Dylan Bettencourt
It was a remarkable win for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and, by Lewis Hamilton’s standards, a failure for Mercedes.
Verstappen now leads the championship, after leading the race from flag to flag in a remarkable performance.
Ferrari’s Charles le Clerc won pole position but didn’t start due to a mechanical failure, giving Verstappen an open track into the first bend.
The Monte Carlo circuit – the last that can be described as a true street circuit – is notoriously the most difficult to pass on, and Verstappen grabbed the opportunity with both hands to score his first win at the circuit.
Verstappen now leads the driver standings for the first time in his career, sitting four points above the current champion, Lewis Hamilton.
The Mercedes team, along with Hamilton, endured a less than impressive afternoon as the British driver ended in the rare depths of seventh place.
His teammate Valtteri Bottas was forced to retire while holding second place due to a problem with a cross-threaded nut.
Could this be a turning point in the fortunes of Mercedes, who have won the previous seven championships? Probably not, but it does add some much needed spice to the F1 scene.
Picture source: @FormulaOne
