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The seventy
eight lap 2008 Monaco Grand Prix would be the 600th Grand Prix for Sir Frank
Williams. With Nico Rosberg qualifying in sixth the chances of a good race
result were promising. Team-mate Kazuki Nakajima had qualified in
fourteenth. Coulthard would get a five grid position penalty for changing
his gearbox and this would see Kazuki start from thirteenth.
Race day would see the rain return and it would be as dilemma as to what
tyres to start with. As the cars formed up on the grid prior to the the
parade lap the rain had started to fall again. The teams have up to three
minutes prior to the grid been cleared to make their choice. The rain was
expected to last for the first twenty minutes of the race. All drivers would
start on the intermediate tyre. Kovalainen would stall on the start grid and
have to be pushed into the pit lane.
 The cars would complete their parade lap and with Massa on pole they would
form up and with the lights going out the race would start. Into the first
corner it would be Massa leading from Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kubica, Alonso,
and Nico in sixth. Nico had hit the rear of Alonso's car at the Lowes
hairpin. Button had hit the rear of Heidfeld going past the swimming pool,
losing his nose. He would pit. Nico was sixth some seven seconds behind the
leader. Nico's nose was bent and tucked up in the front of the car. He would
have to pit.
Lap three and Massa was 1.2 seconds in front of Hamilton. Nico would pit
ruining his race. He would also take on new intermediate tyres. Glock in
seventh had also damaged his front wing. Kazuki was in seventh as Glock
pitted on lap five. Glock was running on the full wet tyre. Kubica was in
fourth followed by Alonso. Hamilton had hit the barrier at the Tabac corner
and had a flat right rear tyre. He would pit taking on new intermediate
tyres while Massa continued to lead from Raikkonen. Kubica was right behind
the second Ferrari.
Lap eight and Alonso had hit the barrier ending up with a flat right rear.
He would get back to the pits and after a check of his suspension would take
on full wet weather tyres. In the run up to the casino Coulthard would run
wide crashing into the right barrier. As his car came to a stop Bourdais
would crash into the back of his car. While the Safety Car was deployed both
cars would be lifted off the track. The Safety Car would come in at the end
of lap ten. At the restart Massa was leading from Raikkonen but Kimi would
get a drive through penalty for not having his tyres fitted prior to the
three minute limit.
 Kubica was in third followed by Hamilton, Heidfeld, Alonso, Webber, and
Kazuki in eighth. Alonso had been able to pass Webber. Kimi would take his
penalty on lap thirteen. He would return in fourth. Alonso would make a
passing attempt at the hairpin. Both drivers would make contact and Webber
would have to stop as the pair sorted themselves out. Nico would lose his
front wing again having to pit. He was hit by Kovalainen as the McLaren went
over his front wing. Massa would make
a mistake a St Devote running of the track. Kubica was now leading from a
recovered Massa. He was leading by 2.3 seconds with Hamilton third.
Raikkonen was fourth followed by Webber, Sutil, Trulli, and Barrichello.
Piquet would hit Kazuki at the chicane but both would continue. The rain had
now stopped as Heidfeld pitted with a puncture, also taking on a new front
wing. Kazuki was running in ninth while Nico was in a disappointing
seventeenth.
With fifty seven laps remaining Kubica continued to lead from Massa. A dry
line was starting to appear on parts of the circuit. The laps times would
drop with Massa setting a new fastest lap with a 1m:31.749. Kubica would pit
on lap twenty six. He would return in fourth but Raikkonen would go straight
on at St Devote allowing Kubica to move up to third. His front wing was
flapping away as he returned to his pit. He would get away after a 16.1
second stop. Webber was now fourth. It looked like Kimi was fuelled to the
finish.
Lap twenty nine and Massa was leading from Hamilton, Kubica, and Webber.
Massa was leading by 16 seconds. Kazuki was still in ninth closely followed
by Kovalainen. Nico was still in seventh having been lapped by the leaders.
Massa would pit on lap thirty three taking on intermediate tyres. Massa was
now second with Kubica third. Hamilton was leading while team-mate
Kovalainen would pit from tenth.
Lap thirty eight and Hamilton was still leading with Massa second. But rain
was expected to fall again shortly. Glock would spin his car going down the
hill. Fisichella would retire his car after struggling with a gearbox
problem. Kazuki would be lapped by the leader on lap forty with Hamilton 23
seconds ahead of Massa. He would continue to extend his lead. Nico had moved
up to now be in eleventh. Alonso would pit on lap forty seven taking on dry
tyres. Nico was attacking tenth placed Piquet passing him in the tunnel.
 Webber would pit on lap forty nine taking on dry tyres. Kubica was running
close behind Massa as Piquet hit the barriers at St Devote. Kovalainen would
pit taking on dry tyres. Webber was struggling on the dry tyres. Kubica
would pit with twenty five laps remaining. Sutil would also come in taking
on dry tyres. Hamilton would also pit joining the others taking on dry
tyres. Hamilton would return still in the lead with Massa fourteenth seconds
behind in second. Barrichello would pit from seventh. Kazuki was still in
ninth as Massa pitted on lap fifty seven. He would take on the softer dry
tyre. Kubica would pass Massa as the Ferrari exited the pit lane.
Eighteen laps to go and Hamilton was still leading from Kubica, Massa,
Sutil, Raikkonen, and Webber. On the next lap Nico would have a major
accident going past the swimming pool. The Safety Car would be deployed as
the field tried to pick their way through the wreckage of Nico's Williams
that was also over the track. Thankfully Nico was able to get out of the
car. He would run wide hitting the right hand side of his car against the
barrier. He would then fly across the track and hit the barrier with the
left side of his car.
Kubica was able to close right up onto Hamilton. Massa was in third followed
by Sutil, Raikkonen and Webber. Kazuki was still in ninth. The Safety Car
would come in with eleven laps remaining. The race would come down to a
timed countdown with eleven minutes left in the two hours. Raikkonen would
run into the back of Sutil going into the chicane. A big mistake from the
Ferrari driver. Sutil would have to pit and retire. Such a cruel moment for
Force India. As the minutes counted down Hamilton was still leading from
Kubica and Massa. Webber was now fourth followed by Vettel, Barrichello,
Kazuki, and Kovalainen in eighth.
Three minutes remaining and Hamilton was easily leading from Kubica and
Massa. He would start his final lap and would cross the finish line to win
the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix. Kubica was second and Massa came home third.
Webber was fourth followed by Vettel, Barrichello, Kazuki, and the final
point went to Kovalainen. Hamilton would move back to the top of the drivers
championship. Kazuki would come home thirty seconds behind the
leader in another great performance for the Japanese driver. This would see
the Williams team secure another two points.
As for team-mate Nico Rosberg his race was such a disappointment. Making the
mistake that saw him damage his front nose early in the race, then to have
his nose damaged a second time followed by a major accident that saw his car
destroyed against the barrier. Thankfully Nico was able to get out of his
car uninjured. But to qualify sixth and come home with no result must be a
major let down. But having said that it was a race that was run under such
difficult circumstances and he was not alone in having incidents in the
race.. |
