Rain played a major role in the drama that ensued before the start of Sunday\’s race in Monaco. The formation lap at the Monte Carlo circuit was delayed due to light showers at the scheduled time, moments after the national anthem was sung. The racing teams\’ pit crew was busy preparing for the race and bringing in the tyres when the race control announced delays on two occasions. Eventually, the race began behind the safety car under wet conditions. Soon after, the rain started to pour heavier. And the drivers were ordered to get back to their pits after just two laps.
The F1 drivers were not too pleased with an hour\’s delay and commented that the race could have started a bit earlier. Talking about the delayed start, Lewis Hamilton advocated that the race could have started earlier. The Briton clarified that he did not say that the authorities made a mistake. He was not aware of the reason why the drivers were not sent out right away. Lewis added, \”We are Formula 1 drivers so the weather is not a good enough reason.\”
Hamilton Denies Criticizing The FIA
The media narrative reacted to Hamilton\’s comment and claimed that the Mercedes driver was not happy with the FIA\’s decision and criticized the governing body for the delay. However, Lewis took to social media to clarify his opinion on the delayed start in Monaco. The seven-time world champ stated that he actually felt the FIA did a great job. Writing on Instagram, Lewis Hamilton said that the media are saying that he criticized the FIA for the Monaco race. The Briton revealed that \”it\’s absolutely rubbish.\” He thought that the FIA did a great job at the weekend.
The 37-year-old further mentioned that the race could have started at the scheduled time. But then, the drivers would have had to return back to the pit soon after as the rain got heavier. Lewis also pointed out that the race started when it was safe for the drivers, which is the most important concern. The British racer requested, \”Please don\’t use me to create a negative narrative.\”
After the race in Monaco, the FIA stated that the delay was due to a power failure. Apparently, the rain caused trouble in starting the system. Thus, the officials had to wait for 45-minutes to start the race. Red Bull had another great run in Monaco as Sergio Perez finished first ahead of Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton could not do better than his grid position and finished P8 on a narrow street circuit.