Ferrari’s winning streak continued through to the Singapore Grand Prix last time out, with the Scuderia having achieved three consecutive wins for the first time since 2008 and Sebastian Vettel breaking his 392-day winless drought.
Though at a circuit which has been a fortress for Mercedes AMG, can the Prancing Horse make it four-in-a-row at the Russian Grand Prix? Join The Roar for a live blog from 9:10pm AEST.
The Sochi Autodrom which has been hosting Formula One since 2014, is a different challenge to the streets of Singapore, with more fast corners accompanied by the closeness of the concrete walls.
It’s a 5.8km lap around the site of the former Winter Olympics and the drivers will have to do it 53 times during the grand prix. Tyre wear is minimal here, thus likely featuring a one-stop strategy.
2018’s pole-sitter in Valtteri Bottas was denied the win by his Mercedes team twelve months ago, with team orders forcing the Finn to give up his lead to teammate Lewis Hamilton. In Singapore, Bottas was again compromised by his team favouring the six-time world champion.
Bottas, who has been winless since the race in Azerbaijan earlier this year, is typically strong at this venue and could very well be a contender come race day along with his teammate and the Ferraris.
Pole position went the way of Charles Leclerc, who claimed a fourth consecutive pole of the season ahead of Hamilton once again. Vettel starts third.
Since the first race in Sochi, Red Bull have been yet to claim a podium here and their weekend will be made more difficult with all four drivers running Honda power to face grid penalties for engine changes.
Max Verstappen, who qualified fourth put in a stellar drive from the rear of the grid in 2018, debunking the lack of overtaking theory, however can he repeat that feat this time and even threaten the podium?
As a result of the Verstappen penalty, Carlos Sainz for McLaren gets a season-best start in fifth, leading the best of the rest battle with Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg and McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
With overtaking limited around Sochi, the single pit-stop may come down as being the key moment in the race for fighting for the victory.
Can Ferrari continue their winning streak, by ending Mercedes’ winning streak in Russia?
Another great race waits for Formula One, so tune in on The Roar from 9:10pm AEST for live blog coverage of the Russian Grand Prix.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
That wraps up this live blog then of the Russian Grand Prix. Thanks again for tuning in here on The Roar and I will be back in a fortnight's time for the driver favourite Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Thanks and good night.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Few questions to be asked then about Ferrari and their strategy today between Leclerc and Vettel. A strong result for Mercedes though, with Hamilton now stretching his championship lead out to 73-points and 5-races remaining in the 2019 season. Mercedes themselves will near clinching the constructor's championship too. Possibly even next time out in Japan.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
-------- DRIVER'S -------- 322 - Lewis Hamilton 249 - Valtteri Bottas 215 - Charles Leclerc 212 - Max Verstappen 194 - Sebastian Vettel 69 -- Pierre Gasly 66 -- Carlos Sainz 52 -- Alexander Albon 35 -- Lando Norris 34 -- Daniel Ricciardo 34 -- Nico Hulkenberg 33 -- Daniil Kvyat 33 -- Sergio Perez 31 -- Kimi Räikkönen 20 -- Kevin Magnussen 19 -- Lance Stroll 8 --- Romain Grosjean 4 --- Antonio Giovinazzi 1 --- Robert Kubica 0 --- George Russell
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
----- CONSTRUCTOR'S ----- 571 - Mercedes AMG 409 - Scuderia Ferrari 311 - Aston Martin Red Bull Racing 101 - McLaren Renault 68 -- Renault 55 -- Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda 52 -- Racing Point Mercedes 35 -- Alfa Romeo Racing 28 -- Haas Ferrari 1 --- Williams Mercedes
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RACE REPORT Mercedes have continued their unbeaten run at the Russian Grand Prix, after claiming another one-two finish in Sochi with the assistance of the Virtual Safety Car to get ahead of Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton assumed the lead of the race on Lap-27, after Ferrari pitted both Sebastian Vettel and pole-sitter Charles Leclerc early. Though Vettel hit trouble a couple of laps later, with an MGU-K failure which triggered the Virtual Safety Car and allowed Mercedes to pit Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas without losing track position. Leclerc was frustrated with the Ferrari strategists, from the start of the race after Vettel took the lead on the opening lap, though following a pre-race agreement was meant to hand the lead back to his teammate. The full Safety Car was deployed on Lap-29 after George Russell lost brakes on his Williams and ended up in the wall for a second consecutive race. Ferrari took this opportunity to pit Leclerc again for soft tyres, in a bid to challenge Mercedes who were on the same