Monaco GP: Sergio Perez wins chaotic, delayed race after Charles Leclerc misery in wet-dry epic

Sergio Perez claimed an unlikely victory in an incredible Monaco Grand Prix, with home favourite Charles Leclerc only fourth as Red Bull outsmarted Ferrari after heavy rain led to chaos in the Principality.

The race was delayed by over an hour after the heavens opened shortly before the expected start time of 2pm but F1’s blue-riband event was well worth the wait after that, with drama from the wet rolling start to a spectacular dry finish as Perez, on wearing tyres, held off Carlos Sainz.

Perez assumed control for his first Monaco win after Red Bull’s Monte Carlo street smarts wrongfooted the bewildered Ferrari, with the Mexican undercutting the pole-sitting Leclerc when changing from wets to intermediates early on.

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Red Bull respond to Ferarri with their own double pit stop and get Sergio Perez ahead of Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen ahead of Charles Leclerc at the Monaco Grand Prix.

There was then more agony for Leclerc when Ferrari double stacked Sainz, who hadn’t stopped at all, and the Monegasque onto slicks. After Red Bull responded, Sainz was second behind Perez, and Leclerc a furious fourth behind Max Verstappen.

That was where the top four, who were all evenly matched, would finish despite a bumper finish after a red flag following a scary Mick Schumacher crash – which the German thankfully emerged unharmed from despite his Haas car splitting in two.

There was another rolling start, confusing given the drying conditions, but Perez held on from Sainz until the final 65th lap, with the race ending 12 laps earlier than scheduled due to the lengthy delay.

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Heavy rain in Monte Carlo forces a red flag and a further delay to the Monaco Grand Prix.

Sainz, desperate for his first win and eager to take advantage of a bold wet-slick tyre strategy, eyed a few lunges on Perez, but the Red Bull driver held on for his first victory of the season.

Verstappen, meanwhile, has extended his lead in the championship to nine points over Leclerc.

When’s the next F1 race?

An epic Formula 1 2022 season continues with the Azerbaijan GP from the high-speed Baku street circuit on June 10-12. All the action will be live on Sky Sports F1 and the race – which often delivers chaos – is at 12pm on the Sunday.

More to follow.