A dramatic three-car crash on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix led to a red flag being raised, halting the race on Sunday. The incident occurred when Red Bull driver Sergio Perez's right rear wheel was clipped by the front left tire of Kevin Magnussen's Haas car, causing Perez to spin into the crash barrier. The impact split Perez’s car almost in half and also sent Nico Hulkenberg's Haas car spinning as he followed behind.
Fortunately, all drivers involved in the crash emerged unharmed and were able to walk back to their team garages. The race was temporarily stopped as debris littered the track and Perez's damaged Red Bull had to be removed by a crane, with the Mexican driver escorted back by race marshals.
Another incident occurred near the tunnel as two Alpines tangled, resulting in Esteban Ocon's front nose lifting teammate Pierre Gasly's car off the ground. Despite the chaos, a major accident was narrowly avoided as cars navigated the challenging circuit.
The governing body FIA decided on a standing restart at 3:44 p.m. local time, with Charles Leclerc of Ferrari starting from pole position. McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. followed closely behind, with Sainz having suffered a puncture shortly after the race began due to a maneuver to overtake Piastri.
Magnussen, who already had accumulated 10 penalty points this season, faces the possibility of a race ban pending further investigation by race stewards. The cause of the crash is under review, with the argument that it may have been a racing incident as Perez appeared to make a move while Magnussen was in close proximity.
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