Charles Leclerc triumphs in tense 2024 Monaco Grand Prix

Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco 2024/Race Sundays

MONTE-CARLO, Monaco -- Charles Leclerc finally secured his long-awaited victory in the Monaco Grand Prix, delivering a composed drive to P1 amidst early race chaos. The event saw red flags immediately as a massive collision between Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen, and Nico Hulkenberg ended their participation before the first lap concluded.

Check out the results of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, including the race results, qualifying times, and practice sessions

On the track, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc secured first place with a time of 2:23:15.554, finishing ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri by 7.152 seconds and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari by 7.585 seconds.

The Monaco Grand Prix began with immediate chaos as red flags were thrown on the opening lap due to a significant collision involving Sergio Perez's Red Bull and the Haas cars of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, sidelining all three drivers and triggering a lengthy cleanup. The restart was plagued by another incident when Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly made contact, forcing Ocon to retire and earning him a five-place grid penalty for the upcoming race in Canada.

The impact was severe enough to bring out a red flag, necessitating a 45-minute delay to repair the damaged barriers and clear the debris from the track. Fortunately, all drivers involved in the crash emerged unscathed, although their races were over. Perez's retirement from the race was particularly impactful, as it severely affected his standings in the Drivers' Championship, dropping him to fifth place.

This early crash not only reduced the number of competing cars but also reshuffled the race dynamics. The restart saw Charles Leclerc maintaining his lead, while the rest of the field adjusted to the new race conditions following the dramatic first-lap chaos.

The Ferrari driver led from start to finish, navigating through early chaos and intense competition to secure a momentous win.

Post-restart, Leclerc, despite substantial pressure, maintained his lead throughout, fending off rivals with strategic precision. The hometown hero finished seven seconds ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who managed to stave off late-race attacks, particularly from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, rounding out the podium in third.

George Russell, showcasing an upgraded front wing, led Mercedes' effort with a fifth-place finish, narrowly beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton followed in seventh for Mercedes. Yuki Tsunoda secured eighth for RB, while Williams’ Alex Albon and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly claimed their first points of the season in ninth and tenth, respectively.

Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo concluded an eventful race in eleventh and twelfth for Aston Martin and RB. Valterri Bottas led Kick Sauber in thirteenth, ahead of Lance Stroll and Logan Sargeant, who finished fourteenth and fifteenth.

Zhou Guanyu, the last classified driver, finished in sixteenth for Kick Sauber. Esteban Ocon, penalized with a five-place grid drop for Canada, perpetuated a dramatic exit list alongside Perez, Magnussen, and Hulkenberg.

Leclerc's victory propels him to second place in the Drivers' Championship, narrowing the gap to leader Verstappen to 31 points. Ferrari's strong showing also tightened the Constructors' Championship, with Red Bull maintaining a slim lead over Ferrari. Leclerc's victory marks a significant milestone in his career, as he triumphs on the iconic streets of Monte Carlo, elevating Ferrari with a double podium.

The next race is in Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Montréal, Canada on June 9.

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