compound. There was no yield though for Leclerc, who spent the rest of the race behind Bottas in third, as the Silver Arrows romped away for their sixth straight win in Russia. Behind them, the Red Bulls who started down the order due to grid penalties were able to make their way through the field, with Max Verstappen ending up in fourth and Alexander Albon – having started from the pits – finishing an impressive fifth. It was another double points finish for McLaren, with Carlos Sainz converting an impressive qualifying to sixth behind the quicker Red Bulls. Lando Norris meanwhile, gains a spot from ninth with a 5-second penalty for abusing track limits demoting Kevin Magnussen to ninth. Robert Kubica joined his Williams teammate on the sidelines, after the team elected to retire the Pole’s car over fear of the same failure on Russell’s car affecting the veteran driver too. A crash on the opening lap of the race claimed the scalps of Romain Grosjean and Daniel Ricciardo, as the pair collided along with Antonio Giovinazzi. The Alfa Romeo though was able to reach the chequered flag, though was last. Kimi Räikkönen also had a poor race, having taken a drive-through penalty for jumping the start and then only had the consolation of passing the struggling Pierre Gasly for thirteenth. This latest victory for Hamilton has also claimed him the record of the driver having led the most races in Formula One, surpassing the seven-time world champion in Michael Schumacher.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
STANDBY FOR RACE REPORT & UPDATED STANDINGS
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Roar Guru
POST-RACE INTERVIEWS - Hosted by Paul di Resta HAMILTON - "It's incredible to have this result today." "The car was fantastic today." "Just one step at a time and we don't want to stumble." BOTTAS - "I think starting fourth and finish second is not so bad." "I had a good race myself." "We really need to raise our game in qualifying now." LECLERC - "At least we are quite consistent, but a shame to not have the second car here." "Mercedes are still quite quick in the races." "I will always trust the team."
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RESULTS FROM THE 53-LAP RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX 1 L. Hamilton 2 V. Bottas 3 C. Leclerc 4 M. Verstappen 5 A. Albon 6 C. Sainz 7 S. Perez 8 K. Magnussen* 9 L. Norris 10 N. Hulkenberg 11 L. Stroll 12 D. Kvyat 13 K. Räikkönen 14 P. Gasly 15 A. Giovinazzi RET R. Kubica RET G. Russell RET S. Vettel RET D. Ricciardo RET R. Grosjean *5-second time penalty for Magnussen to be added post-race.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX! A one-two finish for Mercedes with Valtteri Bottas in second, with the team taking advantage of the Virtual Safety Car to make their pit-stops. Pole sitter Charles Leclerc finishes third in a messy race for Ferrari.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 53/53: FINAL LAP
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Roar Guru
Lap 52/53: 2 LAPS TO GO Hamilton goes and pushes the fastest lap benchmark to a 1:35.761 now. Leclerc responds with a fastest first sector.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 51/53: Gasly attaching his Toro Rosso to the rear of Räikkönen's Alfa Romeo, fighting over P13 at the moment. Leclerc asking his team about pushing for the fastest lap.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 50/53: FOUR LAPS TO GO
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Roar Guru
Lap 49/53: Leclerc doesn't really make any charge at Bottas, dropping to 1.6 seconds behind Bottas now. Hamilton with a comfortable lead now, as only 5 laps remain in the race.
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Roar Guru
Lap 48/53: Leclerc winding up his Ferrari for another tilt at Bottas ahead, as the laps now tick towards the end. Albon has quickly passed Sainz for fifth, as Verstappen ahead has enough of a margin to make a free pit-stop to make a push for fastest lap.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 47/53: Albon now within DRS range of Sainz in their battle for fifth.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 46/53: Hulkenberg still in pursuit of Norris. While a 5-second time penalty is given to Magnussen for abusing track limits, so that'll be an extra position for the duo in P9 and 10. Possibly a point in it too for Stroll who is in eleventh.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 45/53: No real change up the front, with Leclerc having dropped out of DRS range behind Bottas for now. Is that the race decided then? For the win at least. Norris encouraged now to see off Magnussen ahead, after the Haas continues to struggle on its tyres.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 44/53: Magnussen looks like he is running out of grip, as he goes wide and allows Perez to take P7.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 43/53: New fastest lap for Hamilton with a 1:36.467, as the lead over Leclerc in third has now grown to 5 seconds. Hulkenberg being egged on by his engineer to make a move on Norris ahead for P9.