May 24, 2015 – Nico Rosberg won the Monaco Grand Prix for the third year in a row on Sunday, after a late strategy error demoted Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton from first to third behind the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.
Starting from pole, Hamilton had dominated proceedings up until lap 64, when the safety car was deployed following a heavy shunt for Max Verstappen at Ste Devote. With the world champion leading by around 25s, Mercedes decided there was enough time for a precautionary extra pit stop.
They were wrong. Hamilton emerged from the pit lane marginally behind Vettel, with Rosberg already heading the queue behind the safety car. When racing resumed, Rosberg cleared off into the distance, while Hamilton could do nothing to overhaul the Ferrari, despite his fresher tyres.
Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo came home fourth and fifth respectively for Red Bull’s best result of the season, followed by the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen and the Force India of Sergio Perez.
Eighth place went to Jenson Button, securing the first points of McLaren’s revived Honda partnership, with Sauber’s Felipe Nasr ninth and Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz – who started from the pit lane – completing the top ten.
