Heavy rain in the region minutes before the race at 3:00 pm meant the start was twice delayed before laps under the Safety Car were brought to a halt by the first of two red flags. Once racing resumed, Esteban ran full Wet tyres on a challenging first stint with some other teams pitting early for Intermediates.
Esteban would remain on Wets before stopping for Hard tyres on lap 21, with an eye on driving to the end of the 78-lap race on a one-stop strategy.
The second red flag for Mick Schumacher’s heavy crash after the Swimming Pool chicane on lap 30, brought a further delay to the afternoon.
Esteban swapped to Mediums compound tyres in the interval looking to conserve and go to the end of the race, which was now against the clock.
The Frenchman was battling hard with seven-time World Championship Lewis Hamilton, fending off the Mercedes driver lap after lap, before contact was made deep into the race.
The Stewards judged Esteban to be at fault, despite being hit from behind - giving him a five-second time penalty that would be applied after the race, meaning Esteban ended up classified in P12 and outside of the points, despite finishing P9 on the road at the end of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Esteban Ocon (Started P10, Finished P12):
“Today’s result is tough to swallow, and I’m frustrated that we leave Monaco without scoring points. Inside the car it felt like a racing incident with Lewis [Hamilton], especially at a track like Monaco where any overtake attempt is likely to involve some contact.
The team has worked so hard all weekend, especially in finding the gains between Friday and Saturday, and we now leave without scoring deserved double points.
We’ll have to move forward and I’m looking to put it right in Baku where we race next.”
Another street circuit beckons, as Formula One heads to the Baku Circuit City for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in two weeks time.
