The 2022 edition of the Monaco Grand Prix will have been rich in twists and turns. After a start delayed by the rain, the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull) who took the lead thanks to the pit stops then resisted until the end to win this legendary event, ahead of the Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) , after a race cut short due to an accident. Third place went to Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), ahead of Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque, decidedly cursed at home, had nevertheless started in pole position, but this time he was the victim of a strategic error on the part of his Ferrari team.
Verstappen still leads the championship, nine points ahead of Leclerc, at the end of a race whose start was delayed by more than an hour due to rain, then interrupted about twenty minutes after leaving the road. ‘German Mick Schumacher (Haas), released unscathed. Consequence: of the two hours of racing allocated by the regulations, the pilots were deprived of more than ten laps. Under the eyes of some 24,000 spectators who were expected on the Rock, including an audience of VIPs including French football star Zinédine Zidane and American actor Patrick Dempsey, Pérez signed his first victory of the season and the third of his career. . Thanks to his victory, Pérez, third overall (110 points), is six points behind Leclerc (116 points) while Max Verstappen retains the lead in the Drivers’ World Championship standings with 125 points.
Fifth place went to Briton George Russell (Mercedes), followed by his compatriot Lando Norris (McLaren), 6th. The Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Alpine), the Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), the Finn Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) and the German Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) complete the Top 10. The French Esteban Ocon, 9th at the end of the event, dropped to 12th place after a 5-second penalty received for his collision with Hamilton on lap 18. Starting from 17th place, the other Frenchman Pierre Gasly moved up to 11th place thanks to the penalty from his compatriot. The start of the GP, initially scheduled for 3:00 p.m., was delayed due to the pouring rain which was then falling in Monte-Carlo. At 3:00 p.m., the cars were in place on the grid, ready for their formation lap, when the decision was taken by race management to delay the start due to weather conditions.
Classification of the Monaco Grand Prix, 7th round of the Formula 1 World Championship, won on Sunday in Monte-Carlo by the Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull):
1. Sergio Pérez (MEX / Red Bull) 213,568 km in 1 h 56: 30,265
2. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) at 1,154
3. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) à 1.491
4. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) at 2.922
5. George Russell (GBR / Mercedes) at 11,968
6. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) at 12,231
7. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine-Renault) at 46,358
8. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) at 50.388
9. Valtteri Bottas (FIN / Alfa Romeo) at 52.525
10. Sebastian Vettel (GER / Aston Martin-Mercedes) at 53,536
11. Pierre Gasly (FRA / AlphaTauri-Red Bull) at 54.289
12. Esteban Ocon (FRA / Alpine-Renault) at 55.644*
13. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) at 57.635
14. Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) at 1:00.802
15. Nicholas Latifi (CAN / Williams-Mercedes) 1 lap
16. Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo) à 1 tour
17. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1 lap
Sanction:
* Ocon: 5 sec penalty for causing a collision
Fastest lap in the race: Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:14.693 on lap 55 (average: 260.844 km/h)
Abandons:
Kevin Magnussen (DEN / Haas-Ferrari): Mechanical problem 22nd round
Mick Schumacher (GER/Haas-Ferrari): accident 26e tour
Alexander Albon (THA / Williams-Mercedes): mechanical problem 50th lap
Formula 1 World Championship standings after the Monaco Grand Prix, Round 7 of the season, Sunday in Monte Carlo:
Ranking of drivers:
1. Max Verstappen (NED) 125 pts
2. Charles Leclerc (MON) 116
3. Sergio Perez (MEX) 110
4. George Russell (GBR) 84
5. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) 83
6. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 50
7. Lando Norris (GBR) 48
8. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 40
9. Esteban Ocon (FRA) 30
Kevin Magnussen (DEN) 15
11. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 11
12. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) 11
13. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 10
14. Pierre Gasly (FRA) 6
15. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 5
16. Alexander Albon (THA) 3
17. Lance Stroll (CAN) 2
18. Zhou Guanyu (CHN) 1
19. Mick Schumacher (GER) 0
20. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) 0
21. Nicholas Latifi (CAN) 0
Ranking of builders:
1. Red Bull 235 pts
2. Ferrari 199
3. Mercedes 134
4. McLaren-Mercedes 59
5. Alfa Romeo 41
6. Alpine-Renault 40
7. AlphaTauri-Red Bull 17
8. Haas-Ferrari 15
9. Aston Martin-Mercedes 7
10. Williams-Mercedes 3
Editor’s note: Sebastian Vettel (GER), positive for Covid-19, missed the first two Grands Prix, replaced by Nico Hülkenberg (GER)
