Even though Monaco grew a reputation for producing poor racing, the 2023 edition delivered something many never expected. Last weekend’s race had F1 fans and bettors on the edge of their seats as the 78-lap event broadcasted overtakes and tension mixed in for the race leaders. A late rain shower, several out-of-position drivers going for the tightest gaps, and questionable strategy calls made the 2023 installment one of the better Formula 1 events of the calendar year. With that, let’s take a look at the storylines, winners, and losers of the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix.

Key Takeaways from the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix

The Tricolour returns to the Monaco podium for the first time since that historic day in 1996 ❤️#MonacoGP #F1 @OconEsteban pic.twitter.com/8KbQ5lqCjo

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 29, 2023

A Contrast of Red Bull Results

When talking about the 25-year-old’s success in the sport, the trend usually tells us that his car weighs more than his talent. Will he produce the same results in a Williams or even an AlphaTauri? Probably not. But, it would be unfair to expect him to remain competitive with a midfield car. Having said that, if all the cars share more similarities under their skin, more often than not Verstappen will continue to come out on top.

Last weekend solidified that Max is a one-in-a-million driver and is not to be underestimated talent-wise. His pole efforts and swift decision-making amidst the tricky conditions during the mid-race downpour presented why he is the sport’s defending champion. Ultimately, his race management skills were on full display when he analyzed the conditions perfectly during the rough stages of the competition. Verstappen’s efforts paid off as the Belgian-Dutch driver scored his second Monaco GP victory.

Meanwhile, while Verstappen lapped the field and logged stellar lap times up front, teammate Sergio Perez was held up by unnecessary accidents. The Mexican driver was on course for a solid result when he pitted early and attempted to finish the race with a one-stop strategy. But, he got too impatient when trailing the cars at the back of the pack.

The 2022 Monaco winner closed his stint with a disappointing result. He was lapped twice by Max Verstappen, which means his teammate already beat him three times in a row. Perez crossed the line at P16 which is a disappointing result for the street circuit specialist.

Completing the Podium

Ocon’s qualifying lap at the start of the weekend was sensational. But, the cherry on top of everything was his race management. Alpine did well to keep him within the frontrunners. It appeared that the French driver was truly on top of his game in the first stint, which was a strategic ploy not to let the field spread out across the track. He then followed this up with an even better drive. It was clear that he was sandbagging. After a few conservative laps on fresh tires, Ocon logged purple times in S1 and kept his position from Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.

Esteban did well to manage the pace of Carlos Sainz in the race. A well-earned P3 means the Alpine driver secures his third-ever podium finish in Formula 1. Furthermore, stepping on the podium since Gasly joined the constructor was a great result for the Frenchman.

Completing the podium was Fernando Alonso who managed to finish behind Max Verstappen. The veteran driver could have won the race, but he could’ve lost out on a podium finish. This is his best F1 result since Hungary 2014 and is definitely well-deserved. The Aston Martin wheelman was stellar this weekend, his experience shone through the AMR23. Any hint of a missed chance to deny Red Bull a win this season would be annoying, but neither Alonso nor his constructor will need to push further to focus on the positives.

Mercedes’ Resurgence Soon?

The much-awaited upgrade hardly propelled Mercedes ahead of the leaders. Fans hoped for an incremental improvement, but the constructor itself always said that this was only the first of many steps. Nevertheless, the upgrades did have Lewis Hamilton fourth-fastest this weekend, converting fifth and eighth on the grid for a double top-five finish. These are solid results for a team trying to close the gaps to a podium.

So given Mercedes’ result and Russell almost snagging a podium finish if it weren’t for strategic errors, Monaco GP unfolded positive storylines regardless. It all leaves Mercedes a point behind Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship, ahead of what they hope to be the start of better finishes moving forward.

Where to Bet on F1 with Crypto

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