Lando Norris triumphs in Monaco – Diepresse.com
The McLaren pilot celebrates the second win of the season and picks up in the World Cup ranking. Max Verstappen does not go beyond fourth place.
McLaren-Pilot Lando Norris has won a tactical but again moderately exciting Grand Prix of Monaco. The Briton triumphed safely in the principality on Sunday in front of local hero Charles Leclerc in Ferrari and Oscar Piatri in the second McLaren. Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen was fourth in the Red Bull ahead of Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. Despite the introduction of two compulsory boxing stops, the chaos factor on the Côte d’Azur was limited.
« Monaco, baby! » Norris sparked the box after his sixth GP victory. In the World Cup ranking, the vice world champion, who drove to the top podium for the first time since the season opener in Australia in the eighth race, shortened his gap to Leader Piatri to three points. Defending champion Verstappen is now 25 points behind Piatri before the Grand Prix of Spain in Barcelona next Sunday.
After the boring race in the previous year, when the first ten drivers of qualifying had reached the finish line without real pit stop due to a red flag, the mandatory use of three tire rates was introduced. This raised several questions for the strategists. How sensible does it make to stop immediately after the first round and to drive back the gap again? Or: does it bring something to complete both pit stops in a row in the event of a safety car?
No safety car
The first answers were promptly. A quartet from follow-up decided to stop after the first of 78 laps under virtual safety car after Gabriel Bortoleto parked his clean after an overtaking maneuver by Mercedes-Rokie Kimi Antonelli in front of the tunnel on the wall. The start was at the top without incident, Norris defended his top position despite a braking in front of Leclerc, there were no changes in the position behind it. Even after Alpine Pilot Pierre Gasly braked in the ninth round after the tunnel and destroyed his alpine with a dangerous collision with the right rear wheel of the Red Bulls from Yuki Tsunoda, there was no Safety Car.
In the 15th round, Hadjar, who was fifth, opened the first pit stop series. The top countered, at Piatri, a slow stay with the mechanics had no effect. Hadjar stopped again shortly afterwards and continued as a eighth because teammate Liam Lawson had tactically stopped the field right behind. For the half of the race, Fernando Alonso deployed his defective Aston Martin in the emergency exit, which is why no safety car was also used. Meanwhile, Verstappen was annoyed by his car. « My gear shift feels like Monaco 1972, » the world champion sparked.
Russell lost patience
In midfield, Mercedes pilot George Russell lost his nerves behind Williams from Alexander Albon, overtooked a passage from the stewards thanks to a abbreviation. In the 49th round, Piatri decided to stop the second pit. While Leader countered Norris and Leclerc, Verstappen waited again. The Safety Car hoped for by the Dutch failed to materialize, behind him Norris, Leclerc and Piatri moved together. Norris lying at the top with the greater Leclerc in the rear -view mirror a bit trembling, but there was no overtaking attempt by the previous year’s winner. Verstappen only changed his tires for the second time before the last round. (APA)
