Nico Rosberg on breaking team mate Lewis Hamilton's momentum; Romain Grosjean on salvaging points despite 'thousands of misfortunes'; and Kimi Raikkonen on coping with a litany of woes. The drivers and senior team personnel report back on a tense and attritional Grand Prix in Monaco...
Lotus
Romain Grosjean, 8th
"It's good to finish the race here for the first time in my career and it's good to get some points too. It started as a pretty bad Sunday for us with a puncture for me on the first lap after Adrian [Sutil] drove into me. We swapped to the soft tyres but it was impossible to overtake on these so we came back in for the supersofts. The safety car timing didn't help us as we'd just gone out on the new tyres, but that's Monaco. You can have thousands of misfortunes in the race, but still be in the points at the end!"
Pastor Maldonado, DNF
"We don't know yet precisely what happened. The engine switched off after 30 seconds. When we did out laps to the grid the car and the power unit were working well. We need to work to find out what the problem was. It is disappointing and I was expecting a solid race, we had a good strategy in place, I love this circuit where I have been competitive in the past. We have already worked hard on performance and reliability but today it was not to be. This afternoon we're not happy but we are keeping focused on improving."
Federico Gastaldi, Lotus deputy team principal
"We scored some lucky points today but our overall weekend has been disappointing. It's been very frustrating that Pastor couldn't start the race and we have to identify the cause of this. Romain stayed focused and did a very good job to score the team some valuable points. We know that we still have work to do and Monaco certainly hasn't played to our strengths."
Alan Permane, Lotus trackside operations director Renault Sport F1 team support leader
"It has been a disappointing weekend for us. Pastor's car didn't make it to the start of the race because of what looks like a fuel pump problem. Romain was hit from behind the first lap and got a puncture so we had to pit him early unfortunately. From then on, it was a long afternoon at the back of the field and in the end we were lucky with retirements and managed to score four points for an eighth place finish. We now look ahead to the next race and will work hard to correct issues we have seen here this weekend to get back up to an acceptable level of performance."
Force India
Nico Hulkenberg, 5th
"Ten points today is a great reward after such a difficult race. The last twenty laps were really tricky because my supersoft tyres were at the end of their life and it was hard to hold off the cars behind me and stay away from the barriers. There were a few close moments when I kissed the wall, but I survived and managed to hold on to fifth place. Fortunately my car was quick in the right places – going into the tunnel and also through the final corner. There were some enjoyable moments in the race, especially my move on Magnussen. He had to let the Toro Rosso back through and he lost a bit of momentum so I saw my opportunity to stick my nose down the inside of turn eight. On a track like Monaco it gives you a big smile to make the move stick."
Sergio Perez, DNF
"I was in a battle with Nico, who was ahead, and I went to take the apex normally. I was on the racing line and ahead of Jenson [Button] when he clipped my rear wheel and spun me around into the barriers. I did not expect him to be there as there wasn't really any space for another car there. It was very unlucky. As a racing driver you have good and bad Sundays but this is definitely one I want to forget as soon as possible. It is disappointing that we lost a big chance to score a good amount of points, but the car felt much better here than in Spain, as shown by Nico's result. This is a very positive signal looking ahead to Montreal."
Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"Today's race equals our best ever result in Monaco, so I am obviously very pleased about Nico's performance. He drove a very clean and strong race, and was able to withstand incredible pressure in the last 20 laps to finish fifth despite being on very old tyres. He also pulled off one of the best overtaking moves of this season, so I think he will remember this day for a long time. Unfortunately, today also saw some disappointment as Checo was punted into the barrier on lap one. I am confident he would have been firmly in the fight to score big points as well, but I'm also sure he will bounce back immediately. Our pace looked really strong which is a good sign as we prepare for the next race in Canada."
Mercedes
Nico Rosberg, 1st
"It was a tough race out there today but I am absolutely delighted to have won my second Monaco Grand Prix in succession. It's an amazing feeling and I'm proud to have done it at home, in front of my family and friends who were all here this afternoon. The race started well and I was comfortable but then we had to manage my fuel consumption and Lewis was pushing really hard behind me. We were able to be in control of the fuel with a few laps of lift and coast. It was important for me to break Lewis' momentum of winning the last four races this weekend. That worked out very well, but it was a really tough weekend. I'm so happy for the team that we had another one-two finish and look forward to the party tonight!"
