Extraordinary scenes unfolded during the Monaco Grand Prix as the race was brought to a halt with just 10 laps remaining. The track surface at Noghes began to break apart following two separate incidents, forcing race control to intervene and suspend the event.
Monaco GP red-flagged for barrier and track repairs
Chaos reigned in Monte Carlo after a pair of accidents at Turn 19. First, Lance Stroll hit trouble at Noghes, and shortly afterwards Charles Leclerc was involved in a separate incident at the same corner. The two crashes prompted race officials to inspect not only the barriers but also the condition of the asphalt, which had started to crumble significantly.
As a result, the red flag was inevitably displayed. Race Director Rui Marques immediately headed to the scene to personally assess the state of the circuit and determine whether the race could safely continue.
According to a statement issued by the FIA, temporary repair work was successfully completed, allowing the race to resume at 17:12 local time.
Race control also confirmed that the restart order would see Kimi Antonelli leading Lewis Hamilton, Isack Hadjar and George Russell. However, that running order is unlikely to reflect the final classification.
George Russell is set to receive a drive-through penalty, which will drop him out of the points-paying positions, while both Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar remain under investigation for potential infringements committed during the Safety Car period.
As a consequence, the battle for the podium could take an unexpected turn. Pierre Gasly and Oscar Piastri are both in contention to benefit from any penalties handed out ahead of them, and there is even a realistic possibility that one of them – or perhaps both – could find themselves on the podium once the final results are confirmed.
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