Lewis Hamilton really had to work for this one.
A glance at the results of the Monaco Grand Prix – Mercedes’ sixth straight win this year, Hamilton’s fourth victory in six races, leading lights to flag – makes it look easy. But it was anything but.
Mercedes – pretty much flawless all season so far – made their first big mistake of the year. They put Hamilton on the wrong tyres at his pit stop, and that left him facing a rear-guard battle with rapidly deteriorating grip, and the most aggressive driver in Formula 1 right behind him.
Overtaking is close to impossible in Monaco, but that should take nothing away from the quality of Hamilton’s drive.
“He saved us,” Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said afterwards. “His driving saved us.”