Lewis Hamilton, 2nd
"I felt very strong out there today and I really drove with all my heart, giving everything that I could to improve my position. This just hasn't been my weekend but I can leave today feeling happy that we have achieved another one-two finish for the team. We have such a great car and everyone who has worked on it deserves the incredible results that we are getting at the moment. Back to this afternoon, this is such a difficult circuit to overtake. I was following Nico as close as I could and had great pace but I just couldn't get past. Towards the end, I got some dirt in my eye through the visor which made it very tough for a few laps but thankfully it cleared up and I was able to hold off Daniel and keep second place. This hasn't been the greatest of weekends but I'll go into the next race with even more energy and determination. The team are working so hard and we're determined to keep the momentum going."
Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"A fantastic result for the team after a weekend where we had the pressure to deliver on the car's potential here in Monaco. Six wins from six races, and five one-two finishes in a row, is a very special achievement at the start of this 2014 season. Congratulations to Nico for a faultless race and to Lewis for following him home in spite of some unexpected challenges this afternoon. We were driving a controlled race when the Safety Car forced us to pit earlier than had been planned for our only stop of the afternoon. After that, both drivers pushed hard and that had the consequence that they started to run out of rear tyres in the closing laps. When Lewis had the problem with his eye, that was when Daniel Ricciardo came close. It just goes to show that we must never give up pushing because our rivals are right behind us - and working hard to run us down. We have absolutely no margin for error because if we make one little slip, our rivals are right there. We will enjoy this moment - but the hard work continues tomorrow at the factory."
Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)
"To take our fifth consecutive one-two finish is an incredible achievement for our team. It doesn't matter how good a car you've got: to achieve that kind of run, you need amazing drivers and a great team performing faultlessly. We have all of those elements and this afternoon again reinforced just how well both Nico and Lewis are driving right now. I also must say a special thank you to the team: to take a one-two at Monaco, you need a great chassis and a driveable engine, and this result shows our car is an all-round performer. In terms of the race itself, it wasn't without its challenges: Nico had to manage his fuel consumption quite carefully and we were working with the settings of Lewis' Power Unit to optimise the energy recovery and deployment in the first half of the race. In the final stages, we had some concerns with the tyres as we were running out of rubber, which in turn made it hard to maintain the tyre temperatures. We saw that when Lewis recovered from the problem with his eye, and couldn't get the tyres back working properly, which allowed Ricciardo to close in. But he was able to bring the car home and secure this fantastic team result."
Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne, DNF
"The race was going well, the pace was really encouraging, I was saving the tyres and the strategy looked like being the right one. Then, my engineer informed me about the drive-through penalty for "unsafe release" and finally we had the exhaust problem which definitely put an end to my race. It's such a shame! We had done a great job over the whole weekend, the team was able to give me a good car and I also performed well so I think a fifth place was possible today. Let's turn the page now and focus on the next race in Montreal, where I will again do everything I can to perform at my maximum, have another great qualifying session and score the so longed points."
Daniil Kvyat, DNF
"It's disappointing that I had to retire today, especially because we looked competitive all weekend and had a good chance of finishing in the points here. I was able to hold my position at the start of the race and even move up to eighth before I had to retire. Unfortunately these things happen and I will now switch my focus to the next race where I hope we can carry over this momentum."
Franz Tost, Toro Rosso team principal
"Starting today's race from seventh and ninth place and retiring both cars is definitely not the result we had expected. Both cars suffered an exhaust failure. Jean-Eric and Daniil both showed a strong performance today and all weekend, but unfortunately we could not provide them with a car capable of finishing where they would have deserved. We will now investigate the reasons for this failure and hopefully come back stronger at the next race in Canada."
Sauber
Esteban Gutierrez, DNF
"Unfortunately, I could not finish the race. It was probably the most painful mistake in my career. I touched the guardrail in Rascasse on the entry to the corner and spun, that was the end of the race. Today we had a great chance to earn some points. The start was great, as I was able to gain some positions during the first few laps which gave me a good basis for our race strategy. During the race I needed to take care of the tyres, but we also had to push because we had quick cars coming from behind. It is very disappointing. I really want to say sorry to everyone in the team because they all did a great job today."
Adrian Sutil, DNF
"It is a pitty that my race ended so early. I had quite a good start. In turn 5 one of the other drivers spun, and as I came around the corner many cars were suddenly stopping in front of me. I had front wing damage which forced me to make a pitstop. I went back onto track almost at the backend of the field, but I was able to gain some positions lap by lap. Unfortunately, coming out of the tunnel I made a mistake when braking, lost the rear and crashed into the guardrail. Certainly, I am very disappointed and I also feel sorry for the whole team."
Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber team principal
"This was a very unlucky way not to finish this race. We definitely had the chance to score points, but we are leaving Monaco empty handed. Adrian and Esteban were setting good lap times and were able to keep up with competition. This shows that the car was absolutely competitive today, and is important for the whole team to know. Of course, it's very regrettable to miss such good opportunities in this way."
McLaren
Jenson Button, 6th
"This was a typical Monaco Grand Prix – it was messy out there; people were making mistakes; there were cars all over the place; you had to stay focused; keep up with the pack, and look after the tyres, using them when necessary. For the entirety of my final stint, I looked after my tyres and dropped back into the clear air behind Kevin. Then it was just about pacing myself to the end. I couldn't quite get past Nico [Hulkenberg] at the end – he was struggling with his tyres, but whenever I pushed, I struggled as well, so I couldn't make it stick.
"In the closing laps, we had a good little battle, but it's so tough when you're shoved up behind another car. It's difficult enough as it is, but when you can't really see anything because there's a car in front, it's even more difficult. This wasn't a bad result for us – I just wish I could have picked off Nico at the end. It's just a pity that Kevin's late-race problem meant we couldn't get more points for both cars at the finish."
Kevin Magnussen, 10th
"Despite a lot of things going against us today – the long hold due to traffic at my pitstop, the unsafe release in front of me in the pitlane, and the engine issue – I can draw a lot from the fact that our car felt really good. That's a real positive: it might be hard to see from the outside, but things are moving forward within the team. There were lots of little issues – Jean-Eric's team probably didn't calculate his release properly – it's never the driver's fault – it's just one of those things that happens. And it was a pity I didn't get to finish the battle with Nico [Hulkenberg]; I'd been saving my tyres in the expectation that Nico would struggle, but then I had a problem with my power-unit, which dropped me back.
"I'm still not really sure what happened with my car at the end of the race. And I didn't see what happened with Kimi – I went to the inside to block his entry into the hairpin, but he chose to make a move anyway. It's hard to overtake here, but he tried and it didn't work. That's racing."
Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
"Sixth and tenth isn't where we want to be, but we have to be realistic and acknowledge that this was a good performance – both from the perspective of the team, who worked brilliantly together, and also from both drivers, who drove tenaciously all weekend.
"Finishing tenth will be tough for Kevin to accept – he looked set for at least sixth place until the closing laps, when a problem with his power-unit dropped him down the order in quick succession. Fortunately, we were able to rectify the problem so he could proceed, but the incident with Kimi obviously didn't help. As usual, Jenson showed all his customary flair and experience to relentlessly move up the order from 12th on the grid. He was always well positioned to benefit from the incidents and action ahead of him, and judged the second Safety Car [to recover Adrian Sutil's damaged car] to perfection, choosing to dive into the pits at exactly the right time.
"Finally, I just want to pass on my congratulations to Jules Bianchi, John Booth, Graeme Lowdon and everybody at the Marussia team for scoring their very first world championship points today. Jules drove fantastically all weekend, and ninth place was a fantastic reward – not only for Jules' charging drive, but also for the team's efforts all season to improve and develop their car. They're a fantastic bunch of guys, and they really deserve this today."
Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo, 3rd
"The race really came to life towards the end. It started off not so well and it's a really short run to Turn 1, so that was frustrating. Then we got Seb due to his reliability and Kimi had a puncture and we sort of got back to where we were hoping to be. After the re-start we were just saving the tyres to the point that we could get to the end and then, with 20 laps to go, I thought they would be okay so I pushed. It was the first time in the whole race that I felt like I was really driving the car and we caught Lewis. It was fun but I couldn't get him, so I have to say the race finished better than it started."
Sebastian Vettel, DNF
"It's disappointing. I had a good start and then we lost boost pressure from the turbo, so I had no power and had to retire. The team did everything they could. I felt quite helpless in the car, so I was asking for an answer of what we could do, but there wasn't anything at that stage. We fixed some problems yesterday with the ERS, but some more came today with the turbo, but we will move forwards and it will be good for us soon."
Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal
"First of all we have to apologise to Sebastian for an issue with his power unit. It's frustrating that, after making a good start, his race came to a very premature end. Thereafter, Daniel benefitted from a puncture from Kimi to get some free air and was able to run his own race. We closed down the gap to the Mercedes at the end and got very close to Lewis, but round the streets of Monte Carlo it's always extremely difficult to overtake. It's the closest we've been to Mercedes all year and it's the first time we've been really racing them this season, so there are signs of progress and we're certainly getting closer. Finally, congratulations to the Marussia team on getting their first points in Formula One. Scoring points in this business is never easy and for a new team that stuck at it and scored their first points today, they deserve a large amount of recognition for that."
