Race Highlights | 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

Here come the lights for one of the great tests in all of sport. And Formula 1 is racing on the streets of Monte Carlo. Good reaction time for Fernando Alonso, but he didn't have the time to get ahead, neither does Ocon. The top three are as they were. Alonso had a big snap as he came through Saint-Devote. Good traction for Lewis Hamilton as he tries to power past Carlos Sainz. They climb the hill through Beau Rivage in grid order. No change at the front of the field. Alonso got a good reaction time, but he didn't have the Pirelli rubber to out-drag Max Verstappen. All the changes are at the back of the field where Logan Sargent has moved up a place, and Hulkenberg has gained two as we go wheel-to-wheel through there. And there's contact between Sargent and the Haas there in the background of Hulkenberg. They're nearly parked up, nearly stationary at the hairpin, nudging each other through the corner. That was the Haas coming into the back of him just beforehand, out-braking himself. Wait, what was that? No race. Head dump, head dump. Everybody saw it. So much contact, man. Oh, it's a disaster. Trying to go around the outside of the hairpin doesn't mean it can't be done, but I've never seen it done. Sainz has begun now to put the pressure on Ocon. Can he force an error from one of the stars of qualifying? Let's push him through the two stars. Oh, he's nearly into the back of him, and he damages the front wing. Carlos Sainz talking about pushing Ocon into damaging the tyres, and he's into the back of the Alpine driver to ruin his race. No, it was late, late, late, and there was no way he was ever going to make it down the inside. There was no space for both of us there, so... Yeah, copy that. And here he goes. Down the inside, another Haas attacking Sargent at that corner, and this time it's Magnussen who finds a clean way by. And he's just going to be targeted by Lance Stroll next, I'm sure. That's right, as we look back, as Stroll tries down the inside in a place where you can't overtake, he does overtake. And he's not the only one barging through the final corner goes Sergio Perez. Esteban Ocon is into the pits, he's hitting his mark on the medium tyres. We say goodbye to them. It's slow, it's slow, and that could cost him. That could cost Esteban Ocon a crucial moment in the race. That was not the time for a 4.2 second stop. As we see Stroll moving out of the way, and this is... Through goes one Red Bull, through goes another Red Bull. Perez off the road, he feels that he was squeezed, and he throws the elbow. Wheel-to-wheel contact between Stroll and Perez. I think Perez needs to give that back. He jumps across, he throws the elbow for defence. Pushed me off. Yeah, we saw that. What the **** was that? Is that allowed? Carlos Sainz makes it into the pits. Huge pressure moment. Ferrari deliver what they needed. That is a good stop. That is a stop that gives him a chance of scoring a third consecutive podium. Ocon is making his way around the 19th and final corner. It's Verstappen in the lead. Then it's Alonso, and now Sainz is going to try and jump out. Can he do so? It's going to be tied across the line. Ocon's given it absolutely everything, and Ocon manages to stay ahead. Exactly what I talked about. Exactly what I talked about. The main target there was to cover Hamilton. Hamilton one second behind. I don't care about Hamilton. I was weak. Now, this is Perez attacking Magnussen ahead and making contact with the rear of the Haas. Yeah, front wing is gone. He will need to come in. That was clumsy, and I don't know if the Haas had an issue, but Perez just right into the back of him. There are some pockets of rain a few kilometres away from the track we're monitoring. It is all about driver instinct now. It is all about ability of reading the conditions now. How intense is the rain? How much are you prepared to risk? Max Verstappen has dominated this race, but now you've immediately got it, and that's Sainz on the brink. Sainz trying to find his way by. He can't make the chicane as he goes past Esteban Ocon. Ocon, he was being cautious. Sainz throwing caution to the wind. And this is going to be so difficult to be on a wet track on slick tyres. The Grand Prix has come alive. I have to drive super slow because my tyres are... Understood, Max. It might just be survival in that section of track, Max, if the rest of the track is dry. Take two. Sainz versus Ocon to the Nouvelle Chicane. No way by. Alonso exiting. Alonso on the medium tyres. Russell coming to the pits. Russell is going for intermediate tyres. Russell is going to gamble. Yep, and there's Hamilton is coming into the box. Beautiful double stop. And we have Red Bull out with intermediates as well. Extraordinary. Alonso went for dry tyres. Everyone else is gambling for the intermediates. The tyres with the grooves that give you more grip in the wet. And this is incredible stuff now. Oh, it's Sainz has gone deep at Mirabeau. Alonso has pitted for dry tyres. Understood, Max. We need enters. Understood, Max. We are pitting for enters. Ocon is losing positions as well. They're struggling to keep it on the road. This is where he went off and just locked up the rear and slid gently. And a small kiss of the barrier. Very, very fortunate there. Through goes his teammate to take the place. Round goes the car. No traction. And through goes his teammate. The race leader comes into the pits to get rid of the medium tyres and put on the intermediates as he leaves the Grand Prix. Now, this is crucial. Does the rain continue? And Alonso will stop again to go onto that intermediate tyre. Russell, Russell going deep. Oh, and hit by Perez. So we have a five second time penalty for the rejoin. Understood. Verstappen leads. Alonso has stopped twice. He comes out. Ferrari have gambled on medium tyres with both cars. It wasn't the right one. They come in now to change. They have to double stack. But it's Leclerc ahead of Sainz as they make that stop. Here's Landstuhl at the hairpin. So he went to the intermediate tyres first. We were hearing it was 48. He retired at 48 because he hit the wall at the hairpin. Yeah, that was like the engine was still driving on. It was pushing. Look at that. Yeah, he's got an issue. 16 seconds between Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen. Perez. He's touched the wall there. That's in the chicane. Yeah, it's a replay. Oh, that is so close. Tank slapper. Has that done any damage to the car? Fighting it like an octopus through there. It has indeed. Logan Sargent, he doesn't want to do it in the high speed corners. He's just pulling up in the hairpin there. This was the move for Lando Norris out of the wheel tracks. There's just enough dry tarmac to fight away by. And through goes Lando Norris. And Piastri is right behind him as well. The Australian rookie driver, a champion of Formula 3, a champion of Formula 2, same part of the racetrack. Can he get by? He can. The Dutch master has produced something special in the wet, in the dry. Max Verstappen wins the Monaco Grand Prix for surely one of his most satisfying victories in Formula 1. But Alonso upgrades his best finishing position of the season now to second place. Esteban Ocon with just his third visit to a Formula 1 rostrum. We have seen a brilliant driving display from most in the field. And Red Bull are off to celebrate another Monaco victory.