Lewis Hamilton wins Grand Prix of Monaco

MONTE CARLO, Monaco, May 25 (UPI) -- England's Lewis Hamilton drove his McLaren to victory at Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco, 3.064 seconds ahead of BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica.

His victory gives McLaren Mercedes its third victory in four years and 15th at the circuit's annual glamor event on the streets of Monte Carlo.

Hamilton held a 40-second lead with 16 laps remaining when a crash by Nico Rosberg brought out the safety car, but a solid re-start helped him pull away from the remaining competitors in the end.

"To win here in Monaco is the highlight of my career and an occasion I will always remember," he told reporters after his second win this season and sixth of his F1 career. "I am absolutely over the moon."

Pole winner Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) and Sebastien Vettel (Toro Rosso) completed the top-five finishers.

In the points standings, Hamilton leads ninth-place finisher Kimi Raikkonen 38-35.

Massa is third with 34 points.