Impressing on the streets of Monaco is the trademark of great Formula 1 drivers. Doing it in the rain is an even greater achievement.
This meant Sunday's race was a big opportunity for drivers to flourish or falter. When the late shower arrived, those at the front settled down, avoiding the walls (mostly) through the tense closing stages. Those closer to the back, not so much.
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It all ended with a known winner, albeit not in his usual outright fashion, a surprising name on the podium and some missed opportunities for those below.
Who were the best players in Monaco? Here's our latest set of F1 driver power rankings. If you need a reminder of our criteria and how we complete the process,refresh yourself here.
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Max Verstappen won the race by 27 seconds, but this is probably the hardest he's worked to win all season. Even during his struggle from ninth on the grid to victory in Miami, he was always therea sense of control and inevitability. Monaco offered neither.
The threat of rain meant that Verstappen had to commit to a very long stay on his starting pads, meaning his tires were already in pretty bad shape when the downpour arrived. Verstappen almost kept his car clear of the wall at Portier, and the scare was the final sign that it was definitely time to switch to medium. He took a few laps to collect himself, knowing Alonso had plenty of protection after the Aston Martin pitted twice, then gradually built up the lead again.
Sergio Pérez's failure to score after a miserable weekend made this a very important win in the context of Verstappen's bid for a third championship and thus his place at the top. Even without the bigger headline picture - Verstappen now has 144 points to Checo's 105 - Monaco proved that no matter what you throw at Verstappen, nothing can break him now.
2. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Esteban Ocon's stunning performance all weekend ended, deservedly, on this third F1 podium. For a moment in Q3, there were dreams of a bigger shock when the Alpine driver jumped to provisional pole with minutes remaining, only to drop back to P4 on the grid.
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Fourth became third thanks to Charles Leclerc's penalty and Ocon drove superbly to keep the faster Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and then the two Mercedes cars at bay through the late chaos in the rain. He may have been far behind Verstappen and Alonso in the main battle, but it was never his battle.
To win the podium in the fifth fastest car at the moment is a really big achievement. For context, since the start of the 2022 season, only one other driver outside of a 'big four' team has broken into the top three: Lando Norris finished third at Imola last April. At a time when Alpine's performance was rightfully being questioned (including by its own CEO), Ocon gave the team a big boost. He deserves a large amount of credit for making it happen.
How it started 🆚 How it goes#Alpine #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/R9DvLhQwyS
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team)May 29, 2023
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
This was the closest to victory that Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin have come all season. Both the driver and the team canthey deny that they actually had a chance to beat Verstappen, but it's impossible to imagine that with better tire choices to prevent two pit stops in two laps it could have been a fairytale win.
Nothing about Alonso's performance behind the wheel could change that, though. He did absolutely everything he could. He ran Verstappen close to pole on Saturday, only to be denied by the Dutchman's powerful final sector, and showed good pace on the hard rubber during his long opening performance. The risk of losing track position meant that Verstappen could never truly feel in the lead, even when running 10 seconds on the side of the road before the rain started.
A missed opportunity? Could be. But Alonso did his thing. Victory seems to be getting closer.
4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Lewis Hamilton has had few lucky weekends this season, but Monaco is definitely on the list.Mercedes car upgrade, although difficult to read on such an unconventional track, seemed to give Hamilton a comfort and confidence in the car that he has lacked for much of this year.
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And everything ended with a good result. Hamilton edged out qualifying team-mate George Russell and trailed the Ocon/Sainz battle through the opening stretch. Catching and passing Ocon, even in a faster car, has always been a big ask in Monaco. Fourth place is a very good return this weekend.
5. Lando Norris (McLaren)
To talk about ninth place as a great result may seem strange, especially for a driver and team that was on the podium in Monaco just two years ago. But Lando Norris really made the most of this weekend.
He didn't have the rhythm to keep up with Yuki Tsunoda's AlphaTauri in the dry, making P10 look like his ceiling. But the late rain put Norris in contention. He pitted for a tough race just before the rain arrived, which cost him around 20 seconds, but he made up for it with a fantastic final pit stop in the middle stages where he was one of the fastest drivers. In the last 13 laps, Norris made up 16 seconds of the leading Verstappen. He even joked that he hoped Red Bull, who ran ahead of him on the track at one point, would be shown blue flags signaling to let a faster driver pass.
