Race Notes - Vettel wins Monaco GP

Sebastian Vettel won the Monaco Grand Prix in his Red Bull-Renault in a close finish, with Fernando Alonso finishing second in his Ferrari, 1.1 seconds behind, and Jenson Button third in his McLaren-Mercedes 2.3 seconds behind the winner.

It is the first win for Vettel at the Principality, his 15th career win and his fifth win of the six races so far this season.

Mark Webber (23.1s) finished fourth in his Red Bull, followed by Kamui Kobayashi (26.9s) in the Sauber-Ferrari in fifth, Lewis Hamilton (27.2s) in his McLaren in sixth place, Adrian Sutil (1 lap) in the Force India-Mercedes in seventh, Nick Heidfeld in the Renault in eighth, Rubens Barrichello in the Williams-Cosworth in ninth, and Sebastien Buemi in the Toro Rosso-Ferrari in the final points paying position.

Neither HRT car set a qualifying time, but the Stewarts have allowed them to take part in the race, started last. 23 cars taking part, as Sergio Perez will not start after his crash on Saturday. Hamilton is the first runner to start on the soft tyres, after his fastest lap was disallowed.

At the start polesitter Vettel takes the lead followed by Button, Alonso getting past Webber for third, followed by Nico Rosberg and Felipe Massa. Michael Schumacher and Hamilton make minor contact on the run to the first corner.

Schumacher gets past Hamilton at the hairpin. Hamilton radios that he thinks he might have a right-rear puncture.

At lap 2, Vettel has a 3.2 second lead over Button, Alonso, Webber, Rosberg, Massa, Pastor Maldonado, Vitaly Petrov, Schumacher and Hamilton in tenth.

By lap 5 Vettel stretches his lead to 4.6 seconds. Hamilton looking for a way past Schumacher in ninth. Barrichello closes in behind the pair.

On lap 8 Alonso sets fastest lap. Schumacher complaining on the radio that his rear tyres are graining.

On lap 10 Hamilton dives down the inside of Schumacher into Ste Devote, the two nearly coming together into the corner.

At lap 10, Vettel leads Button by 4.3 seconds, followed by Alonso (5.9s), Webber (10.0s), Rosberg (19.0s), Massa (19.4s), Maldonado (20.5s), Petrov (21.8s), Hamilton (27.8s) and Schumacher (30.8s) in tenth place.

On lap 12 Barrichello pushes his way past Schumacher at Mirabeau for tenth place. Schumacher pits at the end of the lap, rejoining in 21st.

Massa hounds Rosberg for fifth, Maldonado, Petrov and Hamilton stacked up behind. Massa touches the rear of Rosberg coming out of Ste Devote - a piece of the Ferrari wing comes off. Massa passes Rosberg at the swimming pool, Maldonado follows him through.

On lap 15 Button pits from second place, rejoining in fourth. Rosberg pits from seventh and rejoins 18th.

On lap 17 Vettel and Webber pit - a slow stop for Vettel, taking soft tyres. Webber's stop is even slower - was there confusion about whether Vettel was supposed to pit at this time.

On lap 17 Alonso pits from the lead, taking on soft tyres. Button takes over the place, followed by Vettel. Button sets fastest lap at 1m18.0 seconds.

At lap 20 Button leads Vettel by 8.8 seconds, followed by Alonso (12.6s), Massa (19.4s), Maldonado (24.8s), Petrov (25.4s), Hamilton (25.6s), Barrichello (30.8s), Kobayashi (35.1s) and Sutil (36.5s) in tenth place.

On lap 21 Paul di Resta pits.

On lap 23 Hamilton pits from seventh place, the McLaren crew not ready - he rejoins in 15th behind Webber. The teams appearing to change strategies at the last second.

Button, running on super softs, pushing his lead to 13 seconds.

On lap 26 Maldonado pits from fifth place. Massa pits from fourth the next lap, changing to soft tyres. Di Resta pushes his way past Buemi at the hairpin the two touching. Di Resta is quickly given a drive-through penalty for causing the collision.

On lap 29 Di Resta serves his penalty.

On lap 30 Schumacher passes Rosberg for 14th at the hairpin. Hamilton is all over Massa, battling for 10th place.

Petrov pits from fourth and rejoins 13th.

At lap 30, Button leads Vettel by 14.1 seconds, followed by Alonso (17.1s), Barrichello (64.8s), Kobayashi (65.7s), Sutil (67.2), Heidfeld (68.9s), Buemi (70.2s), Webber (70.7s) and Massa (71.2s) in 10th place.

On lap 33 Timo Glock pulls off with suspension damage. Barrichello pits.

On lap 34 Button pits from the lead, staying on super softs, so he will need to stop again.

