Lewis Hamilton wins the Monaco Grand Prix while celebrities enjoy a glamorous race day

Famous faces from around the world found themselves in force to see Lewis Hamilton dig deep to win an emotionally charged Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.

The centerpiece of Monte Carlo is the standout race of the Formula 1 calendar, an event renowned for its brilliance and glamor.

And this year's edition was no different, with the star of Paris Saint-Germain, Marco Verratti, one of the lucky ones who had the chance to get the most popular ticket of the city.

The Italian midfielder was seen arriving in the F1 paddock with French model Cindy Bruna, while NFL superstar Odell Beckham Jr also permeated the pre-race atmosphere.

And they witnessed Hamilton's victory in Monte Carlo, a triumph that pays tribute to the late Niki Lauda, ​​who pbaded away this week.

The British star, too upset to talk to the media earlier this week after Lauda's death, had to work hard to seal his third win at Monte Carlo and extend his lead at the top of the standings.

According to Monegasque standards, it was an entertaining confrontation with many struggles on the track, and Hamilton endured a nervous finale with aging tires.

Although it was a memorable day for the Briton, his teammate at Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas, saw his run ruined after the dangerous liberation of Red Bull in the pit lane that eventually led Max Verstappen to damage the Finnish car.

Bottas was not the only one to endure a difficult afternoon: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) had a miserable race in front of his home team for the second year in a row.

The 21-year-old, who crashed in the Monte-Carlo show in his Sauber last year, had everything to do after a painful qualification to take 15th on the grid on Sunday.

And although he took a quick lead over Romain Grosjean de Haas, his attempt to get ahead of Renault's Nico Hulkenberg finally ruined his race.

Leclerc was struck at the gates after being stuck by Hulkenberg, victim of a puncture that eventually damaged his car to such an extent that Ferrari pulled him out of the race.

And while Leclerc will want to forget this race in a hurry, Hamilton will save it after getting the victory he wanted.

Meanwhile, Mercedes will keep a red star on his cars in permanent memory of triple world champion Lauda, ​​the team's non-executive chairman, who died last Monday.

A red three-pointed star on the engine hood was one of the many tributes paid to the Austrian during Sunday's race, with the protective device of the head "halo" painted red to refer to the red cap familiar with Lauda.

"We miss you, Niki", was written on the halo, while the nose of the car bears the signature of Lauda.

The 70-year-old Austrian wore a red cap to cover the burns suffered during a mbadive fire at the Nürburgring in 1976, which nearly cost him his life.

The Ferrari driver of the time, twice winner of the Monaco Grand Prix, came back in the following weeks and fought against James Hunt for the championship. They lost this year but still won in 1977 and 1984.