grand prix grand prix formally known grand prix formula motor race held street circuit runs second running race world championship event seventy running overall mercedes driver entered race point lead teammate defending race winner drivers championship mercedes having seventy point lead ferrari championship world champion lewis hamilton secured pole position saturday qualifying race took consecutive win second win season tenth career finished second championship leader hamilton led race moved place following pit stop late safety car period team mercedes later apologised renewed partnership scored points return sport victory able reduce deficit points report background ahead race weekend mercedes announced extended contract world champion additional years keeping team end season revisions corner harbour section race track meant drivers entered turn slightly earlier shortening track metres compared previous years making corner slightly slower corner seen race stopping accident involving pastor leading changes resulted circuit officially classified new layout barrier right swimming pool moved new allow better view corner track resurfaced event australia singapore pit lane speed limit duration event reduced mph instead standard mph confined nature circuit race schedule weekend different compared races calendar free practice sessions held thursday instead friday tyre supplier brought yellow marked soft compound tyre harder prime tyre red marked super soft compound tyre elastic option tyre previous seasons time season super soft compound race weekend free practice regulations practice sessions held half hour sessions thursday hour session saturday morning thunderstorm wednesday night free practice sessions held thursday morning started driver setting installation laps intermediate tyres track soon dried cars changed slick tyres early wing exiting corner sustain considerable damage car mercedes drivers swapped places time sheets session late improvements pushed order finish ninth second team mate surprised finishing second tenths second hamilton powered cars finished seven williams team ended session tenth seventeenth owing car suited wet low temperature conditions second session thursday afternoon saw considerably running red flag shown minutes practice crashed exit tunnel rain began fall keeping drivers garage practice restarted minutes end session drivers took track damp conditions managed times slower pace set beginning finished session fastest seven tenths second team mate confirmed high pace sixth seventh respectively proved challenge points predicted eighth place practice saturday morning interrupted midway session crashed team mate set fastest lap session ahead mercedes hamilton hamilton reported problems car believed race engineer caused pressured tyres powered teams confirmed strong pace placing cars qualifying qualifying consisted parts minutes length respectively drivers eliminated competing sessions saw surprise casualty failed cross line final lap time leaving seventeenth grid finished qualifying session participated point season joining split succeeded advancing cars car stopped corner electrical fault start second session took qualifying team mate successful missing second fast lap interrupted going second williams completed problematic saturday team claiming 14th grid qualifying contested drivers started drops rain falling meaning drivers took track quickly appearance season set super soft tyres left finished seventh took early lead run team mate denied chance challenge pole position mistake turn second fast lap separated leaving disappointing qualifying performance sixth pole position hamilton called incredibly special qualified eighth position missed weigh bridge qualifying following session given penalty required start race pit lane race start race hamilton maintained grid positions corner managed overtake team mate fourth trying past inside turn contact hit wall able continue field second penalty serve pit stop contact damaging wing came pits new wing equipped harder tyre compound suffered brake problems early laps eventually retiring lap seven lap hamilton built second lead teammate additional seconds ahead drivers came pits regular stop early lap runners stayed lap come followed hamilton lap later respectively following stops hamilton led seven seconds dropped order problem rear car caused stationary seconds stop lap running ninth place retired race gearbox failure lap lap hamilton extended lead seconds remained seconds ahead lap fast super soft tyres chasing lotus tenth position making attempts pass following laps beginning lap coming turn crashed lotus sending flying barriers able walk away accident injuries virtual safety car condition called race director allow safely recover damaged car time virtual safety car formula shortly regular safety car sent track leading race seconds pitted apparently intention returning track ahead mercedes crew gap allowing lead hamilton emerged pit exit lane marginally stayed safety car safety car coming pits lap retained lead going win grand prix consecutive time hamilton finished unable overtake second position pitted safety car fresh tyres able pass controversial circumstances teammate let past order chance try pass placed hamilton unable overtake handed fourth place set fastest lap race process finished eighth scoring championship points team points renewed partnership return start season post race following race mercedes apologised hamilton pit commentators formula correspondent guardian paul formula driver felt cost victory team boss told press got numbers wrong thought gap lewis fresh tyres come lead safety car ahead covering risk competitor taking fresh tyres calculation incorrect came place half teams pitted car safety car deployed hamilton race leader caught safety car quicker lost considerably larger time way pits leading coming post race press conference hamilton revealed decision pit voiced concern heat tyres false impression rivals pitted softer compound asked confidence team strategy decisions future answered yes podium interviews conducted admitted victory lot luck added lewis drove brilliantly deserved win sure fourth driver overall win grand prix times row following accident race handed place grid penalty race time formula career penalty points added criticised actions fellow driver said deserved penalty reacted insisting wrong instead pointing accident canadian grand prix crashed similar fashion immediately following race accused brake testing claim denied insisted later lap race results meant moved closer teammate championship lead points hamilton followed points championship mercedes extended lead ferrari points classification qualifying notes received place grid penalty gearbox change pit lane start bypassing weight request following race championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2015 Monaco Grand Prix