The pass at Tsunoda was Norris' ninth, which was really the maximum for McLaren given the lack of pace in the dry. If the entire race had been wet, who knows what would have been possible? Definitely positives for the team, even with nearest rivals Alpine having such a good weekend.
points on the streetspic.twitter.com/N1TrC2khXI
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris)May 28, 2023
6. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
No, Ocon didn't bring home a big score. But it was still a really solid weekend for Pierre Gasly. If things had gone a little differently, he might have been the one on the podium spraying the champagne for Alpine, not Ocon.
Gasly kept George Russell at bay during the opening stint and made a long run on the hard field, mauling him all the way to third after Ocon, Sainz, Hamilton and Leclerc pitted. The pit call on lap 47 came just a few laps before the rain arrived, meaning Gasly pitted twice in seven laps. If Gasly had stayed away a little longer and gone straight to semis, third place was on the cards.
Gasly wasn't quite on Ocon's level in Monaco, and seventh could be a somewhat disappointing result. However, it is still his best result of the season so far.
7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Leclerc's Monaco "curse" showed no signs of abating last weekend. For all the hype and anticipation that he could pull off an incredible jump and take pole against the odds as he did in Baku and then hold on for victory on home soil, Leclerc's weekend was never close to that.
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Leclerc admitted after qualifying that he "struggled like crazy" with the car, which was at the bottom on the rough roads of Monaco. He still managed to qualify third, only to receive a three-place penalty for impeding Lando Norris when Ferrari failed to inform Leclerc that the McLaren was approaching through the tunnel. He had nowhere to go.
Leclerc could do little else in the race. He trailed Lewis Hamilton through the opening section, pitted for about 10 laps before the rain arrived, and didn't have enough pace to keep up with the Mercedes cars on the intermediate tracks. The wait for a happy return home to Monaco continues.
8. George Russell (Mercedes)
Like Hamilton, Russell was more relaxed with the Mercedes car thanks to the new improvements. He wasn't quite on the pace of his teammate throughout the weekend, falling behind in qualifying and eighth in the opening section. But a long run in the rough meant Russell made it all the way to third before the rain started to fall.
That put the Brit in line for the podium when it came time to switch to the intermediates, only for a mistake by Mirabeau, running deep into the corner, to throw that chance away. His unsafe return to the track resulted in contact with Pérez and a fair penalty of five seconds. This had no effect on his final result, fifth, due to the gap to Leclerc behind him, but the damage had already been done. Despite this, a decent result and points won, especially placing ahead of both Ferraris.
I should have had a podium today thanks to a great strategy, but my mistake on the outside lap cost us two positions to finish P5. I'm very disappointed with the mistake, but a lot of positives to take to Barcelona.pic.twitter.com/ytvFFWRuww
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63)May 28, 2023
9. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
For his first Monaco Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri had a lot going on last weekend. He struggled with the settings on Friday to finish 11th on the grid on Saturday, trailing only team-mate Norris by a very good margin. Norris' slight advantage continued through the dry part of the race before giving up in the intermediate stages, but Piastri was still one of the fastest drivers through the closing stages of the race.
His move outside the struggling Yuki Tsunoda in Sainte Dévote was brave - Piastri even feared he would end up in the wall after locking up briefly - but it showed his willingness to take risks when it mattered. Maybe all that was enough for just one point, but it was hard-earned and well-deserved.
10. Nyck de Vries (AlphaTauri)
After a few weeksspeculation about his future with AlphaTauri, Nyck de Vries showed his strongest performance in the season so far. He qualified 12th, behind Tsunoda, and struggled to keep up with the McLarens who had been ahead all race. But de Vries didn't lose his head when the late rain fell. Although he was passed by Valtteri Bottas, one of the first middle-class stoppers, he kept it on the road to bring him home in 12th place in difficult conditions.
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It's a performance that should build confidence for de Vries. He lacked the pace of team-mate Tsunoda - our other contender to round out the top 10, who was ruled against because a late-race spin was his fault - over the weekend, but ended his recent run of mistakes. It is a platform on which he can build.
(Feature photo: Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
FAQs
Has Max Verstappen won Monaco? ›
Max Verstappen wins wet Monaco F1 GP to stretch world championship lead. Formula One.
Does driver of the day get points? ›It's important to note that The F1 Vote Driver of the Day has no bearing on the race, and the drivers do not gain any additional points as a result of the number of votes that they receive.
