And in the end, Max Verstappen wins.
This Sunday, in Monaco, nothing will have hindered the fantastic ride of the innkeeper of Formula 1. Not even the sky which hoped to confuse the cards by opening its floodgates at the start of money-time.
Imperial, implacable, the flying Dutchman stayed on his little cloud from one end to the other. All behind and him far ahead.
After an impeccable take-off from pole position, the Red Bull N°1 escaped irresistibly. The leader unrolls his score without flat. He masterfully manages the degradation of his “medium” rubbers for 56 laps! Until the start of the downpour which transforms the track into a skating rink.
While others lose control, and not the least (Sainz, Russel), “Super Max” stays in metronome mode and finishes the job.
He thus won his 39th career victory, the 4th this season and the 2nd at the foot of the Rock (after 2021).
The best of the others? Fernando Alonso! The veteran Spaniard, 2nd at nearly half a minute (27”9), once again managed to pull the quintessence of his Aston Martin to score big points.
The top 3 is completed by the Alpine of Esteban Ocon which offers its third podium and restores color to the French team.
Demoted 3 places on the starting grid (6th) for having hampered Lando Norris during qualifying, Charles Leclerc positions the best Ferrari of the day in 6th place behind the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. A meager booty for the child of the country who will have to wait at least another year before knowing the joy of a podium at home.