Nico Rosberg has followed in his dad's footsteps to become the first father-son combination to both win a Monaco Grand Prix, Keke's coming 30 years previously. After a rather pedestrian start, continuing the trend of this season, the 2013 Formula One campaign finally got going with three Safety Cars and even a red flag. It the first of which that cost Lewis Hamilton a podium place as both of the Red Bulls managed to leap frog him to claim second and third, Sebastian Vettel extending his lead in the standings.
There was no real drama at the beginning, although Jules Bianchi had to start from the pit lane after failing to get off the grid for the Formation Lap. Pastor Maldonado and Giedo Van Der Garde had a coming together in which both drivers lost their front wings. Adrian Sutil and Kimi Raikkonen also had contact, leaving Sutil with front wing damage, but it didn't really harm the Force India's final outcome in the race.
The race went on as a cruise around Monaco for the next eight laps until Charles Pic was forced to retire due to an engine fire caused by a gear seizure. Sergio Perez looked in a fighting mood throughout and a couple of moves and missing of chicanes left his team mate Jenson Button rather angry on the radio.
The first leader to pit was Mark Webber from fourth on lap-26 and he came out 11th with a decent gap to stretch his legs in. Raikkonen pitted from fifth a lap later and remained behind Webber before Fernando Alonso pitted on lap-29 from fourth and also rejoined behind both Webber and Raikkonen, meaning that nothing had really changed.
The first Safety Car was deployed on lap-30 after Felipe Massa had a pretty much carbon copy of his crash in practice. His brakes somehow locked up going in to the first corner and the Ferrari hit the barrier head on before also moving and crashing in to the second barrier, side on. Fortunately, Massa was able to get out of the car but was put in to a neck brace and taken to hospital for a once over.
Vettel pitted just before the Safety Car was deployed and the two Mercedes' came in just after. This hurt Hamilton because the Safety Car ushered the Red Bulls through so it could catch up to Rosberg and begin slowing everyone down. The Red Bulls had managed to get around and rejoin Rosberg before Hamilton emerged from the pits and he therefore lost two places. The Safety Car finally came in on lap-38.
Button and Alonso had a slight coming together on lap-42 but this allowed Perez to pounce on his team mate and steal seventh place on the chicane. The race had to be stopped on lap-46 due to a severe collision; Max Chilton didn't seem to realise Maldonado was near him and the Marussia caused the Williams to lose its front wing before sending it slightly in the air and in to the air fence. The impact was so fierce that the air fence buckled around Maldonado and protruded in to the middle of the track. Bianchi was an unfortunate victim too as he lost his front wing due to the oncoming barrier. Fortunately, Maldonado got out of his cockpit with only a few scrapes and bruises and Bianchi also managed to get back in to the pits to continue the race.
Before that collision, Alonso had prevented Perez from claiming sixth by going over the chicane. It was agreed while everyone was on the grid that Alonso would give the place up during the restart under the Safety Car. The race was restarted 25-minutes later and by lap-48, the Safety Car was back in. Chilton was also unsurprisingly given a drive through penalty for causing a collision.
Perez continued to be aggressive on lap-53 and it resulted in both drivers missing the apex. Sutil was able to secure an overtake on Alonso on lap-57 to gain seventh. Bianchi's awful weekend came to an end on lap-60 when he collided with a barrier, locking up like Massa but managing to miss the initial barrier before crashing side on down the slip road.
The Safety Car was deployed once again on lap-63 when Romain Grosjean had a lapse of concentration and drove straight up the back of Daniel Ricciardo. Ricciardo suffered a lot of rear damage which forced him out. Grosjean lost his front wing but did manage to get back in to the pits. The Frenchman was then retired two laps later either for unforeseen damage to the car or to keep Grosjean away from the stewards' wrath. For the final time, the Safety Car came in on lap-66.
Raikkonen and Perez were again getting up close and personal coming out of the tunnel when Raikkonen seemed to force Perez in to the barrier. The Mexican suffered damage to his front wing and steering column which ended up forcing the McLaren to retire later on lap-74. Raikkonen did suffer a puncture which meant he would have to pit and looked likely to end his record of 23 consecutive races with points scored. But the Finn managed to to find seven seconds in six laps to catch up to Nico Hulkenberg and scrape tenth, keeping the record alive. Button was the last to mug Alonso on lap-71 to steal sixth for the McLaren. Race result:
1. Rosberg (Mercedes), 2. Vettel (Red Bull), 3. Webber (Red Bull), 4. Hamilton (Mercedes), 5. Sutil (Force India), 6. Button (McLaren), 7. Alonso (Ferrari), 8. Vergne (Toro Rosso), 9. Di Resta (Force India), 10. Raikkonen (Lotus), 11. Hulkenberg (Sauber), 12. Bottas (Williams), 13. Gutierrez (Sauber), 14. Chilton (Marussia), 15. Van Der Garde (Caterham) DNF: Pic (Caterham), Massa (Ferrari), Maldonado (Williams), Bianchi (Marussia), Ricciardo (Toro Rosso), Grosjean (Lotus), Perez (Sauber)
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