Who was driver of the day at Silverstone? ›FORMULA 1 LENOVO BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2022
On a tough afternoon for his Red Bull team, Sergio Perez defied the odds to fight back from the rear of the pack to finish a superb second at Silverstone.
Verstappen masters rain to win in Monaco
Max Verstappen weathered a rainstorm, impacts with the barriers and pressure from Fernando Alonso to secure victory at the Monaco Grand Prix for Red Bull.
Michael Schumacher's record-breaking sixth Monaco Grand Prix conquest in 2001. Schumacher's sixth victory at Monaco in 2001 was an epochal milestone, surpassing thehitherto unassailable record held by Graham Hill, thus illuminating the contours of his illustriouscareer in dazzling fashion.
How many times has Max Verstappen won the Monaco Grand Prix? ›Red Bull had wisely put Verstappen on the versatile intermediate tires on the 56th lap, and they carried him to his second win in Monaco and the third straight for the team after Perez won the 2022 race. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Mercedes and picked up a point for fastest lap.
What do F1 drivers get for being Driver of the Day? ›Drivers do not receive a trophy and there is no financial incentive. It is simply a recognition of a driver's performance from the viewing public.
What does P mean in F1 leaderboard? ›Paddock, The
Typically an area behind the pits. Location of team hospitality suites and where the majority of media work, wheeler-dealing and all-round general showing off takes place during a race weekend.
Winners don't always get to keep their trophies.
Most only get a replica of their trophy, because drivers usually sign a contract with a clause that says their team gets to keep the real one. Many teams put them on display in their headquarters.
Drivers are weighed after the race for two reasons - one is to measure how much weight a driver has lost during the race, and the other is to ensure that the driver and car still meet the minimum weight limit.
Who was the burned Formula 1 driver? ›
Lauda was seriously injured in a crash at the 1976 German Grand Prix while racing at the Nürburgring; during the crash his Ferrari 312T2 burst into flames, nearly killing him after he inhaled hot toxic fumes and suffered severe burns.
Who is the best F1 driver in history? ›Lewis Hamilton - 103 wins. In terms of career wins and total career points, Lewis Hamilton is the best Formula 1 driver to have ever graced a circuit.
Has anyone won F1 and Nascar? ›One driver who made a full-time switch to NASCAR was no other than Juan Paylo Montoya. Known for his fiery, competitive streak and somewhat aggressive driving style, is there a car out there he can't win in? Seven wins in F1, two Indy 500 wins and three wins across NASCAR Cup and Xfinity.
How fast do F1 cars go? ›The modern F1 car can reach speeds of roughly 220mph on average when bombing down long straights. The fastest speed ever recorded in a race was from Valtteri Bottas's Mercedes in the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix when he reached a startling 231mph, though certain conditions have to be met for that to happen.
What is the most important Formula 1 race in the world? ›The British Grand Prix and Italian Grand Prix are the most frequently held events in the Formula One World Championship with 73 editions each since the races first formed a part of the series in 1950, followed by the Monaco Grand Prix which has been held 69 times, all on the same course, the Circuit de Monaco.
Who has won at Monaco the most? ›Senna holds the record for the most victories in Monaco, with six, including five consecutive wins between 1989 and 1993, as well as eight podium finishes in ten starts.
Why is Monaco GP so special? ›The Circuit de Monaco was not designed for modern F1 cars. It may not have even been a great fit for cars in the 1950s. But the Monaco Grand Prix has endured due to a unique combination of tradition, ambience and a historical and challenging circuit.
Who has won the most F1 races in their entire career? ›All-time top Formula 1 drivers 1950-2023, by number of races won. With 103 races won throughout his career, Lewis Hamilton topped the ranking of Formula 1 drivers as of March 2023. The Briton surpassed German legend Michael Schumacher by 12 race wins. Hamilton is part of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.
Who is the youngest F1 racer? ›Who is the youngest F1 driver on the grid? The youngest driver on the F1 grid is Oscar Piastri. The McLaren youngster is one of only three current F1 drivers born in the 2000s, having been born on 6 April 2001, so he is currently 21 years old, and will have turned 22 by the end of the 2023 season.
What kind of car does Max Verstappen drive? ›What type of car does Max Verstappen drive? Max Verstappen is a professional racing driver who currently competes in Formula One (F1) for the Red Bull Racing team. He drives a Red Bull Racing RB19, which is a Formula One car specifically designed and built for the 2023 season.
