MONACO (Reuters)Double world champion Fernando Alonso won the Monaco Grand Prix for the second year in a row yesterday, with teammate Lewis Hamilton completing a dominant McLaren one-two.
The Spaniard's second victory of the season and 17th of his career took him back to the top of the Formula One championship on race wins, but level on 38 points with 22-year-old rookie Hamilton.
The Briton, runner-up for four races in a row, crossed the line four seconds behind Alonso with Ferrari's Felipe Massa 69.1 seconds and almost a lap behind. The Brazilian remained third overall with 33 points.
"It was a fantastic weekend," said Alonso, who won from pole with the fastest lap, after collecting his trophy from Prince Albert.
Nicest victory
"I have never won with more than a minute to the third guy," he added. "For sure, this is the easiest and probably nicest victory so far.
"It's not easy to enjoy driving here and I did today thanks to a fantastic car."
Hamilton, the youngest driver to lead the championship, continued his stellar start to the season with his fifth successive podium finish after repeatedly skimming the unforgiving barriers as he roared around the harbourside circuit.
"I hit the barrier many times and I was fortunate that we've got a solid car," said the youngster who was told to take it easy by his team in the closing laps. "It's strong enough to take the hit."
Renault's Italian Giancarlo Fisichella was fourth for the champions' best result so far this year.
McLaren extended their lead over Ferrari in the constructors' standings to 20 points.
"McLaren today showed a really incredible pace," said Massa. "Even if I had pushed 150 per cent of the limit, we would stay the same in the end. I'm just happy to finish on the podium."
Uneventful race
In an uneventful race through the metal-fenced streets, the top four followed their grid positions with Alonso - a winner with Renault last year - lapping all but his teammate and Massa.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, with retired predecessor and seven times champion Michael Schumacher among the spectators, finished eighth after a costly error in qualifying forced him to start 16th at a circuit where overtaking is rare.
The Finn remained fourth overall but a hefty 15 points adrift of the McLaren drivers.
Poland's Robert Kubica and Germany's Nick Heidfeld were fifth and sixth respectively for BMW Sauber with Austrian Alexander Wurz opening his tally for Williams in seventh place.
The two points allowed Toyota-powered Williams to pull clear of Toyota in fifth place.
Only four of the 22 drivers failed to finish, with Toro Rosso's Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi stopping on the second lap with a broken rear diffuser and Australian Mark Webber retiring with a gearbox problem in his Red Bull.
Neither Spyker driver made the distance.
