Vettel secures memorable 1-2 for Ferrari at Monaco MONACO GP FINAL TIMINGS

Monaco, May 28: Sebastian Vettel secured a memorable one-two for Ferrari in Sunday’s 75th Monaco Grand Prix to extend his world championship lead to a luxurious 25 points over Lewis Hamilton.

Taking full advantage of generous support from his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who led from pole position to the start of the pit-stops, the four-time champion came home 3.1 seconds clear of the Finn in the glorious Mediterranean sunshine.

Vettel’s success was Ferrari’s first in the principality in 16 years since seven-time champion Michael Schumacher triumphed in 2001. It was the 82nd 1-2 in the team’s history.

It was also the 29-year-old German’s second Monaco triumph, his third win this year and the 45th of his career.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who was unlucky not to win last year, finished third for Red Bull, despite hitting the barrier at Ste Devote, ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen in the second Red Bull.

Carlos Sainz was a welljudged sixth for Toro Rosso ahead of Hamilton, who had started 13th, and Frenchman Romain Grosjean of Haas.

Felipe Massa was ninth for Williams ahead of Dane Kevin Magnussen in the second Haas.

Jenson Button, back for one race to replace twotime champion Fernando Alonso, who was due to race at the Indianapolis 500 later Sunday, retired his McLaren after a collision with German Pascal Wehrlein’s Sauber.

At the start, Raikkonen pulled clear to lead from Vettel and Bottas with Hamilton passing Vandoorne to take 12th on the opening lap.

By lap seven, Raikkonen was two seconds clear of Vettel and 5.2 ahead of third-placed Bottas.

When Vettel pitted after 39 laps, he rejoined in the lead ahead of Raikkonen with Ricciardo third, thanks to fast pre-stop laps, and Bottas fourth.

Hamilton finally came in after 45 laps from sixth, rejoining seventh, but Vettel was out of sight, nine seconds down the road and clear of Raikkonen, with Ricciardo a further five seconds adrift in third.

For Ferrari, it seemed a perfectly executed plan to enable Vettel to win, and boost his drivers’ championship bid, had unfolded.