Hamilton and Massa make contact in the hairpin but continue. The two run side-by-side entering the tunnel - Massa runs wide in the marbles and slams into the outside wall - he comes to a stop down the hill, his car damaged. The Safety Car is deployed, with many pitting.

Michael Schumacher comes to a stop in the middle of the track just before the pit entrance. His is pushed into the pitlane by the marshals, his day is done.

On lap 37, behind the Safety Car, Vettel leads Button, Alonso, Sutil, Kobayashi, Webber, Hamilton, Maldonado, Petrov and Heidfeld in tenth.

On lap 39 the Safety Car comes in, and the field in underway - backmarkers mixed in with the leaders. The incident between Massa and Hamilton is under investigation by the stewards. Button is closing on Vettel in the lead, while Hamilton is battling with Webber for sixth place.

On lap 43 Hamilton is given a drive-through penalty for contact with Massa in the hairpin earlier.

On lap 44 Hamilton serves the penalty and drops to 9th place. Webber closes on Kobayashi for fifth place. Sutil bumps the rear of Jerome D'Ambrosio's Virgin in the hairpin - damaging his front wing.

McLaren tells Button on the radio that if he is to win the race, he needs to pass Vettel on the track.

On lap 49 Button pits from second place, rejoining in third place, good to go to the finish on soft tyres.

At lap 50 Vettel leads Alonso by 5.9 seconds, followed by Button (19.9s), Sutil (37.3s), Kobayashi (37.7s), Webber (38.5s), Maldonado (40.3s), Petrov (42.2s), Hamilton (47.3s) and Heidfeld (1 lap) in tenth place.

On lap 50, Hamilton pits from ninth place. Button sets fastest lap at 1m17.4 seconds. Vettel, nursing his tyres in the 1m19s range - both Alonso and Button cutting into his lead.

On lap 55 Maldonado pits from seventh, along with Rosberg. Webber pits the next lap from sixth.

Alonso closes to one second behind Vettel, while Button is seven seconds behind. McLaren questions whether Vettel will pit again or try to run to the end. Alonso is pressuring Vettel for the lead.

At lap 60 Vettel leads Alonso by 0.8 seconds, followed by Button (3.4s), Sutil (49.0s), Kobayashi (49.6s), Petrov (53.9s), Webber (63.3s), Maldonado (68.4s), Hamilton (69.5s) and Heidfeld (1 lap) in tenth place.

Vettel, Alonso and Button run nose-to-tail, the top three covered by 0.7 seconds. Red Bull tells Vettel that Button will pressure Alonso.

On lap 66 Kobayashi and Sutil make contact at Mirabeau, Kobayashi takes fourth place. Webber passes Sutil for fifth place.

Alonso cuts the chicane, but continues in position - the top three continue to push each other and approach a string of backmarkers.

On lap 69 Sutil touches the barriers and then goes wide at the swimming pool with his right-rear tyre coming off the wheel. Hamilton is then hit in the rear by Jaime Alguersuari, his front wing comes off and then he launches over it and crashes into the barriers on the outside of the turn. Petrov has no place to go and crashes into the barriers behind Alguersuari. Meanwhile the leaders, just behind the carnage, manage to get through unscathed.

The Safety Car is deployed. Hamilton's rear wing is deranged from the contact.

An ambulance arrives at Petrov's Renault.

On lap 72 the Red Flag is displayed, as the track is blocked and the cars come to the grid - race control announces that the race will be resumed.

The order at lap 71, with the race stopped, has Vettel ahead of Alonso, Button, Kobayashi, Webber, Maldonado, Hamilton, Sutil, Heidfeld and Barrichello in tenth place, Buemi, Rosberg, Di Resta, Jarno Trulli, Heikki Kovalainen, D'Ambrosio, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Petrov, Narain Karthikeyan and Alguersuari listed in 20th place.

McLaren works on Hamilton's rear wing, replacing the end plates. Safety personnel continue to work at the scene of Petov's car - his Renault is wheeled away - Petrov is taken away in the ambulance for checks, early reports are that Petrov was briefly unconscious in the crash.

It is announced that the race will resume at 16:01 local time.

The mechanics clear the grid and the field follows the Safety Car. Drivers changing to a new tyres during the stoppage.

On lap 73 the race resumes, and the order remains the same. At Ste Devote Hamilton tries to pass Maldonado, the two make contact and Maldonado is out. The incident is being investigated.

The top three covered by two seconds.

On lap 76 Alonso sets the fastest lap. Webber tries to pass Kobayashi at the chicane, Kobayashi cuts the chicane and Webber takes fourth place.

Webber sets fastest lap of 1m16.2 on the final lap. Vettel wins the race ahead of Alonso and Button.