After a chaotic qualifying session yesterday, today’s formula one race was sure to be an entertaining one.
Before the race even started, Gabi Bortoleto got stranded at the end of the pit lane on his way to the gird meaning the Brazilian started his Monaco Grand Prix from the pit lane.
Green Flag Waved
Lap one was chaos like always.
As the lights went out, Max Verstappen’s car hardly moved, he got it past the grid box but that was about it, everyone managed to avoid him.
Kimi Antonelli lead the pack away with Lewis Hamilton is second and home hero Charles Leclerc third. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri got away well but going up the hill to turn two, Norris was passed by Pierre Gasly.
Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon came together on the opening lap, with Bearman damaging his front wing resulting in an early pit stop for the British driver.
George Russell and Sergio Perez were noted for being out of their grid slots, Russell received not further action while Perez was handed a drive through penalty.
Valtteri Bottas retired on lap 18 after his Cadillac overheated.
More problems for Red Bull as Issak Hadjar reported his engine breaking wasn’t working and was after a fix and quickly.
As Hadjar was trying to work through his issues with his car, he had the Mercedes of George Russell breathing down his neck for many laps.
Lap 30, Bearman was told to box to retire the car after contact on lap one.
Lando Norris then reported issues with his McLaren car, he wasn’t sure if it was a misfire, the battery or an issue with the power unit.
The Monaco pit lane held no prisoners today, 5 drivers were caught speeding in the pit lane, Hamilton became the first victim to receive a five second time penalty, followed by Russell, Franco Colapinto, Gasly and Piastri.
Lap 45, Norris was told to box to retire the car after the issue he had earlier was still there, Russell and Hadjar both pass the McLaren driver as he slowly made his way around the streets.
The Williams duo of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon were told to swap positions so Albon could hold the pack up while Sainz got to work on creating a gap so he could pit without losing too many positions.
Lap 60, Lance Stroll hits the wall causing the first safety car of the race. He hit the wall at turn 19 after going through Rascasse and getting on the marbles going into the final corner.
All cars were called through the pit lane and it became active, most teams pitted and anyone who had a penalty served it. Russell, Gasly and Colapinto did not serve their penalties.
The Alpine’s didn’t pit but Russell’s team got to work straight away on his car forgetting about the penalty.
Safety car in lap 65.
Only three cars on the lead lap as all lapped cars were allowed to un-lap themselves.
As Antonelli got going, the top threes tires were cold, before they made it to the start/finish line, Leclerc hit the wall in the same place Stroll did and caused another safety car which turned into a red flag.
The FIA and marshals red flagged the race due to the track breaking up at the final corner, where all the marbles were, the tarmac had a line going through it where it was crumbling.
During the red flag, Gasly received another 5 second penalty for speeding in the pit lane during the race and Russell received a drive through penalty for not serving his penalty correctly.
17:12pm track time was the restart time and it was a standing start procedure with Antonelli starting on pole, Hamilton second, Hadjar third and Russel fourth.
It was an eight lap shoot out to decide the winner and Antonelli got away nicely, followed by Hamilton with Russell taking third and Gasly fourth, Hadjar dropped to fifth.
Lap one of the restart was chaos with Nico Hulkenberg making contact with Sainz at the Hairpin which dropped him down the order, going towards the tunnel, Colapinto also makes contact with Sainz, spinning him around and causing the Spaniard to retire from the race. Hulkenberg was handed a 10second penalty for the incident.
Perez was noted for another false start at the restart resulting in a 10 second penalty for the Mexican driver.
After a chaotic and strange Monaco Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli wins his fifth consecutive race and leads the championship by 66 points from Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli also received a GLAND SLAM in Monaco as he got pole, led every lap, fastest lap and win, what an achievement for the 19-year-old Italian.
Can he keep this up for Barcelona or will Russell get his form back to spoil his party?
(featured image free to use under Wikimedia Commons)
Motor Sport Central 
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