Verstappen dominates Monaco GP for 4th win of season

Red Bull's Max Verstappen converted his first career pole in Monaco into his second career victory at the iconic track, winning Sunday's Grand Prix while leading each of the 78 laps.

The two-time champion and current points leader was followed across the finish line by fellow two-time champ Fernando Alonso, who secured his first podium finish in the principality since 2012. He finished runner-up in the standings that year as a member of Ferrari, narrowly being beaten by a different Red Bull driver - Sebastian Vettel.

Rounding out the podium in third was Alpine's Esteban Ocon. It's the first top-three finish for an Alpine driver since 2021 - the year Ocon won the Hungary GP.

"Esteban is on the podium, baby!" Ocon said following the performance, which earned him Driver of the Day honors. "What a super weekend from everyone on the team. It's been a while since I've been on the podium. I hope this is the first of many."

Verstappen becomes the all-time leader in wins for Red Bull, surpassing Vettel with his 39th victory. The Dutch driver, who secured his fourth victory of the season, is also the 17th multi-time winner of F1's crown jewel and one of three active drivers to stand atop the podium at Monaco at least twice, joining Alonso (2006, 2007) and Lewis Hamilton (2008, 2016, 2019).

"It's super nice to win it in the way we did today with the weather and everything to stay calm and bring it home," Verstappen said, according to The Associated Press.

Verstappen now has a commanding 39-point lead in the drivers' championship over teammate Sergio Perez. Perez, who qualified last after crashing in Q1 and struggled to 16th on Sunday, getting lapped twice by his teammate. It's the first time this year a Red Bull driver has not gotten points.

The streets of Monte Carlo were a formidable test, with many drivers starting on medium tires before needing intermediates or wets for the final legs. Late rain caused multiple incidents, including contact between George Russell and Sergio Perez that saw the British driver penalized five seconds.

Russell wound up finishing fifth on an impressive day for Mercedes, following teammate and seven-time champion Hamilton, who placed just off the podium in fourth.

It was another disappointing showing for Charles Leclerc in his home race. The Monegasque driver led Ferrari to a sixth-place finish while teammate Carlos Sainz placed eighth, dropping four places from qualifying.

Ocon's teammate Pierre Gasly finished between the Prancing Horses in seventh.

Rounding out the points, both McLarens finished in the top 10 for the first time in 2023, with Lando Norris in ninth and rookie Oscar Piastri running 10th.

Despite the chaotic, wet laps near the end, Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and Haas' Kevin Magnussen were the only retirements. It was a particularly rough weekend for Stroll, who couldn't make it out of Q2 despite his teammate Alonso decisively claiming second.