MONACO: Sebastian Vettel secured a memorable one-two for Ferrari in Formula One’s showcase Monaco Grand Prix to extend his world championship lead to a luxurious 25 points over Lewis Hamilton on Sunday.
Taking full advantage of generous, if grim-faced, support from his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who led from pole position until the pit-stops, the four-time champion came home 3.1 seconds clear of the Finn in glorious Mediterranean sunshine with Hamilton finishing seventh for Mercedes after starting 13th.
Vettel’s success was Ferrari’s first in the principality in 16 years since seven-time champion Michael Schumacher triumphed in 2001.
It was the 82nd one-two in the team’s history and celebrated noisily by the tifosi who had thronged into the circuit overnight.
It was also the 29-year-old German’s second Monaco triumph, his third win this year and the 45th of his career, lifting him to 129 points after six rounds of this year’s 20-race championship ahead of Hamilton on 104.
The German celebrated as jubilantly, whooping over the radio and beaming from the podium as mechanics sang the Italian national anthem.
“It’s obviously a great day for the team...great to get the points, great to get the win,” said Vettel. “It was a very tense race. We’re going to have a very fun night.”
As with Schumacher in his pomp there was also a distinct whiff of ‘team orders’, with Raikkonen pitting first and Vettel staying out for a further five laps in a move that worked in his favour.
Raikkonen looked far from happy on the podium, staring fixedly ahead and taking gulps of the Champagne as Vettel sprayed his.