Author: Barkha Roy
Max Verstappen showed his remarkable driving skills and composure by excelling at the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix. Starting the race in pole position, Verstappen initially had a comfortable lead over his competitors. However, an unexpected twist came in the form of rain during the final stages of the race, adding a new layer of complexity.
Undeterred by the challenging weather conditions, Verstappen showed his experience of racing on wet tracks and extended his lead to almost 28 seconds by the end of the race. This impressive victory not only marked Red Bull’s sixth consecutive win of the season, but also established Verstappen as the team’s most successful driver, surpassing legend Sebastian Vettel’s record with a total of 39 race wins.
Meanwhile, Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who drives for Aston Martin, put in a commendable performance, securing his fifth podium in the last six races. Despite a minor setback due to tire selection during the rain, Alonso managed to maintain his second-place position. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon made the most of his good performance in qualifying to take the final place on the podium, further improving his team’s performance.
In the championship standings, Verstappen now has a significant lead of 39 points over his teammate, Mexican Sergio Perez. Pérez faced a challenging race, starting from the back of the grid after an accident in qualifying. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, representing Mercedes, finished fourth and fifth respectively, benefiting from a timely tire change as the rain came in. Mercedes put in a solid performance in Monaco, having introduced significant upgrades to their car for the race.
At his home circuit, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took a creditable sixth place, followed by AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly in seventh. Alpine’s good performance in Monaco took the team to the top of the constructors’ standings. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz had a challenging race, dropping from fourth to eighth place after spinning out on the wet track. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri completed the top ten with solid performances.
With Red Bull extending its lead to 129 points in the constructors’ standings, all eyes are now on the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Verstappen wants to maintain his momentum and extend his lead in the championship, while Red Bull is determined to continue its winning streak.