Formula One’s prestigious Monaco Grand Prix was suspended after Tarmac broke up on the famous road circuit.
A red flag was dramatically waved with 10 laps of the event left to run, with all remaining cars returning to the pit lane while an inspection of the surface was carried out.
A heavy roller was applied at Rascasse corner, one of the most iconic bends on the tight track towards the end of the 2.07-mile lap.
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli was leading as the red-flag suspension was flashed on to drivers’ steering wheels and on screens in the team’s garages.
Race director Rui Marquez and chairman of the stewards Garry Donnelly walked down from race control to oversee the remedial work being undertaken on this one part of the course that was relaid ahead of this year’s grand prix.
Both Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashed out at that spot.
The Monaco Grand Prix has been suspended after Tarmac broke up on the famous road circuit
Charles Leclerc was among those to crash out as a result of the shocking broken circuit
It was uncertain where the race, which stopped at 4.35pm local time (3.35pm BST), would continue.
However, it was later confirmed by FIA officials that it would restart at 5.12pm local time (4.12pm BST).
A spokesman said: ‘Temporary repairs have been completed.’
After the cars restarted following a safety car, the chaos then continued when Carlos Sainz was forced to retire after colliding with Nico Hulkenberg.
That made him the seventh driver to be forced out of the race after Max Verstappen, Leclerc, Stroll, Lando Norris, Valtteri Bottas and Oliver Bearman.
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