Several drivers from the lower part of the grid, including Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly had hoped for some rain for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix given the difficulty in overtaking on this track in normal conditions and the rain hit the track with just five minutes until the race start, leading to many calculations for possible interesting tyre strategies at the beginning of the Monaco Grand Prix.
However, the start procedure was suspended in Monaco: the FIA have suspended the start procedure because of the change in climatic conditions – that essentially meant teams were permitted more time to make late changes. The formation lap was pushed back to nine minutes past the hour, while every driver was on the intermediate tyre. But there was absolute chaos in the pit lane as the start of the race was delayed by Race Control, leading the teams to have to make some last minute tyre changes on a wet track.
As the rainfall intensity increased, the start was eventually delayed. Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc was told on team radio that “the intensity will be like this for 10 minutes, and then lighter”. The formation lap was delayed to 15:16 behind the safety car, as all drivers had to start on full wets. After a panic-filled ten minutes in the pitlane, teams started to calm down with just a few minutes until the formation lap.
The Safety Car therefore led the grid away and it was very slippery on the grid! It was particularly wet in the final portion of the lap, and at the last corner: the rain was absolutely torrential and with drivers reporting how bad visibility and grip was, the Race Director threw the red flag and all care were heading back to the pits.
After a long wait, the FIA showed the 10 minute signal, giving drivers and teams some more time to get ready. The Safety Car lead the drivers back out onto the track as the two-hour clock started. Latifi hit the barriers at the hairpin and Stroll at Massenet, but soon after the Safety Car duck into the pits, before drivers had a rolling start.
Everyone kept their car on the road after the start. The back of the pack opted for some early tyre changes and were getting their wet tyres straight off and opting for the intermediates. Charles Leclerc was holding his nerve out in front, and was 3.4s clear of Carlos Sainz after ten laps. Gradually it became clear that the intermediates were the best tyre as the track was dry, but none of the frontrunners seemed willing to lose track position.
Sergio Perez was the first from the top four tip come in and a great 2.3-second stop moved him onto inters. Carlos Sainz wanted to stay out on the wets before going to slicks but Charles Leclerc pitted from the lead! Intermediate tyres go on but Sergio Perez was able to undercut him. Ferrari double stack onto slick tyres, as Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc stop, but it was too late for Ferrari, who were outsmarted by outsmarted by Red Bull, as the Monegasque driver lost to P4 and the Spanish driver was P2 behind Sergio Perez.
Mick Schumacher went off at the final sector midway through the race and after a few laps behind the Safety Car, the race was stopped, as the marshals were working hard to clear the debris and Mick Schumacher’s car from the track. Considering there were 47 laps to go and the Monaco Grand Prix started again at 4.15pm, it was clear that the event could not go to the end and stay in the two-hour limit.
After the restart, there was unfortunately no opportunity for Ferrari to try and recover some ground. With no more rain and all cars on slick tires there was no way for Charles or Carlos to attack the Red Bull drivers on such a track as long as no mistakes were made. A frustrating ending to the Monaco Grand Prix for the Ferrari drivers, especially for Charles Leclerc, who loses more points in his fight against Max Verstappen after a race in which the Maranello team has only itself to blame for the poor strategy decisions.
