The wet start, however, meant that it was the clock that the teams needed to keep an eye on, but that attention would have been diverted by the sound of crunching metal and carbon fibre from behind the pits. Rosberg, having already required two new noses, gave the
Williams team an even bigger repair job by comprehensively destroying his car against both sides of the Swimming Pool complex.
Fortunately, the rapid German was unhurt in the shunt, but the amount of debris required the safety car to make a re-appearance, eliminating Hamilton's 32-second lead at a stroke.
Just six cars remained on the same lap as the Briton at the point the race was neutralised, but the resumption would still provide controversy - and a degree of heartache. While the top three made it a clean getaway, no-one prepared to pull a risky move on the still damp surface off-line, the world champion - of all people - found himself caught out.
What followed capped a disappointing return to Monaco for the man who messed up in qualifying last year, but also spelt the end of the dream for Sutil and
Force India. Raikkonen did not appear to be close enough to make a move on the German, or preparing to make one, but the
Ferrari suddenly got into a tankslapper on the downhill exit from the tunnel and, even as Kimi fought to control the car, slammed into Sutil as the youngster prepared to turn in.
The damage was not enough to take either man out on the spot but, while Raikkonen was able to rejoin after another change of nose, there was no happy ending for Sutil who, having limped back to the pits, was told that suspension damage would end his afternoon. Unsurprisingly, the German was inconsolable, and not even the knowledge that Raikkonen would not score could soothe the hurt.
The incident had no impact on the podium, but allowed both Nakajima and Kovalainen into points positions they would not have expected as the clock ticked down. It also promoted Webber to fourth, Vettel to fifth and Barrichello to sixth as Monaco again produced an unusual result.
