The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Vettel wins as Hamilton is seventh in Monte Carlo
British driver draws clear conclusion from Ferrari tactics
Lewis Hamilton believes Sebastian Vettel’s victory at the Monaco Grand Prix 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 recording 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 team-mate.
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 from Prince Albert of Monaco.
“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 see-saw 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 a second sluggish outing in his last three outings.
Jenson Button, making a one-off appearance in Monaco following Fernando Alonso’s participation at the Indianapolis 500, provided the biggest incident of the race after he flipped Pascal Wehrlein at Portier following an over-exuberant overtaking manoeuvre.
Despite Wehrlein’s Sauber car resting precariously on the barriers, the German escaped without injury.
Button failed to finish following damage sustained in the extraordinary incident, and was later hit with a threeplace grid penalty from the stewards.
Daniel Ricciardo finished on the podium ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.
British driver Jolyon Palmer crossed the line just outside of the points in 11th place.