and skilful victory for Mercedes-GP in an incident-filled Monaco Grand Prix.
Taking full advantage of a bungled pit stop for his nearest rival, Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull Racing, Hamilton drove supremely in mixed conditions to seize his first triumph in nine races since clinching his third title at the 2015 United States Grand Prix last October.
Ricciardo, who started from his maiden pole position, led until he pitted for slick tyres - that were not ready for him – after 32 laps and finally came home second, 7.2 seconds behind the three-time champion.
It was Hamilton’s second win on the famous Mediterranean street circuit, his first this season and the 44th of his career. It also repeated his 2008 triumph when he started third and won in wet conditions.
Mexican Sergio Perez finished third, 6.5 seconds behind a disconsolate Ricciardo, but ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who finished a superb fifth for McLaren on the 50th anniversary of their Formula One debut race in 1966.
German Nico Hulkenberg resisted pressure from championship leader and compatriot Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes to take sixth place with Spaniard Carlos Sainz taking eighth for Toro Rosso.
Briton Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, finished ninth in the second Honda-powered McLaren ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa of Williams.
Hamilton’s win kept alive his title defence and, with Rosberg off the podium, cut the leader’s advantage in the title race to 24 points after six of 21 rounds.
RESULTS FROM SUNDAY’S MONACO GRAND PRIX:
1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1:59:29.133
2. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull - TAG Heuer +00:07.252
3. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India - Mercedes 00:13.825
4. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 00:15.846
5. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 01:25.076
6. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes 01:32.999
7. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 01:33.290
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap
9. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1 lap
10. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 1 lap
11. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes 1 lap
12. Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Haas - Ferrari 1 lap
13. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas - Ferrari 2 laps
14. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Manor - Mercedes 2 laps
15. Rio Haryanto (Indonesia) Manor - Mercedes 4 laps
r. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber - Ferrari 26 laps
r. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber - Ferrari 29 laps
r. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 44 laps
r. Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) Renault 45 laps
r. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 58 laps
r. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 67 laps
r. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 72 laps
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