What do F1 drivers do for toilet? ›
Do F1 drivers pee in their suits during a race? The simple answer is yes they do. F1 drivers can relieve themselves during races on the off chance that they need to but many have strongly claimed that they wait until they return to the paddock.
Do F1 pilots pay to drive? ›There is a basic registration fee of €10,400 (£9,148 / $11,047) per driver, plus an extra €2,100 (£1,847 / $2,230) per point from the previous season. This means Max Verstappen is faced with a staggering bill of more than $1m just to enter the 2023 season.
Do any F1 drivers pay to drive? ›Pay drivers have been the norm in many of the feeder series of motorsport, particularly in Formula 2, Formula 3, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and Indy Lights. However, there have been many pay drivers in top level series like Formula One, Champ Car, IndyCar Series, and the NASCAR Cup Series.
Why do F1 drivers say box? ›The word is said to be easier to use for swift communication purposes. When the team need a driver to come in, they say "box" as opposed to "pit" because it is clearer and more distinctive over a radio to a driver who is also contending with the noice that accompanies speeding around in an F1 car.
What does the pink clock mean in F1? ›It's either fastest lap (in a race) or fastest time for a sector (part of a lap) in qualifying.
What is a chicane in F1? ›What are chicanes? As defined by the Formula 1 website, a chicane is a tight sequence of corners which go in alternate directions. They are usually inserted into a circuit in order to slow the cars down, often just before a high-speed corner. Mick Schumacher's Haas in Saudi Arabian qualifying, 2022.
What is the 3 hour rule in F1? ›The race can not exceed two hours in length—if this interval is reached, the race will be ended at the end of the next full lap—unless the race is halted by a red flag, in which case the total time including the red flag stoppage must not exceed three hours, and the total time excluding the red flag stoppage may not ...
How much does an F1 car cost? ›Attaching a definitive price tag on an F1 car is extremely difficult, however, according to Red Bull, each car is estimated to cost around $12-16 million USD. For the 2023 season, teams are permitted to spend a maximum of $135 million (£109m) on materials and activities related to car performance.
What happens if two drivers tie in F1 race? ›In case of a tie, the FIA compares the number of times each driver has finished in each position. The championship goes to whichever had the greater number of wins; if they have the same number of wins, it goes to the driver with the greater number of second places, and so on.
What do teams do with old F1 cars? ›Although the eldest Formula 1 cars end up in scrapyards or being used for parts, some are lucky enough to be kept as show cars or sold to private collectors. A few even end up in museums where they can be admired by racing fans for years to come.
What do F1 drivers eat before a race? ›
Drivers should consume mainly wholegrain complex carbohydrate, which provide more sustainable energy to be used throughout longer training days and racing. Foods like oats, brown rice and some cereals are wholegrain and provide a source of fibre, in addition to vitamins and minerals.
Why do F1 drivers get weighed after the race? ›The weight check at the end of each session is a simple formality to ensure that, just like the cars that have their own weight restrictions, a driver is abiding by the rules!
Do F1 cars have air conditioning? ›Formula 1 cars do not have any real cooling elements for the driver. Cooling units, such as AC, would add too much weight to the vehicle. F1 teams fight for even the slightest advantage they can get against their competitors, so they try to eliminate as much weight off their cars as possible.
How hot is an F1 cockpit? ›According to some estimates, the temperature inside an F1 cockpit can reach up to 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) during a race. This can be especially challenging for the drivers, who must maintain focus and perform at a high level despite the heat.
Do F1 drivers listen to music? ›Put simply, no they don't. Interestingly it is not actually banned in the official rules but it is not done by any driver due to the safety risks surrounding it. F1 cars can accelerate from 0–60mph in just 2.6 seconds so listening to music would distract them from driving at such high speeds.
Who was the last F1 driver killed in a race? ›Bianchi's death was the first to result from an on-track incident in Formula One in over 20 years, after Ayrton Senna's fatal accident at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. As of 2023, it is also the most recent fatal accident to have occurred in Formula One.
Who to blame on Hamilton and Verstappen collision? ›Formula One Race Director Michael Masi explained that Max Verstappen, who has been given a three-place grid penalty, was 'predominantly to blame' for his crash with Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix.
Who was better Lauda or Hunt? ›Though James Hunt may have had the glamour and attracted more of a rock star type of following, it is hard to dispute that Lauda was the better driver. Niki Lauda was the Formula One World Champion in 1975, 1977 and 1984, the first two with Ferrari and the last with McLaren. Hunts only championship season was 1976.
