Vettel delivers Ferrari 1-2 at Monaco
SEBASTIAN VETTEL secured a memorable one-two for Ferrari in yesterday’s 75th Monaco Grand Prix to extend his world championship lead to a luxurious 25 points over Lewis Hamilton.
Taking full advantage of generous, if grim-faced, support from his teammate Kimi Raikkonen, who led from pole position until the pit-stops, the four-time champion came home 3.1 seconds clear of the Finn in 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 and celebrated noisily by the tifosi who had thronged into the circuit overnight.
It was also the 29-year-old German’s second Monaco triumph, his third win this year and the 45th of his career, lifting him 25 points clear of Mercedes’ Hamilton in the title racxe.
Vettel now has 129 points after six rounds of this year’s 20-race championship ahead of Hamilton on 104.
“Yes, yes, yes,” screeched Vettel after winning before launching into thanks for his team. “The two laps with old tyres, I gave it everything I had,” he said.
Raikkonen was stoney-faced and more taciturn than usual when retired 2016 champion Nico Rosberg interviewed him by the podium.
“Hard to say, really,” he responded when asked about his feelings. “It’s second place and it doesn’t feel good. This is how it is sometimes.”
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.
Briton Jenson Button, back for one race to replace two-time champion Fernando Alonso, racing at the Indianapolis 500 later, retired his McLaren fter a collision with Pascal Wehrlein’s Sauber.
The crash left Wehrlein’s car on its side at Portier, but he was unhurt in the crash, which required a Safety Car intervention for six laps in the closing stages.
Vettel was quick to ask if his compatriot was ok before the action resumed.
He added: “It’s unbelievable. This was such an intense race. I hoped to have a better launch, but Kimi had a really good start so I had to be patient.
“It is very special to win here and we will have a fun night and then enough time to prepare for Canada...
Vettel’s joy appeared not to be shared by Raikkonen who remained evasive in interviews after the race and, under specific questions, conceded that it was not his idea to be the first to pit when he was leading.
“I was called in... That was about it,” he said.
Shrugging his shoulders, he later added: “It is a great result for the team and that is the main thing...”
For Ferrari, it seemed a perfectly executed plan to enable Vettel to win, and boost his drivers’ championship bid, had unfolded.
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.
By lap 50, it was 10.2 seconds and the paddock was abuzz with claims about Vettel’s undisputed status as Ferrari’s No. 1 driver.
Attention was soon refocused on the track when, on lap 60, the Safety Car was deployed after Wehrlein was tipped into the barrier at Portier.
Verstappen took advantage of the pause to pit for fresh ultra-soft tyres before, when the action resumed after 66 laps, the final chase, and battle of attrition, began. – AFP BRITISH double Olympic champion Mo Farah (pix) made his last US track race a special one, running the year’s fastest 5,000m at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting yesterday.
Farah, who will be moving up to the marathon after August’s IAAF world championships in London, sprinted down the straight to defeat a high-quality field in 13min 00.70 sec.
“Everybody was in that race and I used my experience to come away with a win,” said Farah. “It’s massive, and what a way to end my career in the US.
“This track is where we started in 2011,” said the crowd favourite who trains in nearby Portland.
“I remember it clear. I wasn’t the favorite, I was probably ranked sixth or seventh in the race and then I come with the British record, the European record and made my breakthrough year and ended up winning in London 2012.
The 34-year-old, who plans to double in the 5,000 and 10,000 at the world championships, said the race also brought on a lot of pressure.
“There’s a lot of people doubting me, as I’m getting old, he said. “There was lots of talk, a lot of youngsters coming through talking a lot. I let my running do my talking. That’s what I’m good at.”
Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 13:01.21 and Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworwor claimed third in 13:01.35.
Two-times Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor shared the spotlight, bounding 18.11m on the sun-splashed day, the third longest triple jump ever.
Only he and British world record holder Jonathan Edwards (18.29) have jumped farther and Taylor hopes to take down that mark in London.
Rio silver medallist Will Claye leaped a windaided 18.05m for second as he and Taylor dueled for top honours.
“I need the competition, I feed off of it,” said Taylor. “I’m happy that (Claye) stepped up and had a huge PB (personal best) and it pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and jump.” – Reuters