Mark Webber has taken his second grand prix victory on the trot, this time having to soak up immense pressure to win the Monaco Grand Prix as several race-winning margins were eroded by safety car periods.
The Australian led home team-mate Sebastian Vettel in a Red Bull one-two that put the duo equal at the head of the driver's championship standings - although Webber holds top spot on account of his superior number of podiums.
Front row starter Robert Kubica (Renault) had to settle for third after losing out to Vettel off the line at the start of the race.
Pre-race championship leader Jenson Button was an early retirement, his car overheating after McLaren left a radiator bung in for the formation lap, but Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) kept himself in title contention by coming through from last to seventh after a canny strategy.
As well as charging through the field, Alonso was at the centre of another talking point when he was overtaken by Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) on the final corner of the race.
With the safety car peeling in on the last turn to let the event finish under race conditions, drivers were expected to follow each other across the line. However, Alonso ran a little wide and the following Schumacher ducked up the inside to snatch a cheeky sixth.
However, rule 40.13 of F1 states that "if the race ends whilst the safety car is deployed it will enter the pitlane at the end of the last lap and the cars will take the chequered flag as normal without overtaking."
Schumacher has been given a 20sec penalty and falls to 12th as a result - but his Mercedes team is appealing the decision.
Monaco Grand Prix result
1. Webber (Red Bull-Renault) 1h50:00.0002. Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) +0.4483. Kubica (Renault) +1.6004. Massa (Ferrari) +2.6005. Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) +4.3006. Schumacher (Mercedes) +5.7007. Alonso (Ferrari) +6.3008. Rosberg (Mercedes) +6.6009. Sutil (Force India-Mercedes) +6.90010. Liuzzi (Force India-Mercedes) +7.30011. Buemi (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) +8.10012. Alguersuari (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) +9.10013. Petrov (Renault) +4 laps
Not classified/retirements:Chandhok (HRT-Cosworth)Trulli (Lotus-Cosworth)Kovalainen (Lotus-Cosworth)Senna (HRT-Cosworth)Barrichello (Williams-Cosworth)Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari)Di Grassi (Virgin-Cosworth)Glock (Virgin-Cosworth)De la Rosa (Sauber-Ferrari)Button (McLaren-Mercedes)Hulkenberg (Williams-Cosworth)
Drivers championship: 1. Webber 782. Vettel 783. Alonso 734. Button 705. Massa 616. Hamilton 597. Kubica 598. Rosberg 549. Schumacher 30 10. Sutil 18 11. Liuzzi 9 12. Barrichello 7 13. Petrov 6 14. Alguersuari 3 15. Hulkenberg 1 Constructors championship: 1. Red Bull-Renault 1562. Ferrari 1343. McLaren-Mercedes 1294. Mercedes 845. Renault 656. Force India-Mercedes 277. Williams-Cosworth 88. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 3
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Re: Webber wins Monaco Grand Prix
What pressure!?,three yellow flags and a hopeful one lap race at the end, come on, seen a better race on the M25!, Monaco is such a non event race,it's purely a show of wealth in the princepality, the circuit ca'nt be change or improved, Uncle Bernie doesn't threaten the Royal family like other circuits,and i suppose the only laugh was Schumi getting a 20 sec penalty for using his nouse, oh, and the fact the penalty was handed out by Damon Hill!, i've nothing against Mark Webber but it must be a bit of a hollow victory.
Re: Webber wins Monaco Grand Prix
Absolutely agree - 100%. Well said.
Re: Webber wins Monaco Grand Prix
What a surprise........Pole sitter wins Monaco GP. The one race every year that is nigh on guaranteed to show the pole sitter wining the race bar any first turn conflict/crashes. At least the others offer overtaking.
I am not a fan of the Monaco GP it should be wiped form the calander.