2017 Formula One Russian Grand Prix

[ltcars]

And for Vettel it might be a win, too. Perhaps Mercedes stops team-ordering Hamilton i front of Bottas so it will be a three horse-fight instead of just Vettel and Hamilton

 

[pjcforpres2020]

Great race - happy to see Bottas get his first win - class act.

Wish Massa had let Vettel through a little more easily to see that race to the finish line, but not sure it would have made a difference given its one thing to catch, and another to actually pass.

Not going to chalk too much up to Hamiliton's performance, clearly had the sort of weekend that just happens sometimes - couldn't get that one section worked out.

Ultimately, I think Ferrari has shown they not only caught up to Mercedes, but might depending on track will have the faster car. Happy to have F1 competitive again!

 

[pjcforpres2020]

And for Vettel it might be a win, too. Perhaps Mercedes stops team-ordering Hamilton i front of Bottas so it will be a three horse-fight instead of just Vettel and Hamilton

What else should they of done in Bahrain? Lewis was running faster laps than Vettel and Bottas was running slower - that is just a team wanting the guy who had proven that day, on that track, he was the faster car - and should be out front chasing down the race leader.

 

[ltcars]

What else should they of done in Bahrain? Lewis was running faster laps than Vettel and Bottas was running slower - that is just a team wanting the guy who had proven that day, on that track, he was the faster car - and should be out front chasing down the race leader.

Maybe my view is just the view of a Vettel-fanboy who wants the least amount of danger for his loved one

 

[pjcforpres2020]

Maybe my view is just the view of a Vettel-fanboy who wants the least amount of danger for his loved one

Fair enough - but I agree with the other sentiment - it would be nice to see a 3 driver race for the championship - even 4 drivers would be nice - but not sure Kimi has the pace any longer to challenge like he could years back.

 

[M-Bimmer]

THE Outclassing...

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Bottas Takes Top Honours in Russia, Hamilton Left in Limbo

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas secured his maiden Grand Prix victory in Russian today as the unflappable Finn held off a hard charging Sebastien Vettel to the flag in Sochi, crossing the finish line just over half a second clear of the charging Ferrari driver.

In something of a Nordic affair Kimi Räikkönen rounded out the podium positions in the second Ferrari car, taking with it his first trophy of the new season and helping inflict the maximum punishment possible to Mercedes in the constructers championship at a race where Lewis Hamilton was suspiciously out of sorts all through the weekend.

The race got off to a difficult start for several of the field as Hass driver Romain Grosjean tangled with the struggling Jolyon Palmer's Renault machine. A brief period of rest ensued as the drivers circulated slowly under the safety car whilst the wreckage was cleared by the ever efficient Russian marshals and Palmer was catatonic after the race, placing the blame for the opening lap fracas squarely at Grosjean's door:

“I had a decent-enough start then heading down to Turn 2 there was a Sauber on my outside then Romain made a very ambitious move over the kerbs on the inside from behind,” stated Palmer.

“There was no space for me to go because of the Sauber, so maybe Romain wasn’t aware of that, but he kept it in, hit me, then we were both out of the race.”​

With Palmer under pressure following a poor start to 2017 the British driver was understandably disappointed to record yet another accident in his Renault car, however for his part Grosjean was less inclined to agree with Palmer's assessment of the lap one contact

“We had a great start and I was on the inside of Palmer under braking,” said the Frenchman.

“I don’t know why he turned in. I was there and then he turned in. I tried to get as much as I could on the apex, but he just hit me, spun and came back and hit me again. The car was badly damaged and our race was over.”
​

Once the action resumed out on track it remained fairly static at the front of the field, with Bottas opening and then losing the gap to the chasing Ferrari of Vettel right the way through the first round of stops, only to see his fragile lead eroded in the closing stages as Vettel pushed hard to the flag in an attempt to unsettle Bottas in what was the Finnish drivers 81st Grand Prix start.

Pre season championship favourite Lewis Hamilton had an anonymous afternoon today to eventually finish a distant fourth position, over 30 seconds behind the race winning Silver Arrow of teammate Bottas. With such a comparatively poor performance from the Englishman following on from a weekend to forget, Hamilton likened his weekend to that of the equally difficult European Grand Prix at Baku last season.

"It's been a very tough weekend," stated Hamilton.

"I can't remember having as difficult a weekend, probably last time was I can remember was probably Baku.

"Ultimately [I was] not quick enough, could not put the car where I was comfortable, and then in the race it was overheating so I just had to settle for fourth".
​

Once again it was a tough day out on track for the McLaren team, with team leader and former double World Champion Fernando Alonso grinding to a halt before the field even lined up on the grid, adding yet more woe to a driver looking dangerously like he's finding a way to release himself from his McLaren contract ahead of the coming season. Teammate and rookie Stoffel Vandoorne didn't fare much better, limping the bright orange car home in a lonely 14th position, one lap down from the leaders and ahead of only the struggling Sauber cars of Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Wehrlein.