Caterham
Kamui Kobayashi, 13th
"Even though we finished in 13th I'm really not happy as I'm sure I'd have finished in the points if Bianchi hadn't hit me when he forced his way past. The car was basically undriveable after that so just finishing is a good result, and the team did everything they could to help us finish as high as possible today - good strategy and great stops, but when you're overtaken by being hit out of the way it's obviously not good.
"We stopped for the first time on lap 25 under the second safety car and went onto softs and rejoined in 12th with Raikkonen and Bianchi behind me. Then, as we went into the chicane after the tunnel, Bianchi hit me on the side and I had to cut through the chicane to avoid more contact. I don't really know why nothing was done about that as he basically just forced me out of the way by hitting me which meant both the Marussia and my teammate could pass and after that the car felt really bad. The impact had caused a lot of damage to the sidepod and the floor and I lost a lot of rear downforce so from that point I was losing time without being able to do anything about it.
"I managed to get the car home ahead of Chilton but with the way the race ended I think the whole team feel like we lost out through no fault of our own. We need to keep our spirits up and use this experience to make us even more determined to get ahead of our nearest rivals and we'll just keep pushing."
Marcus Ericsson, 11th
"For me that was good, even though the whole team is obviously disappointed about the way it ended. It was an amazing experience finishing my first Monaco Grand Prix and the fact we've equalled the team's best ever finish today is great, it's just a shame it didn't mean more after the fantastic job everyone did today.
"After starting from the pit lane I was pretty quickly up with the second Marussia when the safety car came out. The balance was ok and I was in a good rhythm, ahead of Sutil and Grosjean for a few laps but couldn't do anything to hold back Sutil when he passed me in Turn 6.
"When the safety car came out again we stopped for the first time for a new set of supersofts and I could really push. The whole second stint was good, as was the final one on the second set of supersofts, giving me the chance to push to the flag. I held off Raikkonen for the last couple of laps and finished 11th which, for me, is a pretty cool way to end Monaco."
Cyril Abiteboul, Caterham team principal
"Everyone knows Monaco can be a crazy race, and today it was so. It's a funny feeling because even though this equals our best ever finish it still feels like we had the chance to score our first point, as Marussia did today, but it was taken away from us despite the very good job both drivers and the whole team did today. We had the right strategy, we timed the stops perfectly and the pitcrew performed well in a tense race. I'm proud of the fact that we had both cars there at the end of the race, even with the damage to Kamui's car, and we have to take positives from this to help us fight back with improved performance from the car."
Williams
Valtteri Bottas, DNF
"We had an issue with the power unit which is frustrating. There are some investigations to do to find out exactly what happened. After the start I was quickly in the points so it could have been a good weekend. Felipe finished seventh so the team can walk away with something. We now look towards Canada where we hope to be strong due to the nature of the track."
Felipe Massa, 7th
"I am very happy with seventh after starting 16th on the grid. I took some risks when I changed strategy at the safety car and had to make my tyres last, which they did. I made the most of the opportunities I had with other cars making mistakes or retiring. Many things could have happened so I am pleased they worked out for the best. A tough weekend turned into a positive one."
Rob Smedley, Williams head of vehicle performance
"Felipe's race went well; he recovered from 16th to seventh and stayed out of trouble, driving with a sensible head. The strategy was a risk but paid dividends as we didn't have to stack the cars during the pitstops. Valtteri would have got some good points today, but sadly there was a failure on his car. We now have to look forward to Canada and consider where we can make improvements to continue bringing home points."
Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
"Monaco is synonymous with unpredictability, and once more we saw plenty of action, safety cars and racing incidents. Tyre wear and degradation was not an issue, as we saw from the very long stints completed by some drivers even on the supersoft, and the fact that most drivers completed just one stop. The tyres on Grosjean's car, for example, still had 20 per cent of their rubber left despite having completed more than 50 laps. Track temperatures were cooler than they had been for qualifying, but the pace was still such that the top four lapped the rest of the field, with an extremely close fight between the top three. Although we're running a more durable tyre this year, performance is not generally compromised. As single tyre supplier, the tyres are what the first and the last car on the grid: all the rest is in the hands of the teams. Congratulations also to Marussia, who have scored their well-deserved first points in Formula One on our tyres."
