Hamilton fumes as Vettel strikes in Monaco
Lewis Hamilton believes Sebastian Vettel’s Monaco Grand Prix win has provided the clearest indicator yet that his championship rival is being afforded preferential treatment by Ferrari.
Vettel moved 25 points clear of Hamilton in the title race after bagging his third win of the season while the British driver finished only seventh in Monte Carlo.
Vettel’s team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who started from pole position for the first time in nine years, appeared on course to win by holding off Vettel in the opening phase of a processional race.
But Raikkonen lost the lead after he pitted five laps earlier than his Ferrari teammate. With track position imperative and overtaking virtually impossible at this most narrow and twisty of circuits, Ferrari’s decision to call Raikkonen in before Vettel raised more than a few eyebrows.
Indeed much of the paddock had been in agreement before the race that the Italian team would ensure Vettel, rather than Raikkonen, who is a distant fourth in the championship, would receive the winner’s trophy.
And so it proved. Raikkonen, who last won a race back in 2013, cut a dejected figure during the podium celebrations. “It is clear to me that Ferrari have chosen their number one driver,” Hamilton said. “They are pushing everything to make sure Sebastian will maximise on all of his weekends.
“On strategy, that just does not happen in Monaco. It is very hard for the leading car on track to get jumped by the second car unless the team decide to favour the other car. So, what they have done is very clear.”
Vettel, who claimed Ferrari’s first victory on the Cote d’Azur in 16 years, now holds the cushion of being the equivalent of a race win clear of Hamilton in this year’s seesaw title battle.
Hamilton put a brave face on what has been a weekend to forget. He was only 13th on the grid after a disastrous qualifying session, and although he will take comfort from progressing to seventh – by virtue of being the last driver to stop for tyres – it marked his second sluggish grands prix in his last three outings.
“Of course I can’t afford another weekend like this,” said Hamilton. “But just because you can’t afford something it does not mean it is not going to happen.
“There is no point dwelling on the fact that you cannot afford it. You just work towards trying to rectify whatever issues you have and hope that you don’t come across it again.
“It is not like we came here unprepared. We will regroup. The Ferrari car seems to work everywhere – they have had arguably the strongest car all year – and the next 14 races are going to be very, very difficult.”
Jenson Button provided the biggest incident after he flipped Pascal Wehrlein following an over-exuberant overtaking manoeuvre.
Daniel Ricciardo finished third ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.