A one-two finish in the Monaco Grand Prix with their fiercest rivals, Mercedes, failing to get a podium finish.
It was indeed a great day to celebrate for Ferrari and their sports betting fans as they now lead both in the drivers’ and constructors’ championship standings.
Following Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel’s impressive showing in the qualifying race, betting odds shifted on Ferrari winning on the legendary circuit for the first time since 2001. And they did not disappoint despite what could be described as a dull live betting affair in Monte Carlo.
Raikkonen—who took his first pole for nine years last Saturday—used the position to his advantage, getting the lead right from the first corner as he and Vettel pulled away from Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas and the two Red Bull racers, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.
The two Ferrari drivers led for the most part and the only question left midway through the race was who will finish first and second. Overtaking was difficult on the circuit and with low tire degradation, it was always going to feature just one pit stop.
Nonetheless, in a controversial turn of events, Ferrari asked Raikkonen to pit early on Lap 34. Although it’s uncertain if it was a deliberate move to give Vettel the advantage, the German ace took the opportunity and blistered through five laps before going for the pit stop himself.
The lead Vettel got from the strategy put him in front as he even left his teammate 10 seconds behind in the latter stages.
The largely uneventful race enlivened on Lap 60 following a collision involving McLaren’s Jenson Button who got out of retirement to drive in place of Fernando Alonso – a not so low-key comeback to say the least.
With the accident, a safety car was sent off which resulted in a frantic race between the podium hopefuls. Verstappen tried to pass Bottas for fourth while Ricciardo continued to hold on his third-place position, but although they circulated together for the rest of the race, they remained stuck in their places.
Defending Monaco titlist Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, did his best to recover ground after starting from 13th. He pitted only after 46 laps, though that wasn’t enough for him to contend in front as he just ended at seventh.
Vettel finished first in the race, ahead of Raikkonen and Ricciardo by a little over three seconds.
With the victory, Vettel increased his lead over Hamilton by 25 points in the World Championship while Ferrari now have 196 points as the leading constructor, 17 points up of Mercedes.
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