Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix for McLaren, taking the lead in the Drivers' Championship with 12 races remaining.
Key Facts
- Race winner
- Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
- Laps contested
- 76 laps
- Championship round
- 6th race of 2008 F1 World Championship
- Pole position
- Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
- Championship lead after race
- Hamilton, 3 pts ahead of Räikkönen
- McLaren's next Monaco win
- 2025 (17 years later)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Wet conditions at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix shaped early strategy. Massa led from pole, but Hamilton moved to second early on. A punctured tyre on lap six dropped Hamilton to fifth, yet the drying track and rivals' pit stop timings ultimately worked in his favour as he regained and held the lead.
The 2008 Monaco Grand Prix was held on 25 May 2008 at the Circuit de Monaco. Lewis Hamilton led from mid-race to take victory for McLaren, with Robert Kubica second for BMW Sauber and Felipe Massa third for Ferrari. A late collision between Räikkönen and Sutil reshaped the final positions, promoting Mark Webber to fourth and Sebastian Vettel to fifth.
Hamilton's victory gave him his second win of the 2008 season and the Drivers' Championship lead, three points ahead of Räikkönen and four ahead of Massa. Ferrari retained the Constructors' Championship lead by 16 points over McLaren. The win proved to be McLaren's last in Monaco until 2025.