Monaco GP: Williams Racing complete their 750th

The grid of the seventy eight lap 2021 Monaco Grand Prix would see the Williams Racing Team drivers starting from 15th and 18th grid positions, with George Russell ahead of Nicholas Latifi. Both drivers would start the race on the medium tyre. At the front pole position was meant to be occupied by Ferrari's Leclerc but after his crash during qualifying the Ferrari team would find an issue that would see him unable to start the race. So effectively on pole would be Verstappen followed by Bottas, Sainz, Norris, Gasly, Hamilton, Vettel, Perez and Giovinazzi tenth. All would be starting on the soft tyre. The grid would be required to form up with Leclerc's pole position place remaining vacant. Outside the top ten those on the medium tyre would be Ricciardo, Raikkonen, and Alonso. Both Haas cars and Ocon in eleventh were on the soft while we had Stroll and Tsunoda on the hard tyre.

The parade lap would be completed and they would form up with Leclerc's position vacant. With the start it would be Verstappen leading off the start. Bottas was second while the Williams cars were 15th and 16th with George leading Nicholas. Sainz was third followed by Norris, Gasly, Hamilton, Vettel, Perez, Giovinazzi, and Ocon tenth. On the hard tyre Stroll was in 11th with six laps completed. With eleven laps completed Verstappen and Bottas had opened up a gap to Sainz. For Williams George would be on the radio notifying team about a bad shift and PU did not feel 100% out of the tunnel.

Fifteen laps into the race and it was all very calm out on the track with Verstappen still leading. Bottas was second followed by Sainz, Norris, Gasly, Hamilton, Vettel, Perez, Giovinazzi, and Ocon still tenth. The Williams pair had dropped away from 14th placed Alonso. Lap ten had seen George been told his front brakes were a bit hot but manageable. Lap twenty six and there had been no change in the order as both Haas cars were lapped. The Williams cars remained in 15th and 16th. Lap thirty one and Hamilton would pit taking on teh hard tyre coming back out in eighth. Bottas would pit the next lap and it would be a disaster of a stop with the right front wheel not coming off. He would drop down the order seeing his race end in the pits.

Verstappen was now leading from Sainz with Vettel pitting and on lap thirty four George would pit taking on the hard tyre. He would return in 16th while Nicholas was now 14th. Perez was now second from Sainz and Norris. Vettel was now fifth followed by Gasly, Hamilton, Giovinazzi, Ocon and Stroll tenth. Giovinazzi would pit on lap thirty five dropping to 12th. Verstappen would pit on lap thirty five and returned in second with Perez now leading. Nicholas was now 14th and George 16th. Perez had also pitted and was now in fourth with Norris now third. Ocon would pit on lap thirty nine switching from soft's to medium tyres. Ricciardo had pitted returning in 13th just ahead of Nicholas.

Lap forty six and Nicholas would pit also taking on the hard tyre. This would see George and Nicholas 15th and 16th. Alonso had pitted switching to the soft now in 12th. The order was now Verstappen from Sainz, Norris, Perez, Vettel, Gasly, Hamilton, Stroll, Ocon and Giovinazzi tenth. Lap fifty six and the gaps were quite static with the top three remaining the same. Giovinazzi had closed in onto ninth placed Ocon. Lap sixty three and the Williams pair were still running in 15th and 16th while Stroll had pitted switching to the soft tyre currently in eighth. Tsunoda would finally pit changing from the hard to the soft dropping to 16th behind Latifi. Hamilton would pit again taking on the soft tyre and been able to return still ahead of Stroll.

As the final laps counted down Verstappen was able to c0omfortably keep his lead over Sainz while Norris was in third looking at another podium. Perez was fourth followed by Vettel, Gasly, Hamilton, Stroll, Ocon and Giovinazzi tenth. George and Nicholas were still down the order in 14th and 15th as the leader started his final lap. He would finish it to take victory in the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. Norris was third and the remaining of the top ten would remain the same. Not the result that Williams Racing was hoping for the mark their 750th Grand Prix but such is the pace of the current FW43B it was very much the best they could expect. Still it is a memorable moment for the team one that will still form part of their amazing history.