Reverend
May 25th, 2008, 20:04 PM
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton survived a collision with the barriers to win an incident-packed Monaco Grand Prix and take the world championship lead.
The Englishman's early error punctured a rear tyre but worked in his favour in a race defined by changeable weather.
His team refuelled his car at the tyre change, enabling him to delay his final pit stop and build a decisive lead.
BMW's Robert Kubica beat Felipe Massa's Ferrari to second. Force India's Adrian Sutil lost fourth in a late collision.
The German's superb performance in an unfancied car on a difficult afternoon came to a heartbreaking end on lap 68.
Raikkonen, close behind Sutil after a late safety car period, lost control while braking for the chicane and slalomed into the back of Sutil. The Force India was forced to retire, while Raikkonen, who had an otherwise low-key race, was able to rejoin to finish ninth after fitting as new nose cone.
Mark Webber was sixth for Red Bull, losing fourth place when he chose to put on dry-weather tyres at his final pit stop on lap 48. Kazuki Nakajima was seventh for Williams, with Hamilton's team-mate Heikki Kovalainen eighth after starting from the pit lane.
Webber's team had no choice but to fit dry tyres at his stop and the Australian had to come in at that time to refuel, but it was a couple of laps too early for the dry tyres.
Hamilton's final stop was six laps later, by which time the track had dried sufficiently for the McLaren driver to be at no risk by putting on dry tyres.
It was a remarkable turnaround for the 23-year-old, whose chances of a victory at his favourite track appeared over when he slid wide at the Tabac corner as the rain began to come down heavier on lap six.
The race started on a wet track, with drizzle coming down, and all the drivers chose the less extreme of the two wet-tyre options.
Despite the slippery track, Hamilton was the first driver caught out, although his former team-mate Fernando Alonso lost control of his Renault at the Massenet corner early in lap eight.
Hamilton said: "As the rain came down, there was a lot of spray and coming into Turn 12 it was like a river.
"I hit the river and just slid into the barrier. I knew I only touched it but I had a rear puncture. Thankfully the team acted quickly and I was able to resolve it.
"When the weather is like this the important thing is to keep on the track but I can't explain how difficult that is, you are almost just tip-toeing along.
"We changed the strategy and it played into my hands."
Monaco Grand Prix results*:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
2. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
3. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
4. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault
5. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Toro Rosso-Ferrari
6. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda
7. Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams-Toyota
8. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes
* Race shortened by two laps because of two-hour time limit
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 38 pts
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 35
3. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 34
4. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 32
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 20
6. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 15
7. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault 15
8. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 9
Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 69 pts
2. McLaren-Mercedes 53
3. BMW Sauber 52
4. Red Bull-Renault 15
5. Williams-Toyota 15
Full report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7419319.stm)
The Englishman's early error punctured a rear tyre but worked in his favour in a race defined by changeable weather.
His team refuelled his car at the tyre change, enabling him to delay his final pit stop and build a decisive lead.
BMW's Robert Kubica beat Felipe Massa's Ferrari to second. Force India's Adrian Sutil lost fourth in a late collision.
The German's superb performance in an unfancied car on a difficult afternoon came to a heartbreaking end on lap 68.
Raikkonen, close behind Sutil after a late safety car period, lost control while braking for the chicane and slalomed into the back of Sutil. The Force India was forced to retire, while Raikkonen, who had an otherwise low-key race, was able to rejoin to finish ninth after fitting as new nose cone.
Mark Webber was sixth for Red Bull, losing fourth place when he chose to put on dry-weather tyres at his final pit stop on lap 48. Kazuki Nakajima was seventh for Williams, with Hamilton's team-mate Heikki Kovalainen eighth after starting from the pit lane.
Webber's team had no choice but to fit dry tyres at his stop and the Australian had to come in at that time to refuel, but it was a couple of laps too early for the dry tyres.
Hamilton's final stop was six laps later, by which time the track had dried sufficiently for the McLaren driver to be at no risk by putting on dry tyres.
It was a remarkable turnaround for the 23-year-old, whose chances of a victory at his favourite track appeared over when he slid wide at the Tabac corner as the rain began to come down heavier on lap six.
The race started on a wet track, with drizzle coming down, and all the drivers chose the less extreme of the two wet-tyre options.
Despite the slippery track, Hamilton was the first driver caught out, although his former team-mate Fernando Alonso lost control of his Renault at the Massenet corner early in lap eight.
Hamilton said: "As the rain came down, there was a lot of spray and coming into Turn 12 it was like a river.
"I hit the river and just slid into the barrier. I knew I only touched it but I had a rear puncture. Thankfully the team acted quickly and I was able to resolve it.
"When the weather is like this the important thing is to keep on the track but I can't explain how difficult that is, you are almost just tip-toeing along.
"We changed the strategy and it played into my hands."
Monaco Grand Prix results*:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
2. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
3. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari
4. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault
5. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Toro Rosso-Ferrari
6. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda
7. Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams-Toyota
8. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes
* Race shortened by two laps because of two-hour time limit
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 38 pts
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 35
3. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 34
4. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 32
5. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 20
6. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 15
7. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault 15
8. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 9
Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 69 pts
2. McLaren-Mercedes 53
3. BMW Sauber 52
4. Red Bull-Renault 15
5. Williams-Toyota 15
Full report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7419319.stm)