Formula 1: Looking back at the last five Monaco Grands Prix
By Kevin Nguyen
Mercedes had dominated Formula 1’s crown jewel race, the Monaco Grand Prix, since 2013. Last year was the year they failed in the Principality. What will this year’s edition bring?
The crown jewel of Formula 1 will be in the spotlight again for the 76th running in 2018. This year, with Sauber’s Charles Leclerc on the grid, there’ll be a Monégasque driver competing in the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time since Louis Chiron did so in 1955.
For other drivers who have raced in the Principality, Monaco is considered a home race. Nico Rosberg claimed the moniker of “home race winner” three times with Mercedes between 2013 and 2015. In fact, until last year, Mercedes had dominated the race since 2013, but while the winner has been predictable, the race itself has been anything but. Enjoy our recap of the last five Monaco Grands Prix.
2013
When Mercedes started 1-2 for the Monaco Grand Prix after a similar result in Barcelona with Rosberg on pole, few could recall a more thorough victory for the German factory team. Rosberg led all 78 laps around the Principality and won comfortably over Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel in second place, with a winning margin of 3.889 seconds.
However, despite the result out front being a foregone conclusion, the battle for the points was exciting as ever. Force India’s Adrian Sutil finished in fifth place after starting in eighth in what would be his best finish of the season. Sutil’s teammate, Paul di Resta would battle back from starting in 17th to finishing in ninth.
Of course, di Resta didn’t make it into the points without a little bit of help. Six drivers retired during the race, including Ferrari’s Felipe Massa at Sainte Devote (turn one) on lap 31 and Williams’ Pastor Maldonado at Tabac (turn 12) on lap 46. The incidents caused a concertina effect throughout the grid, as cars that avoided direct contact in Massa and Maldonado’s accidents would be involved in incidents caused by Lotus’ Romain Grosjean hitting Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo in the tunnel.
2014
The 2014 race was once again dominated by Rosberg, who led all 78 laps, and his teammate Lewis Hamilton finished in second place following the pair’s qualifying controversy. The 2014 race also saw how far ahead Mercedes were in comparison to the rest of the grid, as only four cars finished on the lead lap. Seven drivers were forced to retire due to technical issues or accidents, and Maldonado did not start.
The race is best remembered for being Jules Bianchi’s first (and sadly only) points scoring race in F1 after he started in 21st place and finished in ninth. Other big movers on the day included Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg finishing in fifth after starting in 11th and Williams’ Felipe Massa finishing in seventh after starting in 16th.
2015
In the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix, strategy cost Hamilton and gifted Rosberg the win. After taking pole and leading from lights out until lap 64, Hamilton was called to pit by Mercedes strategist James Vowles after Grosjean and Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen were involved in a heavy crash at Sainte Devot. Rosberg was left out. The resulting pit stop saw both Rosberg and Ferrari’s Vettel leapfrog Hamilton. Hamilton’s subsequent radio messages conveyed confusion and remorse.
Despite the drama at the front, the race was fairly clean and a majority of the grid that were still in the race finished on the lead lap.
2016
The 2016 race started behind the safety car due to wet track conditions. Red Bull Racing’s Ricciardo took a shocking pole position and led the Mercedes pair behind the safety car. During the first round of pit stops as most drivers went onto intermediate tires, including Rosberg, Hamilton opted to stay on the full wets until conditions became well enough for slicks. Hamilton’s strategy paid off, as he would take the lead on lap 31 after a mistimed pit call from Ricciardo that left him on the medium tires.
Rosberg would fall behind the leading group of cars due to brake issues and subsequently finish in seventh place. Due to the weather, seven cars crashed out throughout the race. Despite this, the 2016 race was safety car-free, although several virtual safety car periods were used.
2017
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The Mercedes domination of the Monaco Grand Prix ended in 2017. The Ferrari pair of Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen kept the race between them, with Raikkonen leading the first 34 laps and Vettel leading the final 44. The race in 2017 was also the first that did not featured a Mercedes driver on the podium in the Principality since 2011, as Valtteri Bottas finished in fourth place and Hamilton salvaged seventh after starting in 13th.
The race saw Jenson Button’s return to F1, filling in for Fernando Alonso, who was in Indianapolis competing in the Indy 500. Button’s return wasn’t as smooth as it could have been, as the 2009 world champion hit Sauber’s Pascal Wehrlein just before the tunnel and nearly flipped the Wehrlein’s car. Several others would be involved in crashes or have technical issues. Seven drivers retired from the race.
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The 2018 race seems to be wide open, as despite their early season control, Ferrari have slipped up in recent races and Red Bull Racing are trying to control their drivers. Mercedes’, in particular Lewis Hamilton’s, season outlook is much brighter following a very strong showing in Spain, but even the reigning world champion believes this year’s Monaco Grand Prix is anyone’s race. Will it be? Find out on Sunday, May 27 by tuning in to ABC at 9:10 a.m. ET.