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Rosberg claims second consecutive Monaco GP victory

Nico Rosberg wins the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix.

Podium: race winner Nico Rosberg celebrates

Podium: race winner Nico Rosberg celebrates

XPB Images

Mercedes driver, Nico Rosberg managed to overcome the controversy that followed his pole position after qualifying yesterday, as the German driver took the chequered flag to become the winner of the FIA Formula One 2014 Monaco Grand Prix today. Rosberg has now secured his second consecutive race victory at the prestigious Monte Carlo circuit.

Rosberg appeared to mirror his performance from last year’s race, as he maintained the lead from the start to the finish line and his team mate; Lewis Hamilton failed to threaten Rosberg’s hold on first place in the race.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1

Photo by: XPB Images

Hamilton finished the race behind Rosberg to take second place and appeared to struggle in the closing stages of the 78 lap marathon, after he reported via the team radio that he had dirt in his eye which was affecting his vision and this seemed to reflect in his lap times as he dropped back from Rosberg.

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo picked up third place for himself to complete the top three on the podium line up.

Ricciardo’s team mate, Sebastian Vettel was forced to bow out of the race before it had barely begun. Vettel reported via the team radio on lap four that he was experiencing a lack of power on his car, which prompted an unexpected pit stop and he was then told to return to the pits and retire the car on lap seven.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB10
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB10

Photo by: XPB Images

The reigning World Champion’s early exit from the proceedings was his first retirement from a race since the 2009 season and the German driver was also marking his 100th race start with Red Bull today.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso seemed to keep a low profile in the race and he just missed out on a podium spot with his fourth place finish. Alonso’s team mate, Kimi Raikkonen was at the forefront of the action on a couple of occasions in the race. The Finnish driver had a slight coming together with Marussia’s Max Chilton at one point, which led to a tyre puncture and a visit to the pits for a tyre change.

Raikkonen made another unexpected pit stop on lap 75 for a new nose cone to be fitted to his car following a collision with McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen. The incident between the pair caught the attention of the stewards and it was announced that they would look into it after the race for the purpose of causing a collision. It has not yet been reported whether any further action will be taken with Raikkonen and Magnussen.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sahara Force India F1 VJM07
Nico Hulkenberg, Sahara Force India F1 VJM07

Photo by: XPB Images

Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg appeared to quietly climb his way through the field during the race. The German driver picked up a few Championship points for himself after crossing the finish line in fifth place. Hulkenberg’s team mate, Sergio Perez failed to reach the full race distance after he had contact with Magnussen’s team mate, Jenson Button on the first lap. Perez crashed into the barriers and spun at Turn five which led to his instant retirement from the race.

Button seemed to escape the incident unscathed and finished just behind Hulkenberg to take sixth place. The incident prompted the appearance of the safety car on the track until lap three to allow the marshals to move Perez’s car to safety. It was announced that the stewards would look into the incident between Button and Perez after the race but it has not yet been confirmed whether any further action will be taken.

Williams’ driver, Felipe Massa had an unfortunate end to his qualifying session yesterday when he became a casualty in a collision with Caterham’s Marcus Ericsson. Massa took no further part in qualifying as a result and started in 16th place today. Ericsson began the race from the pit lane as a means of serving the penalty from the stewards. Massa got back on track in the race though and ended it in seventh place. Massa’s team mate, Valtteri Bottas came to a standstill on the track on lap 57 and retired from the race due to engine failure on his car.

Lotus Renault’s Romain Grosjean was another of the midfield drivers who picked up some points at the end of the race today. The French man completed the proceedings in eighth place, while his team mate, Pastor Maldonado began the race from the pit lane after failing to get the car going at the start of the formation lap. The Venezuelan driver did not manage to finish the first lap either and retired from the race.

Jules Bianchi, Marussia F1 Team MR03
Jules Bianchi, Marussia F1 Team MR03

Photo by: XPB Images

There was surprise in the top 10 of drivers who picked up a point scoring position today in the form of Marussia’s Jules Bianchi. The French man faced a five place grid penalty before the race start for a gearbox change and he had some ups and downs during the action but finished on a high.

Bianchi was issued with a five second stop and go penalty together with Chilton and Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez, for the purpose of being out of position on the grid due to Maldonado unexpectedly starting from the pit lane. Bianchi was under investigation for a second time after serving his penalty when the safety car was deployed. Bianchi was then issued with another penalty of the same kind and the time was added to his final lap of the race. Bianchi went on to finish in ninth place and put his and Marussia’s first Championship points on the board in Formula One.

Magnussen picked up the 10th and final point scoring position for himself, which left the other four drivers who reached the finish line to fight over the remaining places in the final classification list due to the eight retirees from the race.

As well as Magnussen’s incident with Raikkonen, the Danish driver was at the heart of the action on lap 27, when he had a close encounter in the pits with Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne. Following an investigation by the stewards, Vergne and his team were found to be at fault and he was issued with a drive though penalty for an unsafe release from the pits. Vergne’s race went from bad to worse when he retired from the race on lap 52 due to a suspected engine failure on his car. The French man joined his team mate, Daniil Kvyat, who made an earlier exit from the race on lap 12 as a result of a power problem on his car.

Adrian Sutil, Sauber C33 crashed out of the race
Adrian Sutil, Sauber C33 crashed out of the race

Photo by: XPB Images

The Sauber duo of Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez also suffered a double retirement like Toro Rosso today. Sutil went off the track and into the barrier at the exit of the tunnel on lap 25 which spelt the end of his race. Sutil’s misfortune led to a second safety car period in the race until lap 30. Gutierrez experienced a similar end to his race, when he veered off the track into the barriers on lap 61 and retired from the race.

For the sixth consecutive race and of the season this year, the Mercedes team is still proving to be the one to beat. Rosberg has maintained his track record in Monte Carlo though by taking the race win and preventing his team mate, Hamilton from picking up his fifth race victory in a row this season. The drivers and teams now have to weeks to prepare for their next challenge when they head to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.

1.) Nico Rosberg

2.) Lewis Hamilton

3.) Daniel Ricciardo

4.) Fernando Alonso

5.) Nico Hulkenberg

6.) Jenson Button

7.) Felipe Massa

8.) Romain Grosjean

9.) Jules Bianchi

10.) Kevin Magnussen

More to Come...

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