Monaco GP: Lewis Hamilton thanks Nico Rosberg for helping him win

However, there is more than Rosberg in the mix for victory now, after Max Verstappen’s win for Red Bull in Spain and Daniel Ricciardo’s near miss to come second to Hamilton in Monaco.

Nico Rosberg on the sidelines of Monaco GP on Sunday. But Hamilton, who started third, excelled in the wet conditions.

“I was able to finally get past Rosberg with a good move on the exit of the final corner: we were on worn out tyres, it started to drizzle and it was very tricky to keep the auto facing in the right direction”.

“In the past I would have been p***** off all night long and I would not have enjoyed it. The others are also fumbling and making mistakes, but the team that makes the least is going to be the one that wins”, the Briton added.

Track marshals move the auto of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands after he crashed, during the qualification in Monaco.

“It hasn’t been before the weekend and it isn’t after the weekend, as I said – I will just repeat it”.

Ricciardo says he was “screwed” by the team both times.

Speaking after his win Hamilton said: “I actually said in the vehicle, please God, hold off for another couple of laps. “(They) have been tense all (season) long. The 30-year-old said as soon as the rain started he knew he could outpace Rosberg or Ricciardo. “Fortunately I was quick enough in the wet”. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo is now on third spot with 66 points to his name.

Because of poor visibility and a drenched circuit, the first few laps were behind a safety auto.

The Australian driver was unforgiving, saying “everyone was running around like headless chucks (chickens)”.

Hamilton finished 90 seconds ahead of his team-mate, who otherwise has dominated the season with four wins in the opening four Grands Prix.

Ricciardo’s loss was Hamilton’s gain. For his part, Rosberg wasn’t having a good race as he struggled with his cars. Rosberg is now negotiating an extension of his Mercedes contract beyond the end of this year – with the sticking point rumoured to be whether the deal is just a for one year or several years – but he said it had not played on his mind when he moved aside.

This remark sparked media speculation of a rift, and perhaps even a hint of an uncertain future for the Australian at Red Bull.

Ricciardo said: “I guess, from the outside, we put on a show, but it shouldn’t have been exciting. They should have been ready”.

“The tyres were falling off in the last lap”, Hamilton said. But Hamilton held his line at the Mirabeau turn, prompting an angry reaction from Ricciardo, who waved his right hand furiously. “Obviously it was a chance to get the lead, so sure I questioned it”.

McLaren’s Fernando Alonso was fifth, on the 50th anniversary of his team’s race debut in Monaco in 1966, with Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg snatching sixth from Rosberg at the very end.