F1 2017: Sebastian Vettel Wins Monaco GP Ahead Of Kimi Raikkonen

It was a Ferrari front row lockout for the second time this Formula One season as Kimi Raikkonen led the Monaco Grand Prix followed by teammate Sebastian Vettel. However, Vettel managed to pass Raikkonen during the pitstop phase snatching the win at the Monaco GP. The 2017 Monaco GP also ended Ferrari's 16-year drought at Monte Carlo securing its first win since 2001. Amidst Ferrari's victory, there was also the Wehrlein-Button collision that left things sideways.

Raikkonen led the race after securing a pole in qualifying

The 2017 Monaco GP started with Raikkonen cleanly pulling in front and held his advantage through the initial laps. Vettel started a close second and followed his teammate while keeping Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas in third place. The Monaco track is known to not be favourable for overtakes and that was the case this time as well. The top three positions remains the same until the first pitstops when Red Bull's Max Verstappen pitted from fourth place on Lap 32 followed by Bottas on Lap 35.

Raikkonen pitted on Lap 34 as well, rejoining well ahead of Bottas and Verstappen. However, Vettel decided to stay on track for an additional five laps and also set the fastest lap time in the process. Vettel gained an advantage of 10 seconds before the safety car was called when McLaren's Jenson Button, filling in for Fernando Alonso (who makes his Indy Car 500 debut), crashed into Pascal Wehrlein.

Wehrlein crashed into the barrier pitching his to its side

The pair made contact an Wehrlein's car pitched onto its side into the barrier. While the incident left Wehrlein unharmed, he could not get out of the car till he was back on to all four wheels. The collision left Button's car damaged retiring him from the race as well. The collision made for the safety car on track. The race restarted on Lap 67 with Vettel now in the lead and the it was no looking back for the German. Vettel went on to snatch the victory from Raikkonen with a lead of 3.14 seconds, also extending his lead in the championship points.

Sebastian pitted later than Kimi giving him a significant advantage

Kimi was able to hold the second place till the end of the race but was an understandably unhappy about finishing second. Something that was quite evident at the podium as well. Daniel Ricciardo took the third spot on the podium after jumping Verstappen and Bottas in the pits. The Mercedes driver eventually finished fourth ahead of Verstappen.

Daniel Ricciardo finished third ahead of Bottas and Verstappen

Speaking about Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes driver had a horrible qualifying and started the race 13th on the grid, but managed to recover to seventh at the end of the race behind Torro Rosso's Carlos Sainz Junior at sixth. The last three positions were taken by Romain Grosjean, Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen in top 10 standings. Renault's Jolyon Palmer finished 11th at Monaco ahead of the Force India drivers Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez, who could not manage to secure any points finishing 12th and 13th respectively.