The seventy eight lap 2008 Monaco Grand Prix would be the 600th Grand Prix for Sir Frank Williams. With Nico Rosberg qualifying in sixth the chances of a good race result were promising. Team-mate Kazuki Nakajima had qualified in fourteenth. Coulthard would get a five grid position penalty for changing his gearbox and this would see Kazuki start from thirteenth.

Race day would see the rain return and it would be as dilemma as to what tyres to start with. As the cars formed up on the grid prior to the the parade lap the rain had started to fall again. The teams have up to three minutes prior to the grid been cleared to make their choice. The rain was expected to last for the first twenty minutes of the race. All drivers would start on the intermediate tyre. Kovalainen would stall on the start grid and have to be pushed into the pit lane.

The cars would complete their parade lap and with Massa on pole they would form up and with the lights going out the race would start. Into the first corner it would be Massa leading from Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kubica, Alonso, and Nico in sixth. Nico had hit the rear of Alonso's car at the Lowes hairpin. Button had hit the rear of Heidfeld going past the swimming pool, losing his nose. He would pit. Nico was sixth some seven seconds behind the leader. Nico's nose was bent and tucked up in the front of the car. He would have to pit.

Lap three and Massa was 1.2 seconds in front of Hamilton. Nico would pit ruining his race. He would also take on new intermediate tyres. Glock in seventh had also damaged his front wing. Kazuki was in seventh as Glock pitted on lap five. Glock was running on the full wet tyre. Kubica was in fourth followed by Alonso. Hamilton had hit the barrier at the Tabac corner and had a flat right rear tyre. He would pit taking on new intermediate tyres while Massa continued to lead from Raikkonen. Kubica was right behind the second Ferrari.

Lap eight and Alonso had hit the barrier ending up with a flat right rear. He would get back to the pits and after a check of his suspension would take on full wet weather tyres. In the run up to the casino Coulthard would run wide crashing into the right barrier. As his car came to a stop Bourdais would crash into the back of his car. While the Safety Car was deployed both cars would be lifted off the track. The Safety Car would come in at the end of lap ten. At the restart Massa was leading from Raikkonen but Kimi would get a drive through penalty for not having his tyres fitted prior to the three minute limit.

Kubica was in third followed by Hamilton, Heidfeld, Alonso, Webber, and Kazuki in eighth. Alonso had been able to pass Webber. Kimi would take his penalty on lap thirteen. He would return in fourth. Alonso would make a passing attempt at the hairpin. Both drivers would make contact and Webber would have to stop as the pair sorted themselves out. Nico would lose his front wing again having to pit. He was hit by Kovalainen as the McLaren went over his front wing. Massa would make a mistake a St Devote running of the track. Kubica was now leading from a recovered Massa. He was leading by 2.3 seconds with Hamilton third. Raikkonen was fourth followed by Webber, Sutil, Trulli, and Barrichello. Piquet would hit Kazuki at the chicane but both would continue. The rain had now stopped as Heidfeld pitted with a puncture, also taking on a new front wing. Kazuki was running in ninth while Nico was in a disappointing seventeenth.

With fifty seven laps remaining Kubica continued to lead from Massa. A dry line was starting to appear on parts of the circuit. The laps times would drop with Massa setting a new fastest lap with a 1m:31.749. Kubica would pit on lap twenty six. He would return in fourth but Raikkonen would go straight on at St Devote allowing Kubica to move up to third. His front wing was flapping away as he returned to his pit. He would get away after a 16.1 second stop. Webber was now fourth. It looked like Kimi was fuelled to the finish.

Lap twenty nine and Massa was leading from Hamilton, Kubica, and Webber. Massa was leading by 16 seconds. Kazuki was still in ninth closely followed by Kovalainen. Nico was still in seventh having been lapped by the leaders. Massa would pit on lap thirty three taking on intermediate tyres. Massa was now second with Kubica third. Hamilton was leading while team-mate Kovalainen would pit from tenth.

