Monaco Grand Prix results: Lewis Hamilton holds off Max Verstappen to win breathtaking race for Niki Lauda

Mercedes dedicate their sixth victory of the season to the late three-time world champion as Verstappen loses second due to a five-second time penalty for pit-lane collision with Valtteri Bottas

Lewis Hamilton survived a late collision with Max Verstappen to deliver the perfect tribute to Niki Lauda by winning an eventful Monaco Grand Prix.

Hamilton, sporting a one-off red helmet in tribute to the Mercedes non-executive chairman who died on Monday, tiptoed his way to the chequered flag on shot tyres, claiming a nail-biting victory - his third on Monte Carlo's famous streets.

With three laps remaining, Verstappen delivered a gung-ho move for glory on the high-speed exit of the tunnel and into the chicane - his right-front wheel hitting Hamilton's rear left in a flurry of sparks.

But both men made it to the finish. Hamilton spent much of the race taking aim at his Mercedes team for putting him on the less-durable medium tyres during the only round of stops.

"I don't know what you were thinking," he said to them over the radio with 20 laps remaining. "You need to hope for a miracle."

Yet, despite Verstappen hustling him all the way, and then banging wheels, Hamilton somehow managed to hold on, emulating his 2008 and 2016 victories in the principality.

Verstappen was demoted to fourth after he was hit with a five-second penalty following an earlier collision in the pit lane with Valtteri Bottas. That promoted Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel to second with Bottas completing the podium places.

Hamilton is now 17 points clear of Bottas in his quest for a sixth world title.

"That was the hardest race I have had," said Hamilton. "I was fighting with the spirit of Niki. He has been an influential person in the team. I know he was looking down.

"I wanted to stay focused and make him proud. We truly miss him."

The drivers paid tribute to Niki Lauda before the Grand Prix (AP)

On Mercedes' strategy, he added: "I wasn't going to come in to the pits again. I was either going to crash or finish. I was on the wrong tyre."

Hamilton's team wore red caps as a mark of respect to Lauda, whose death cast a shadow over the build-up to Sunday's famous race. A one-minute silence was also staged on the grid.

Hamilton blasted away from his marks to keep team-mate Bottas at bay and the fast-starting Verstappen, too.

Down the field, Charles Leclerc was a man on a mission - the Monegasque having started a lowly 15th after a Ferrari miscalculation in qualifying ensured he was eliminated in Q1.

Leclerc was forced to retire after damaging his Ferrari following a puncture (AP)

Leclerc had made up three places by lap nine, executing a marvellous move on Romain Grosjean at Rascasse.

But just one lap later, his race was over. The young Ferrari driver attempted the same overtake at the impossibly tight right-hander, but slammed into Renault's Nico Hulkenberg and sustained a right-rear puncture. He would retire from the resulting damage.

Debris from Leclerc's tyre littered the track, and out went the safety car. In came Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen and Vettel. In contrast to Hamilton, Verstappen and Vettel took on the hardest tyre compound available.

Verstappen meanwhile, got the jump on Bottas. The pair banged wheels, and Bottas was forced up against the wall.

The top four were separated by two seconds for most of the race (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images)

Red Bull were penalised for the unsafe release, while Bottas had to stop on the next lap for a change in rubber with Mercedes suspecting a puncture. That left Hamilton as the only one of the four leading cars on the medium tyres.

It seemed a curious decision from Hamilton's team, given that he had track position and, with overtaking nigh-on impossible, just needing to get his car to the line.

Hamilton dedicates his Monaco Grand Prix victory to Niki Lauda (Reuters)

The inquest from Hamilton began with a series of desperate radio messages: "Does James (Vowles - Mercedes' chief strategist) think I'm in trouble with these tyres?

"I feel like I have the wrong tyre on. I'm definitely in a bad way. I think I'm in trouble guys, the left front is dead.

"We're going to lose this race. I can't look after these tyres. I can't keep the car behind.

"I don't know what you're thinking, keeping these tyres on, man. You need to hope for a miracle."

With 15 laps left, Vowles came over the radio to reassure Hamilton. And despite his late coming together with Verstappen, Hamilton took the win to extend his championship lead.

"Incredible drive," said Vowles.

"There was nobody else that could have done that."

Final Positions after Race (78 Laps):

1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1hr 43mins 28.437secs

2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:43:31.039

3 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:43:31.599

4 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:43:33.974

5 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Red Bull 1:43:38.383

6 Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:44:21.891

7 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:44:23.011

8 Alexander Albon (Tha) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:44:23.637

9 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:44:29.331

10 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:44:29.471

11 Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:44:35.238

12 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 at 1 lap

13 Sergio Perez (Mex) Racing Point at 1 lap

14 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault at 1 lap

15 George Russell (Gbr) Williams at 1 lap

16 Lance Stroll (Can) Racing Point at 1 lap

17 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing at 1 lap

18 Robert Kubica (Pol) Williams at 1 lap

19 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing at 2 laps

Not Classified:

20 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 16 laps completed

PA