Ferrari
Fernando Alonso, 4th
"Finishing just off the podium today was a good result, especially after a difficult start and the various incidents during the race. At the start, something in the motor didn't work, but even if I'd had full power, there was no room to overtake. The three cars ahead of me deserved to be there as they were really uncatchable. I am pleased with fourth place, because we were able to manage a race in which you had to always maintain the highest level of concentration as there were plenty of tense moments. Our pace was good and that means that, bit by bit, we are improving. Sure, the gap to the leaders is still significant, because like us, they are still moving forward on the development front. Therefore we must always try to do better, starting with the next race in Canada."
Kimi Raikkonen, 12th
"This was a very unlucky day for me, a real shame after getting a good start and managing to move up to third place. The car was handling well and had a good pace. Unfortunately, in a Safety Car period, my car was hit by Chilton's Marussia and I had to make an unscheduled stop as my right rear tyre was damaged and that meant the end of any chance of getting a good result. I am sorry I still haven't managed to get a good result because we are working very hard. We know there is a lot to do as our rivals are still a long way ahead, but I am sure that if we continue down this path the results will come, maybe with a bit more luck."
Marco Mattiacci, Ferrari team principal
"Historically, Monaco is an unpredictable Grand Prix and we are well aware there can be thousands of variables here. If we had managed to keep that third place, it would have been a boost for the entire team, but events beyond our control meant it was not to be. All of us are working flat out and I'm sure that thanks to the great professionalism of the people around me, we will be able to improve day by day and get back to being competitive in a short period of time. But above all, we must find a way to reach the ambitious goals that Ferrari should be fighting for."
Pat Fry, Ferrari chassis director
"Today in Monaco, luck was not on our side, especially in Kimi's case. Mercedes and Red Bull showed they have a greater potential than we do, but thanks to a really good start, I think that Kimi, who was third at the first corner, could have finished on the podium. Unfortunately, during the Safety Car period, his F14 T was hit by a Marussia and that meant he had to make two stops in the space of two laps, effectively ruining his race. Fernando also got away well, but a few moments later and for all of the first sector, his car suffered a temporary drop in power. Fortunately, he managed not to lose too many places and after that, he ran a rather solitary race. We start work again tomorrow in Maranello, looking at our weak points: we are sure we can improve and now we must prove those words with facts."
Marussia
Jules Bianchi, 9th
"Wow. What a race and what a result for the whole Team. I am just incredibly happy, but first of all I have to pay credit to everyone at the Marussia F1 Team for making this possible. Nobody knows just how much work and determination goes into our races, so today I am thrilled that I have helped them to achieve their long-held target of our first points. To achieve them together makes me very proud. My thanks to everyone here in Monaco, the rest of the Team in Banbury and also to our powertrain partners, Scuderia Ferrari, because together we have all made great progress, particularly since the Barcelona Test. This gave us the confidence to push and we certainly did that here this weekend. It was not an easy race; there were some enjoyable highs along the way, but also a couple of concerning moments too. What matters at the end is that we got there and we can savour the highlights for a long time to come. I would also like to thank the Ferrari Driver Academy, who support me every step of my career."
Max Chilton, 14th
"I am very proud to be a part of something so special today. For a small team to have such a result is a huge boost for the future. Obviously, I have mixed emotions, as everything that could have gone wrong for me today did. But that is racing and I know I will have my chance one day to get some points for the Team. Well done to everyone and now I am really motivated heading into Montreal."
John Booth, Marussia team principal
"Naturally we are overjoyed at today's result and it is a fantastic reward for all the hard work and determination, not just this year, but over the past four and a bit seasons. My congratulations to the team here in Monaco, back at base in Banbury and our much newer colleagues at Scuderia Ferrari. Our powertrain partnership is young, but we saw the potential right from the start of the relationship and we are now really starting to see the results of a true integration. A lot of this weekend's clear step stems from the progress we made at the recent Barcelona Test. We were cautiously optimistic about our performance increment, but we really needed to see it translate into a good race here in Monaco before we could feel too confident. We are only a young team, but we have every reason to believe in ourselves and a positive future. Clearly, in today's race, we benefited from some attrition but, throughout, we were running at a pace that allowed us to stay in position with the cars around us. It is clear that we are now able to race with the back of the midfield pack. The penalty situation was a cause for concern and the way in which we served this with Jules was the product of some unusual circumstances, but we understand and accept the decisions. Thankfully, the second penalty was not the determining factor that it could have been. A tough day for Max; today simply didn't go his way, but we are pleased for him that his finishing record continues."
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