Hamilton on Monaco GP's delayed start: 'We are F1 drivers, we should have started'

• Lewis Hamilton is not too pleased with the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix's delayed start.

• The Mercedes driver said that the race should have gotten underway, despite the rain wreaking havoc.

• The Monaco GP was marred by drama and on-track action.

Lewis Hamilton said the start of Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix should not have been delayed because of rain, declaring: "We are Formula 1 drivers".

The sport's most famous race was pushed back by nine minutes and then by an additional seven after a downpour. Two laps followed behind the safety car before race director Eduardo Freitas, officiating just his second F1 event, suspended the Grand Prix.

A power outage then knocked out the starting lights, leading to a further 45-minute hold-up. The seventh round of the campaign eventually started - albeit behind the safety car - one hour and five minutes later than advertised.

In a statement, F1's ruling body, the FIA, said: "Race control was monitoring a severe downpour that was rapidly approaching the circuit, and as it arrived during the start procedure, the safety car start and its associated procedures were implemented. This was done for safety reasons in consideration that there has been no wet running this weekend."

We have a red flag ??The drivers return to the pit lane #MonacoGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/N0CzK2L7cu

The race should have started

Hamilton, who started eighth and finished eighth, said: "You think they didn't do a good job? I was not saying it was a mistake – I don't know the reason for them not sending us out at the get-go – but we are F1 drivers so (the weather) is not a good enough reason.

"That is what I was saying. I was like, 'let's go' when it was just drizzling a little bit at the beginning. We will talk about it in the