Race Notes - Hamilton wins Monaco

Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco GP in his Mercedes GP, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull-Tag Heurer by 7.252 seconds and Sergio Perez in the Force India-Mercedes in third place, 13.825 seconds behind the winner in third place.

The win is Hamiltons first of the season and forty-fourth of his career and he closes to 24 points behind Rosberg in the World Championship lead.

Sebastian Vettel (15.846s) in the Ferrari finished in fourth, followed by Fernando Alonso (85.076s) in his McLaren-Honda in fifth, Nico Hulkenberg (92.999s) in the second Force India was sixth, Nico Rosberg (93.290s) in the second Mercedes GP was seventh, Carlos Sainz (1 lap), in the Toro Rosso-Ferrari in eighth, Jenson Button in the second McLaren was ninth and Felipe Massa in the Williams-Mercedes finished in the final points paying position in tenth place.

Before the start the rain fell as we prepared for a wet or wet/dry race, what is normally a huge challenge is even more challenging today.

Ricciardo in the Red Bull starts from pole with three-time Monaco winner Rosberg on the outside of the front row, World Champion Hamilton starts on the second row with Vettel besides him. Hulkenberg and Sainz run on row three, Perez and Kvyat on row four and Alonso and Bottas rounding out the top ten. Raikkonen with a five-spot penalty for a gearbox change starts eleventh. Spanish GP star Verstappen after crashing in qualifying starts from the pit lane. Nasr will also start from the pit lane.

It is announced that because of the weather the race will be started behind the safety car.

The car roll off behind the safety car, all drivers running on wet weather tyres.

The race is underway behind the safety car.

On lap 2 Kvyat pits for a problem with his steering wheel. Kvyat rejoins but says he is still experiencing technical problems.

The drivers reporting that the conditons are good to go.

At end of lap 7 the safety car comes in and the race begins. Ricciardo in the lead with Rosberg, Hamilton and Vettel following. Magnussen pits for Intermediates. Magnussens team mate Palmer crashes at Ste Devote. The virtual safety car is deployed.

On lap 9 the cars circulate slowly while track workers clean the track. Button pits for intermediate tyres as well.

On lap 10 the safety car ends and Ricciardo streaks ahead, Rosberg and Hamilton are battling for second place.

Raikkonen off at the hairpin and Grosjean is squeezed. Raikkonen rejoins with his front wing stuck under his front tyre. He then retires.

On lap 13 Verstappen pits for

Ricciardo sets fast lap at 1m37.561s. Vettel pits for intermediate tyres, and rejoins in 11th.

Ricciardo sets another fast lap at 1m36.677s, and has a 12.2s lead over Rosberg in second place.

Alonso pits for intermediate tyres.

On lap 16 Hulkenberg pits for intermediates, along with Bottas and Grosjean. Hamilton up the hill passes Rosberg for second place.

Vettel passes Massa by cutting the chicane, he then gives back the place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m35.194s, now trails Ricciardo by 13 seconds.

On lap 17 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m34.870s.

Massa, Vettel, Hulkenberg and Alonso battles for sixth place.

Hamlton sets another fast lap at 1,34.682s. Ricciardo responds and sets a 1m34.360s lap.

On lap 21 Rosberg pits for intermediate tyres, Massa pits as well as the sun start to come out.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m32.859s.

Kvyat and Magnussen crash at Rascasse, then continue.

At lap 22 Ricciardo leads Hamilton by 10.9s followed by Rosberg (43.3s), Perez (44.0s), Vettel (44.8s), Hulkenberg (45.3s), Sainz (46.5s).

On lap 34 Ricciardo pits from the lead for intermediate tyres.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m30.852s and runs in tenth place.

On lap 25 Ricciardo sets fast lap at 1m30.181s.

Hamilton stays out another lap, perhaps hoping to switch right away to slick tyres as Ricciardo closes right behind him.

On lap 28 Gutierrez sets fast lap at 1m29.711s. Ericsson pits for ultra-soft tyres.

At lap 30 Hamilton leads Ricciardo by 0.3s, followed by Rosbereg(26.8s), Vettel (28.9s), Hulkenberg (30.3s), Sainz (32.0 Alonso 33.1s)m Guiterriz (36.6s)

On lap 31 Hamilton pits fron the lead for ultrasoft tyres.

Alonso, Gutierrez and Massa pit.

The next lap Ricciardo pits, the team does not have his tyres ready and he needs to wait as seconds ar lost. He rejoins in second place.

Perez sets fast lap at 1m29.41s.

Magnussen locks up and noses into the barrier at Mirabeau - but then continues.

On lap 33 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m35.164s - five seconds faster than leader Hamilton.

Verstappen at the top of the hill near the casino locks up and gets into the wet and hits the outside wall. The virtual safety car is deployed as they crane the Red Bull away.

Magnussen retires in the pits.

On lap 37 the lap is resumed with Ricciardo all over the back of Hamilton in the lead. Perez third, followed by Vettel, Alonso, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Button and Gutierrez in tenth place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m23.979s, then again the next lap at 1m22.446s and pulls out a 1.3 second lead.

On lap 40 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m20.521s.

On lap 44 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m19.778s.

Wehrlein is given a 10-second time penalty for speeding under the virtual safety car period.

On lap 48 Perez sets fast lap at 1m19.219s.

There is some concern over wether the clouds are gathering and

On lap 50 Nasr and Ericsson come together at Rascasse, and are able to continue. The virtual safety car is out again.

At the end of lap 51 the race resumes and Ricciardo is once again chasing Hamilton for the lead. Perez in third followed by Vettel, Alonso, Rosberg, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Button and Massa in tenth place.

Ricciardo takes a look out of the tunnel but is unable to make the move.

On lap 52 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m18.806s. With 25 laps remaining will the front two runners - Hamilton on ultrasofts and Ricciardo on supersoft tyres - have to pit ahead of Perez on soft tyres?

Alonso in fifth place, continues to lead Rosberg.

At lap 60 Hamilton continues to lead Ricciardo by 1.2 seconds followed by Perez (9.2s), Vettel (12.2s), Alonso (56.9s), Rosberg (58.3s), Hulkenberg (59.3s), Sainz (60.4s), Button (64.6s) and Massa (75.0s) in tenth place.

McLaren tells Button that they expect showers with about 10 laps remaining.

On lap 62 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m18.005s.

Vettel has a close call and locks up at Massenet, but continues.

On lap 68 a plastic tarp blows across the start straight and the virtual safety car is deployed. A marshal collects it and the track goes green once again.

At lap 70 Hamilton leads Ricciardo by 1.9s, followed by Perez (11.1s), Vettel (12.6s), Alonso (66.8s), Rosberg (68.5s), Hulkenberg (69.4s), Sainz (71.2s), Button (74.8s) and Massa in tenth.

On lap 71 Alonso reports that there are drops of rain on his visor.

On lap 71 Hamilon sets fast lap at 1m17.939s.

On lap 74 Ricciardo gap is up to 4 seconds as his front tyre is looking quite worn. Vettel is within a second of Perez in third.

On lap 77 Sainz reports that it is starting to rain near the hairpin.

On the last lap Hulkenberg passes Rosberg to take fifth place.

The order remains the same and Hamilton takes the win over Ricciardo and Perez.