30/05/2024 News
One month, one symbolic date: Monaco Grand Prix 2012
TotalEnergies' last F1 victory in Monaco with Mark Webber!
As the Monaco Grand Prix, the showpiece event of the F1 season, draws to a close, it's a good time to look back at the 2012 edition. Known for its glitz and glamour, but also for its highly selective route, the legendary race through the streets of the Principality is one that every driver dreams of one day adding to their list of victories. In 2012, it will be Mark Webber (Red Bull Renault RB8) who will have that privilege, and for the second time in his career after 2010. The date is all the more symbolic in that it marks the last success to date for a single-seater in the TotalEnergies colours in Monaco.
But by the time Webber arrived on the Côte d'Azur for the sixth round of the 2012 season, he had yet to reach the top of the podium for the year. The championship has seen five different winners in as many races: Jenson Button in Australia, Fernando Alonso in Malaysia, Nico Rosberg in China, Sebastian Vettel in Bahrain and Pastor Maldonado in Spain. Webber made his mark from the outset, however, by joining the front row in qualifying, before inheriting pole after the penalty received by then poleman Michael Schumacher. Starting from the front of the grid is often synonymous with a big step towards victory in Monaco. Webber confirmed this, masterfully managing his effort, despite the appearance of light rain towards the end of the race, to make it two wins out of two in the streets of Monaco, in the colours of Total at the time. It was also the Australian's penultimate success in F1, the last having come at Silverstone a few weeks later in 2012.