Formula 1: Antonelli wins in Monaco – debacle for Verstappen

Formula 1 in Monaco

Young Mercedes star wins chaos race – disaster for Verstappen

Kimi Antonelli remains the measure of all things in Formula 1. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have a weekend to forget.

The new Formula 1 prince Kimi Antonelli has claimed his fifth Grand Prix victory in a row at the classic in Monaco and is increasingly leaving his World Championship rivals behind. Even in the extremely narrow streets of Monte-Carlo, the 19-year-old Mercedes wonder boy drove away from everyone, completely unfazed by potholes and a long break in the race; he is now the youngest Monaco winner ever. In the World Championship standings, the Italian is already 66 points ahead of the new overall runner-up Hamilton after six rounds of the season.

For Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari and Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar, second and third place remained in Prince Albert II’s box. Local hero Charles Leclerc lost a podium place in a crash ten laps before the end in the second Ferrari.

Nico Hülkenberg missed out on his first championship points of the year in the Audi in his adopted hometown after a late penalty. The 38-year-old crossed the finish line in eighth place, but received a ten-second penalty and was therefore only ranked 14th.

The race, which had been unspectacular for a long time, became strange at the end. After two safety car phases, the race had to be interrupted for almost 40 minutes ten laps before the end because parts of the asphalt dissolved before the last corner. When Lance Stroll rushed into the barriers with his Aston Martin on the 60th lap, the safety car slowed down the field. Shortly after the restart, Leclerc lost control of his car. The race stewards now stopped the field and inspected the holes in the asphalt in turn 19.

After an interruption of almost 40 minutes, the race was finally completed after a restart. After starting again, Antonelli remained focused for the remaining eight laps and remained at the front of the field without making any mistakes.

For four-time world champion Max Verstappen, the race ended quickly despite second place on the grid. He couldn’t move at the start due to engine problems. After a series of expletives, he radioed, “What should I do now?” The answer: “Just come home.” Shortly afterwards, Verstappen gave up and climbed out of the car in the garage. “Even at the start, the feeling from the engine wasn’t good. No power in the first few meters,” said the four-time world champion on Sky and announced that he would immediately go to his apartment, just 500 meters away.

World champion Lando Norris also had to stop the race early due to technical problems.