It was an extremely tough weekend for the West Australian, who couldn’t find much pace during the three practice sessions and Saturday's qualifying – where he didn’t make it past Q2. 

 

Unfortunately at the same circuit where he has stood on the podium four times, Ricciardo was unable to make up any ground throughout the 78-race lap and finished where he started in P12.

  

Taking out the race was his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, who secured his team’s first win in the principality since Ricciardo won it back in 2018.

 

The Dutchman qualified in P2 but with polesitter Charles Leclerc failing to make the grid due to drive shaft issues sustained during a crash in qualifying, it left Verstappen a clean path to take the lead for which he held for every lap of the race.

 

Although Leclerc did not start the race, it wasn't all bad for Ferrari as Carlos Sainz managed to pick up his best result in Monaco with a second place, while Ricciardo’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris was another Monte Carlo podium first-timer with third.

 

Verstappen's maiden win in Monaco sees him lead the Formula 1 Driver Standings for the first time in his career after Lewis Hamilton finished the race in P7.

 

Just four points separate Verstappen and Hamilton ahead of the next round with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to take place in Baku on 6 June.