Lap thirty eight and Hamilton was still leading with Massa second. But rain was expected to fall again shortly. Glock would spin his car going down the hill. Fisichella would retire his car after struggling with a gearbox problem. Kazuki would be lapped by the leader on lap forty with Hamilton 23 seconds ahead of Massa. He would continue to extend his lead. Nico had moved up to now be in eleventh. Alonso would pit on lap forty seven taking on dry tyres. Nico was attacking tenth placed Piquet passing him in the tunnel.

Webber would pit on lap forty nine taking on dry tyres. Kubica was running close behind Massa as Piquet hit the barriers at St Devote. Kovalainen would pit taking on dry tyres. Webber was struggling on the dry tyres. Kubica would pit with twenty five laps remaining. Sutil would also come in taking on dry tyres. Hamilton would also pit joining the others taking on dry tyres. Hamilton would return still in the lead with Massa fourteenth seconds behind in second. Barrichello would pit from seventh. Kazuki was still in ninth as Massa pitted on lap fifty seven. He would take on the softer dry tyre. Kubica would pass Massa as the Ferrari exited the pit lane.

Eighteen laps to go and Hamilton was still leading from Kubica, Massa, Sutil, Raikkonen, and Webber. On the next lap Nico would have a major accident going past the swimming pool. The Safety Car would be deployed as the field tried to pick their way through the wreckage of Nico's Williams that was also over the track. Thankfully Nico was able to get out of the car. He would run wide hitting the right hand side of his car against the barrier. He would then fly across the track and hit the barrier with the left side of his car.

Kubica was able to close right up onto Hamilton. Massa was in third followed by Sutil, Raikkonen and Webber. Kazuki was still in ninth. The Safety Car would come in with eleven laps remaining. The race would come down to a timed countdown with eleven minutes left in the two hours. Raikkonen would run into the back of Sutil going into the chicane. A big mistake from the Ferrari driver. Sutil would have to pit and retire. Such a cruel moment for Force India. As the minutes counted down Hamilton was still leading from Kubica and Massa. Webber was now fourth followed by Vettel, Barrichello, Kazuki, and Kovalainen in eighth.

Three minutes remaining and Hamilton was easily leading from Kubica and Massa. He would start his final lap and would cross the finish line to win the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix. Kubica was second and Massa came home third. Webber was fourth followed by Vettel, Barrichello, Kazuki, and the final point went to Kovalainen. Hamilton would move back to the top of the drivers championship. Kazuki would come home thirty seconds behind the
leader in another great performance for the Japanese driver. This would see the Williams team secure another two points.

As for team-mate Nico Rosberg his race was such a disappointment. Making the mistake that saw him damage his front nose early in the race, then to have his nose damaged a second time followed by a major accident that saw his car destroyed against the barrier. Thankfully Nico was able to get out of his car uninjured. But to qualify sixth and come home with no result must be a major let down. But having said that it was a race that was run under such difficult circumstances and he was not alone in having incidents in the race..

Pos  Driver        Team                      Time
 1.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  2h00:42.272
 2.  Kubica        BMW Sauber            (B)  +     3.069
 3.  Massa         Ferrari               (B)  +     4.811
 4.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault      (B)  +    19.264
 5.  Vettel        Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  +    24.657
 6.  Barrichello   Honda                 (B)  +    28.408
 7.  Nakajima      AT&T Williams-Toyota  (B)  +    30.180
 8.  Kovalainen    McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  +    33.191
 9.  Raikkonen     Ferrari               (B)  +    33.793
10.  Alonso        Renault               (B)  +     1 lap
11.  Button        Honda                 (B)  +     1 lap
12.  Glock         Toyota                (B)  +     1 lap
13.  Trulli        Toyota                (B)  +     1 lap
14.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber            (B)  +    4 laps

Fastest lap: Raikkonen, 1:16.689

Not classified/retirements:

Driver        Team                      On lap
Sutil         Force India-Ferrari   (B)    67
Rosberg       AT&T Williams-Toyota  (B)    58
Piquet        Renault               (B)    46
Fisichella    Force India-Ferrari   (B)    37
Coulthard     Red Bull-Renault      (B)    13
Bourdais      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)    13