Toro Rosso gambled to win Monaco - Tambay

Toro Rosso’s gamble could have powered rookie Jean-Eric Vergne to victory in Monaco.

That is the claim of French commentator Patrick Tambay, a former Ferrari driver.

Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso was ridiculed late on Sunday by opting to pull Vergne from a points-running position on the essentially dry Monaco track in order to fit intermediate tyres.

But according to Tambay, it was a gamble that could have seen the 22-year-old scythe through the field to victory.

In the end, the heavy rain did not arrive until shortly after the chequered flag.

"If it had rained, he could have won," Tambay told RMC Sport.

"Late in the race, everyone would have been on very worn dry tyres with a lot of trouble staying on the track," he added.

"Others could have dived into the pits but it would have been risky with so few laps to run.

"But with his (intermediate) tyres, he (Vergne) would have been passing cars one after another. It was quite possible that he could have won the Monaco grand prix," added Tambay.