JOLYON Palmer crashed out of a thrilling Monaco Grand Prix as Enstone-based Renault endured a frustrating afternoon in the principality.

The 25-year-old aquaplaned into the barriers on lap seven after the race was started on full wet tyres behind the safety car.

Teammate Kevin Magnussen also retired as Renault left the famous street circuit without any points.

It was an equally frustrating day for Grove-based Williams, with Felipe Massa tenth and Valtteri Bottas 12th.

World champion Lewis Hamilton fended off Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo to record his first victory of the season and close the gap to Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in the driver standings.

After the race began in wet conditions, Palmer, who started 18th, became a victim of the soaking track conditions, crashing out on lap seven – the first without the safety car.

Teammate Magnussen showed promising progress with an early swap to intermediate tyres, but his race was undone following a collision with Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat.

After the Danish driver hit the barriers for a second time, he retired the car on lap 32.

Williams driver Massa, who was 14th on the grid, took advantage of the changing conditions to move through the pack, to earn a point.

But Bottas, who started from the sixth row in 11th, lost time in a pit stop and despite finishing a place outside the top ten, he was demoted to 12th after he received a ten-second time penalty for colliding with Esteban Gutierrez.