Mercedes F1 driver Nico Rosberg takes first place at the Monaco GP.

According to BBC sport, Lewis Hamilton, who seated at pole position controlled the early laps of the race until the team ordered him to pit after Toro Rosso's Max Verstappen suffered a crash.

Rosberg and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel didn't pit and passed Hamilton before he rejoined the track.

"We've lost this, haven't we?" Hamilton told his team when he was no longer able to go up the field.

Monaco's result reduced the Briton's advantage over his German team-mate to 10 points, with Vettel down to 18.

After crossing the checkered flag, Hamilton reportedly stopped at the Portier corner, with the Mediterranean sea in view, presumably gathering himself after being robbed of the victory.

The 2014 Drivers World champion finished his parade lap and made his way to the podium, knocking down his "third place" parking sign board with the nose of his car.

Hamilton's engineer, Peter Bonnington apologised to him, saying "I'm sorry Lewis" over a radio transmission. "I'll have to have a word with the pit wall," he added.

Rosberg said "Lewis drove brilliantly and deserved to win for sure," but added "that's the way it is in racing."

"I can't really express how I feel so I won't even attempt to," Hamilton said after taking third.

The Englishman dominated through the weekend, resulting in his maiden pole position at Monaco. But after his team's wrong strategy, Monaco once again proved its difficulty in overtaking on its narrow track.

"This is a race that has been very close to my heart for many years," Hamilton shared. "I didn't even have to push that much, I could have had double that lead if I had pushed."

"You live to fight another day," he added.

Hamilton is obviously looking ahead to the next race, "I'm sure we will sit down afterwards and try to think of ways we can improve," he said in a statement. "I'll come back to win the next one."