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Alonso wins Monaco Grand Prix

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso of Spain, foreground, closely followed by team-mate Lewis Hamilton of Britain, steers his car through the Sainte Devote curve on the second lap of the Monaco Grand Prix yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Spain's two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso won his second successive Monaco Grand Prix yesterday to record his McLaren team's 150th success.

Alonso -- recording his 17th career victory -- beat team-mate Lewis Hamilton, his fourth successive second place in his maiden season, while Felipe Massa of Ferrari was third, his best result in the race.

Alonso led by seven seconds after 20 laps with Hamilton recording the fastest lap of the race at the time and Massa in third.

It was the McLaren team's first one-two finish at the famous race on the unforgiving Mediterranean street circuit since 1989, the heyday of Brazilian Ayrton Senna, who won, and Alain Prost of France, who was second.

It was Alonso's second win this season, following his maiden win for the team in Malaysia, and the team's second one-two. They did the same by finishing in the same order in Kuala Lumpur.

Alonso's win lifted him to the top of this year's drivers' championship standings ahead of Hamilton on races won.

The result left both men on 38 points at the head of a title race that now looks as likely to be as dominated by them as was Sunday's processional 78 laps demonstration of supremacy around the harbor.

Massa was the only driver not lapped by the 25 year-old Spaniard and the 22 year-old Briton in the race.

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella was fourth for Renault, Poland's Robert Kubica fifth for BMW Sauber ahead of his team-mate German Nick Heidfeld.

Austrian Alex Wurz was seventh for Williams and Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who started from 16th position on the grid, came home eighth to grab a point for Ferrari.

The race did not produce a single notable passing move as Alonso came home in a winning time of one hour 40 minutes and 29.329 seconds, at an average speed of more than 260kph, on the 3.34km circuit.

The race began under a cloudy sky with intermittent sunshine and some breeze, but the threat of rain diminished as time passed. When the lights went out, Alonso made a smooth start and swept unchallenged down the road to Ste Devote and up the hill towards Casino Square ahead of Hamilton in second.

The order behind them settled down immediately with Massa third ahead of Fisichella, Heidfeld and the German-born Nico Rosberg in his Williams.

In front of a big crowd, estimated at more than 120,000, that included several well-known guests like Hollywood actors Jude Law and Johnny Lee Miller, former Juventus and Czech Republic soccer star Pavel Nedved and German tennis legend Boris Becker, the race soon turned into a routine procession.

Hamilton, seeking to become the first driver in his rookie season to win the Monaco Grand Prix, chased Alonso hard, but was more than seven seconds behind him before the first round of pit-stops.

These allowed him to lead for three laps from lap 36 to 39 until he pitted himself and Alonso regained the advantage.

The Spaniard stayed in front with few alarms until he pitted again for a second time after 51 laps.

This time Hamilton enjoyed a stronger position and after leading briefly he trailed Alonso by only 1.9 seconds after 57 laps with Massa 46 seconds adrift in third place for Ferrari.

It was by now clearly a one-team race, but in the end there seemed little chance of Hamilton passing his partner.

It was the McLaren team's 14th win in Monaco.
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