The Latest: Monaco GP off to chaotic start

The Latest on motorsport's busiest day (all times local):

2:30 p.m.

It has been a chaotic start to the Monaco Grand Prix.

After seven laps behind a safety car, British driver Jolyon Palmer crashed out and was soon joined back in the garage by Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen.

Raikkonen lost control of his car after breaking too late going into a hairpin, locked his wheels and slammed into the barrier.

He tried to continue but almost caused another collision, with French driver having to brake sharply to avoid smashing into the back of him.

''What's Kimi doing?'' screeched Grosjean.

Meanwhile, up ahead, Daniel Ricciardo - having secured the first pole position of his career - made a confident start.

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2:20 p.m.

The Monaco Grand Prix has got off to a difficult start - and they haven't even started racing yet.

On a soaking wet track, with spray streaming off the tires, drivers did seven laps behind a safety car as a precautionary measure.

This was not to Hamilton's liking, who after four laps said over team radio that ''visibility is as good as it's going to get. We should just start the race.''

Russian driver Daniil Kvyat had to go back to the pits almost immediately to get his steering wheel changed. He later got tangled in a wreck and headed to the pits.

Then, just as drivers had been called in to get ready to start the race, the race was held up again when British driver Jolyon Palmer's car skidded and crashed into the barriers, with both his front wheels on his Renault mangled.

Track officials rushed onto the soaking circuit to sweep pieces of debris away.

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1:45 p.m.

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is in pensive mood at the Monaco Grand Prix - and with good reason.

The three-time world champion has not won any of the past eight races, while his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg has won seven of them to take a commanding lead in this year's F1 title race.

As he waited for the driver's pre-race parade to start, Hamilton looked in contemplative mood as he leant against a railing with his headphones on and a hot drink in his hand.

Earlier, he cut an isolated figure in the Mercedes team's motorhome.

Wearing a red cap and sitting on his own at the rear, the British driver sat silently playing with his phone.

Rain fell heavily all morning and briefly abated before returning just before the start of the race, with drivers huddling under umbrellas.

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1:25 p.m.

The Monaco Grand Prix traditionally sees an influx of movie stars from nearby Cannes, where the famous film festival is held.

This year, the events are a week apart and there's a notable absence of big names so far.

However, actor Patrick Dempsey - a long-time star of ''Grey's Anatomy'' and a huge motorsport fan - is in the paddock.

The 50-year-old American has been chatting with Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and Frenchman Romain Grosjean - who drives for the American-based Haas team - before the race.

There is more of a sporting flavor than a Hollywood theme, with basketball stars Chris Bosh (Miami Heat) and Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs) and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach all present.

Bosh, pictured on his twitter feed wearing a Mercedes cap, has expressed his support for Hamilton.

Arsenal soccer star Theo Walcott and Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki are also here.

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1 p.m.

The Monaco Grand Prix is all glitz, glamour, blue skies and luxury yachts swaying on the glittering blue Mediterranean sea, right?

That's often the case, but it has been raining all morning in the Principality and fans have been huddling under umbrellas.

With one hour to go before the race, the rain has at least stopped - which might not be good news for Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton.

After finishing third in Saturday's qualifying, Hamilton wrote off his chances of winning - because it's so hard to overtake on the tight and sinewy street circuit - and joked that he would need a downpour to make the race more unpredictable.