Jump directly to the content
record brakers

Monaco Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton sets fastest lap ever then Sebastian Vettel beats it

LEWIS Hamilton broke the record for the fastest lap ever recorded at the iconic track at Monaco today, only for Sebastian Vettel to beat it.

Hamilton's time of 1:13:425  beat the record  of 1:13.622 set by Daniel Ricciardo in 2016.

Lewis Hamilton sets fastest lap ever at Monaco today
21
Lewis Hamilton sets fastest lap ever at Monaco todayCredit: Reuters

The triple world champion, who can equal the 65 career pole positions of boyhood idol Ayrton Senna in Saturday's qualifying, was fastest in morning practice ahead of Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

But then in the afternoon Vettel, a four times world champion with Red Bull who leads Hamilton by six points after five races, set an ever faster mark, in a time of 1:12.720.

The Ferrari driver is hoping to end his team's long drought in the most glamorous -- and slowest - race on the calendar with a first Ferrari win in the Mediterranean principality since Michael Schumacher in 2001.

Mercedes struggled to keep up with the pace and Hamilton finished eighth and Valtteri Bottas in tenth.

Sunbathing fan watches the first day of practice in Monaco today
21
Sunbathing fan watches the first day of practice in Monaco todayCredit: EPA
A woman catches some rays as Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso drives below
21
A woman catches some rays as Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso drives belowCredit: AP:Associated Press
Women out sunbathing in Monte Carlo as the F1 drivers race by just yards away
21
Women out sunbathing in Monte Carlo as the F1 drivers race by just yards awayCredit: Getty Images
Two sunbathers peer over a balcony as German driver Pascal Wehrlein races by
21
Two sunbathers peer over a balcony as German driver Pascal Wehrlein races byCredit: Getty Images
Glamorous spectators keep up with the action at Monaco
21
Glamorous spectators keep up with the action at MonacoCredit: AP:Associated Press
Lewis Hamilton was the fastest around the historic streets of Monte Carlo in first practice
21
Lewis Hamilton was the fastest around the historic streets of Monte Carlo in first practiceCredit: AP:Associated Press
Lewis Hamilton speeds past the superyachts in the harbour
21
Lewis Hamilton speeds past the superyachts in the harbourCredit: Getty Images
Sebastian Vettel's car takes a corner in a Monaco tunnel
21
Sebastian Vettel's car takes a corner in a Monaco tunnelCredit: Rex Features
21

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany waves to the crowd after the second free practice

Lewis Hamilton speeds through the winding streets of Monaco
21
Lewis Hamilton speeds through the winding streets of MonacoCredit: Reuters
Boats in the harbour at Monte Carlo during the first day of practice
21
Boats in the harbour at Monte Carlo during the first day of practiceCredit: Getty Images
Max Verstappen in the Red Bull car was third fastest in Monaco's first practice
21
Max Verstappen in the Red Bull car was third fastest in Monaco's first practiceCredit: Getty Images

most read in sport

Utd consider Mainoo and Garnacho sales, Chelsea eye Guehi, Rashford latest
ALL THE MOVES

Utd consider Mainoo and Garnacho sales, Chelsea eye Guehi, Rashford latest

West Ham hope Potter is in charge on Friday but still haven't sacked Lopetegui
LOP SIDED

West Ham hope Potter is in charge on Friday but still haven't sacked Lopetegui

Meet Bellingham's rumoured new flame as pop star 'seen wearing his top'
Belle of the ball

Meet Bellingham's rumoured new flame as pop star 'seen wearing his top'

Dubravka breaks down and leaves Emirates Stadium pitch in tears
WEEPER KEEPER

Dubravka breaks down and leaves Emirates Stadium pitch in tears

Hamitlon complained over the radio of being unable to get heat into the tires.

Pirelli had initially nominated the minimum tyre pressures as 19 psi and 18 psi on the front and rear tyres respectively, but lowered that yesterday to 17 and 16.5.

The Ferrari car is understood to be better at heating up the tyres at lower pressures while Hamilton complained about struggling to get them up to temperature, a problem confirmed by team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

“Getting lap one out of the tyres for us is impossible,” Bottas said.

“We need a few more warm-up laps. I wish we had softer compounds."

Lewis Hamilton greets a friend after the day's second practice session on Monaco
21
Lewis Hamilton greets a friend after the day's second practice session on MonacoCredit: Reuters
Fisheye view of Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes AMG GP in action on the streets of Monte Carlo
21
Fisheye view of Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes AMG GP in action on the streets of Monte CarloCredit: EPA
21

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton navigates the famous two-mile circuit

Lewis Hamilton on his motorbike in the paddock at Monaco
21
Lewis Hamilton on his motorbike in the paddock at MonacoCredit: Getty Images
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action during the first free practice session
21
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action during the first free practice sessionCredit: Reuters
Kimi Raikkonen set the second fastest lap in practice for the Monaco GP
21
Kimi Raikkonen set the second fastest lap in practice for the Monaco GPCredit: Getty Images

Britain's Jenson Button returned to the cockpit as a McLaren stand-in for Fernando Alonso, who is competing at the Indianapolis 500.

The 2009 champion was 14th fastest in the morning, 1.529 off the pace, and completed 35 trouble-free laps in a solid performance for a driver who has not been in a Formula One car since last November.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen was third quickest in first practice, a positive development for the former champions, ahead of Hamilton's Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas and Ricciardo in fifth.

Renault's Nico Hulkenberg and Sauber's Marcus Ericsson both failed to set a time, with the latter suffering a gearbox problem.

Monaco Grand Prix by numbers

  • Lap length 2.074miles
  • Race laps 78
  • Race distance 161.734miles
  • Maximum speed 180.2mph
  • Distance from grid to turn one 111metres
  • The first Monaco Grand Prix was run in 1929
  • Ayrton Senna won the Monaco GP a record six times
  • Four drivers have died on the Monaco track, most recently Lorenzo Bandini in 1967
This season's F1 cars are wider and have higher levels of downforce -- allowing them to have better cornering speeds around the twisty narrow road circuit.
"The most important thing is that you have to learn to walk before you run," Hamilton said before his run in practice.
"You have to build up to the pace so that, by the time you work up to that second run in Q3, you're at 100 percent."
Practice in Monaco is always on a Thursday due to Friday, the usual day for first running on track at other races, being a rest day.
Jenson Button signs autographs after the second practice
21
Jenson Button signs autographs after the second practiceCredit: AP:Associated Press
Lewis Hamilton complained at being unable to get enough heat into the tires
21
Lewis Hamilton complained at being unable to get enough heat into the tiresCredit: Reuters

DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE

  1. Sebastian Vettel – Ferrari – 104 points
  2. Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes – 98 points
  3. Valtteri Bottas – Mercedes – 63 points
  4. Kimi Raikkonen – Ferrari – 49 points
  5. Daniel Ricciardo – Red Bull Racing – 37 points
  6. Max Verstappen – Red Bull Racing – 35 points
  7. Sergio Perez – Force India – 34 points
  8. Esteban Ocon – Force India – 19 points
  9. Felipe Massa – Williams – 18 points
  10. Carlos Sainz – Toro Rosso – 17 points
  11. Nico Hulkenburg – Renault – 14 points
  12. Romain Grosjean – Haas – 5 points
  13. Pascal Wehrlein – Sauber – 4 points
  14. Kevin Magnussen – Haas – 4 points
  15. Daniil Kvyat – Toro Rosso – 4 points
Topics
machibet777.com