Race Notes - Perez wins the Monaco GP

By Mark Karp

Sergio Perez won the Monaco Grand Prix in his Red Bull, after a wet start and a mid-race Red Flag halted the race. Carlos Sainz was second in his Ferrari, 1.154 seconds behind, and Max Verstappen finished third, 1.491s behind the winner.

Polesitter Charles Leclerc (2.922s) in the second Ferrari was fourth, followed by George Russell (11.968s) in the Mercedes GP was fifth, Lando Norris (12.231s) in the McLaren Mercedes was sixth, Fernando Alonso (46.358s) in the Alpine-Renault was seventh, Lewis Hamilton (50.388s) in the second Mercedes was eighth, Valtteri Bottas (52.525s) in the Alfa Romeo-Ferrari was ninth, and Sebastian Vettel (53.536s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes took the final point in tenth place.

Before the start there were spits of rain on the grid with clouds in the air, will there be rain during the race? Some teams thinking it will rain 10 minutes into the race.

Pirelli expects the fastest tyre strategy to be starting on soft tyres and switching to hard tyres after 22 to 32 laps.

Leclerc starts on pole for the 79th Monaco GP with his team mate Sainz on the outside of the front row, the Red Bulls of Perez and Verstappen on row 2, Norris and Russell on row 3, Alonso and Hamilton on row 4, Vettel and Ocon rounding out the top ten positions

With 15m to go before the start the drizzle continues and we see unbrellas coming out, and the track temp is dropping.

Pirelli thinks everyone will start on medium intermediate tyres.

Teams are reporting that heavy rain in expected in the next few minutes.

The start is delayed until 15:09 local time, and the formation lap will be started behind the Safety car.

At 15:05 the officials say the start will be delayed further, until 15:16 local time. The rain continues quite hard.

There is talk that the rain will continue for 10m, and then be lighter for the following hour.

Leclerc clarifies with his team that if it continues to rain, drivers do not need to make a mandatory pitstop.

Hamilton instructed the team that they should all calm down, and take a few deep breathes.

At 15:16 local time the drivers start their formation lap with all drivers with full wet tyres fitted for their cars behind the safety car, with their tyres temps cooling, with a lot of spray coming off the cars.

After 2 formation laps the red flag is flown, and the cars pull into the pits with the race coming down heavily. The cars come to a stop and the popup tents come up over the cars, and the drivers head for cover in the garages.

At 15:30 local time the sky is brightening and the rain has eased.

At 15:36 the rain has appeared to stop at the half of the track near the pits.

The race will resume at 16:05 local time.

The drivers come out on the track behind the Safety car.

Latifi goes off at the hairpin and has a puncture. It is announced that it will be a rolling start.

The race begins with Leclerc and Sainz in the lead Perez, Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Ocon in tenth.

Stroll and Gasly pit.

Alfa Romeo asks Bottas, "plan C" - he replies "yes".

Zhou, Gasly and Latifi run on intermediate wet tyres at the back.

Hamilton says it is driving quickly.

Schumacher pits for intermediates.

On lap 5 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m39.679s.

On lap 6 Gasly sets fast lap at 1m39.431s.

On lap 7 Vettel and Tsunoda pit for intermediates.

Sainz sets fast lap at 1m37.998s.

On lap 7 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m37.181s, and leads by 3.6 seconds,

Verstappen reports that it is tricky on track.

On lap 9 Russell cuts the chicane but continues.

On lap 9 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m36.588s.

1n36.299s.

At lap 10 Leclerc leads Sainz by 4.5 seconds, followed by Perez (6.1s), Verstappen (7.5s), Norris (16.9s), Russell (18.0s), Alonso (22.1s), Hamilton (24.5s), Ocon (38.6s) and Bottas (43.3s) in tenth place.

Albon goes off the track but continues.

Zhou cuts the chicane.

On lap 11 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m35,323s.

Gasly passes Zhou fro 13th place.

On lap 12 Leclerc sets another fast lap at 1m35.077s.

Gasly is pressuring Ricciardo for 12th.

On lap 13 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m33.665s.

On lap 14 Gasly passes Ricciardo for 12th.

On lap 14 Sainz sets fastest lap at 1m32.995s.

Ferrari reports to the drivers that they will switch straight to dry tyres.

On lap 15 Gasly sets fast lap at 1m31.251s.

Hamilton pits for intermediate tyres and rejoins in ninth.

On lap 16 Perez pits from third for intermediate tyres and rejoins fifth.

On lap 17 Norris pits from fourth for intermediates and he rejoins in seventh.

On lap 16 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m30.246s.

On lap 18 Leclerc and Verstappen both pit for intermediate time.

Perez sets fast lap at 1m25.215s.

Hamilton is chasing Ocon in eighth place.

At lap 20 Sainz leads Perez by 3,9 seconds followed by Leclerc (6.3s), Verstappen (10.1s), Russell (23.6), Alonso (27.1s), Ocon (41.7s),

Ver 1,24.805s.

On ;lap 21 Sainz, Leclerc, Russell, Alonso and Ocon all pit, Ferrari are on hard tyres.

On the next lap Perez and Verstappen both do a double stop for hard tyres. Norris and Hamilton pit as well

Perez leads Sainz, Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel and Ocon in tenth.

Sainz is chasing Perez closely.

On lap 23 Russell sets fast lap at 1m23,633s.

There is some question that the two Red Bulls crossed the yellow line exiting the pits.

On lap 24 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m22.826s.

The next lap Russell sets at 1m21.037s.

One lap 27 Schumacher crashes at the exit of the swimming pool and the gearbox of the car detaches from the front. First the Virtual Safety car is out, then it goes to full Safety car. Schumacher is out of the car and is okay.

Behind the Safety car Perez leads Sainz, Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Hamilton, Ocon, Bottas in tenth, Vettel, Gasly, Ricciardo, Stroll, Tsunoda, Zhou, Latifi and Ambon in 18th.

The barriers at the exit of the swimming pool need to be repaired.

At lap 29 the race is red flagged for the repairs and the cars come into the pits and stop again - all drivers can make repairs and change tyres.

It is announced that the race will be resumed at 17:15 local time with a rolling start.

The field came out behind the Safety car, and the two Red Bulls fitted new medium tyres, the two Ferrari's with the same used hard tyres, Russell with new mediums, Norris with used hard, Alonso, Hamilton and Ocon on new medium tyres.

At the end of lap 32 the Safety car came in and the race resumes with Perez continuing in the lead ahead of Sainz, Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Hamilton, Ocon and Bottas in tenth.

On lap 34 Albon sets fast lap at 1m20.929s, quickly after from Perez with a 1m20.677s.

Ocon is handed a 5-second-penalty from causing a collision with Hamilton earlier.

On lap 35 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m19.112s.

On lap 36 Sainz sets fast lap at 1m18.962s, and again with a 1m18.150s.

Perez leads Sainz by 1.1 seconds, followed by Verstappen.

Albon retires in the pits.

With 14m left Norris pits for new medium tyres and rejoins in sixth.

With 9m left in the race Perez leads Sainz, Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Alonso, Hamilton, Ocon and Bottas in tenth.

The order remains the same to the finish, with Perez ahead of Sainz and Verstappen.