Who are the most popular F1 drivers by fans? ›| Characteristic | Number of online mentions |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | 68,786 |
| Sergio Perez | 52,826 |
| Max Verstappen | 48,086 |
| Mick Schumacher | 15,051 |
Verstappen's 2022 victories took his career tally to 35, moving him up to sixth on the sport's all-time list, which is topped by Lewis Hamilton with 103.
Is F1 bigger than NASCAR in America? ›
In the 2022 season, NASCAR averaged over three million viewers per race, the most they've had in four years. Meanwhile, the 2021 Formula 1 season saw an average of 70 million viewers per race.
Has an American ever won an F1 Grand Prix? ›The drivers' title has been won twice for the United States, with Phil Hill winning in 1961 and Mario Andretti being victorious in 1978. Andretti was the last American driver to win a race in Formula One – the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix.
Are NASCAR drivers richer than F1? ›F1 drivers are the highest-paid athletes in motorsports, taking home $11.4 million on average across all 20 drivers on the 2022 grid – a figure set to slightly reduce this year with high-earners Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo stepping away.
What octane is F1 fuel? ›Formula One fuel would fall under high octane premium road fuel with octane thresholds of 95 to 102. Since the 1992 season onwards all Formula One cars must mandatorily utilize unleaded racing gasoline fuel. F1 Blends are tuned for maximum performance in given weather conditions or different circuits.
What is faster Indy or F1? ›Formula 1′s acceleration superiority
However, their ability to accelerate is superior to IndyCar's, needing only 2.1 seconds to reach 90 kph, and are designed to go fast through corners and turns. As such a race between F1 and IndyCar could go either way, depending on the kind of track they would compete on.
What is the highest ever top speed of an F1 car? Montoya holds the highest top speed for an F1 car outright, set during the 2005 Italian Grand Prix. The Colombian led the race from pole and recorded his second win of the '05 season with McLaren-Mercedes. During the race, his MP4-20 achieved 372.6km/h (231.52mph).
Has Max Verstappen won a race? ›As of the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, Verstappen has achieved 39 victories and 23 pole positions. He scored the first hat-trick of his career at the 2021 French Grand Prix and his first grand slam at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix. He scored his second grand slam at the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Who is the F1 king of Monaco? ›So, take a look at the special coverage that the Ayrton Senna website has prepared for you, to show how, year by year, the Brazilian built to this amazing record, which lead the international press to give him the title of “King of Monaco”.
Who won Monaco 23? ›2023 Monaco Grand Prix report and highlights: Verstappen beats Alonso to Monaco GP victory despite rain causing late drama.
How much does it cost to go to the Monaco Grand Prix? ›Complete 2024 Monaco Grand Prix luxury travel packages are available from $6,695 (premium grandstand seating) or $9,740 (exclusive hospitality) per person, based on double occupancy.
How rich is Max Verstappen? ›
His net worth is estimated to be $200.000. 000. According to Forbes, he is 26th on the list of highest-paid athletes on the planet. Forbes also says Red Bull pays him a whopping amount of $55 million per year.
What celebrity is at F1 Monaco? ›- Tom Holland. Tom Holland and Neymar pose for a photo prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 28, 2023. ...
- Orlando Bloom. ...
- Kylie Minogue. ...
- Michael Douglas. ...
- Dame Shirley Bassey. ...
- James Marsden. ...
- Maria Sharapova. ...
- Neymar.
| Wins | Driver | Years won |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Nico Rosberg | 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| Lewis Hamilton | 2008, 2016, 2019 | |
| 2 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 1950, 1957 |
| Maurice Trintignant | 1955, 1958 |
Racing champions Ayrton Senna (who has won it a record six times), Graham Hill, Sir Jackie Stewart, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have all made history here.
Who holds Monaco track record? ›| Grand Prix Circuit (2015–present) (Tabac slightly moved) | |
|---|---|
| 4th Variation (1986–1996) (Nouvelle chicane added) | |
| Length | 3.328 km (2.068 miles) |
| Turns | 20 |
| Race lap record | 1:21.076 ( Michael Schumacher, Benetton B194, 1994, F1) |
That Michael Schumacher "only" has five wins at Monaco from 18 attempts is testament to the often unpredictable nature of racing around the city streets. He first won here in 1994 and in the process recorded his first-ever Glam Slam. Schumacher also won in 1995, 1997 and 1999.