Full Provisional Race Results:

1. Valtteri Bottas BOT Mercedes 52 1:28:08.743 25
2. Sebastian Vettel VET Ferrari 52 +0.617s 18
3. Kimi Räikkönen RAI Ferrari 52 +11.000s 15
4. Lewis Hamilton HAM Mercedes 52 +36.320s 12
5. Max Verstappen VER Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer 52 +60.416s 10
6. Sergio Perez PER Force India Mercedes 52 +86.788s 8
7. Esteban Ocon OCO Force India Mercedes 52 +95.004s 6
8. Nico Hulkenberg HUL Renault 52 +96.188s 4
9. Felipe Massa MAS Williams Mercedes 51 +1 lap 2
10. Carlos Sainz SAI Toro Rosso 51 +1 lap 1
11. Lance Stroll STR Williams Mercedes 51 +1 lap 0
12. Daniil Kvyat KVY Toro Rosso 51 +1 lap 0
13. Kevin Magnussen MAG Haas Ferrari 51 +1 lap 0
14. Stoffel Vandoorne VAN McLaren Honda 51 +1 lap 0
15. Marcus Ericsson ERI Sauber Ferrari 51 +1 lap 0
16. Pascal Wehrlein WEH Sauber Ferrari 50 +2 laps 0
17. Daniel Ricciardo RIC Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer 5 DNF 0
18. Jolyon Palmer PAL Renault 0 DNF 0
19. Romain Grosjean GRO Haas Ferrari 0 DNF 0
20. Fernando Alonso ALO McLaren Honda 0 DNS 0

 

[Erwin Greven]

The 107th GP winner Bottas is. But that was the only positive thing i can say about this uneventful GP. No on track passing, except a few in the first laps when the field was bunched up.

 

[Celestiale]

Ultimately, I think Ferrari has shown they not only caught up to Mercedes, but might depending on track will have the faster car. Happy to have F1 competitive again!

They showed they have better drivers, but a slower car. Especially the top speed really hurts them..Vettel can work like mad in two sectors, while Mercedes just has to put the throttle down on the top speed sector and gain all the time back...i am pretty sure Vettel would have caught Bottas a lot sooner if he would have had a Mercedes under his but, in addition to his newer tyres.

 

[paracletus]

Superb performance by bottas to overtake vet & rai to take the victory. credit where it's due.
Clearly, the mercs were quicker on the ultrasofts but for some reason the ferraris did better later on the supersofts; partly due to later pit stops no doubt.

 

[Wedge]

boring race, even more than australia's

 

[goffred]

boring race, even more than australia's

Flame me if you like but why is this track always a snooze fest? Sure the start and the end were interesting, but this track just doesn't eventuate in good F1 races. It's in a scenic spot and the facilities look great. How could this track be improved for better racing? Remove the technical stuff at about halfway to get better flow occurring? T7 to T11? I suppose that would just mean an easier Merc win?

 

[Jarqus]

Dont think I've seen a "race" in a 2017 F1 season yet.

Supercars you see a race
Indy you see a race
NASCAR you see a race
F1.... You see a car then gap the car then long gap then continue.

Usually by the time the green flag drops. You could nearly guaranteed at least a few cars out.

 

[larre90]

I have to agree. The race was boring - also is the track. But imo Massa wasn't the one who destroyed Vettel's chance for P1. It was the odd strategic call by Ferrari to try the overcut this far. He would had the chance to get Bottas if he were called to the pits 2 - 3 laps earlier.

That turn 1-incident was one of that stupid things, that I thought would only occure in online-rookie-leagues. Srly, why does sh*t like this happens in every race? I mean, honestly - a turn 1-incident? Are you f*cking beginners?

 

[Celestiale]

That turn 1-incident was one of that stupid things, that I thought would only occure in online-rookie-leagues. Srly, why does sh*t like this happens in every race? I mean, honestly - a turn 1-incident? Are you f*cking beginners?

Online-rookie-leagues are probably the most cautios racers there are...
F1 is harmless if you compare it to GT races, just watch the latest Blancpain or ADAC GT Masters

 

[larre90]

Sure, but with a GT or a Touringcar you can have a little bit of contact without destroying it totally.

Imo, some of these "professional" drivers try out things way too risky. If they would have tried this 20, 30 years ago, probably one of them would be dead. Some of them are driving VERY irresponsiblely, destroying each others races.

 

[Jeff]

This race was so boring

Hope Barcelona will be better as i am attending that race

 

[Erwin Greven]

Prepare to .

 

[[DNA] Rico Nosberg]

Russian GP in 7 emoji's