Webber becomes sixth winner this season

Mark Webber celebrated the eighth win of his Formula One career as history was made in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

For the second time in three years Webber triumphed around the streets of the principality, leading home a train at the end of the 78 laps as the top six were covered by just a few seconds. Mercedes' Nico Rosberg was second and the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso came home third.

Significantly, and for the first time in F1's 62 years, the season has now witnessed six different winners in the opening six races.

Reigning champion Sebastian Vettel in his Red Bull finished fourth, ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari. Paul Di Resta (Force India), Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) and Bruno Senna (Williams) made up the top 10.

It was not one of the most exciting races in Monaco's history, despite the closeness of the leading sextet, although it at least began with a bang.

Within seconds Romain Grosjean's race was run, the Frenchman in his Lotus initially clipping Alonso, forcing him across to the left and into Michael Schumacher in his Mercedes.

The seven-time champion, who had set the fastest qualifying time only to incur a five-place grid penalty for running into the back of Williams' Bruno Senna in Spain a fortnight ago to drop to sixth, was squeezed against the barrier. The contact between the two broke the left-rear suspension of Grosjean's car, forcing him into a spin and oncoming traffic at the first corner.

Neither Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi, nor Williams' Pastor Maldonado, winner in Barcelona a fortnight ago, were unable to take avoiding action. Maldonado hit the back of HRT's Pedro de la Rosa and ultimately came to a halt later in the lap, bringing out the safety car as he parked his Williams into a barrier.

A number of teams suggested rain was on its way at one stage, which would have thrown a spanner in the works, but it never materialised until a few light spots in the closing stages. Instead, it came down to a one-stop strategy, with the Pirelli tyres able to last around Monaco - as opposed to previous races this season - given the slower speeds and lighter loads.

Alonso now leads the championship standings by three points to Vettel and Webber, with Hamilton 13 points down in fourth, and Rosberg 17 points adrift in fifth.