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The 2018 Formula One world championship lies on a knife-edge coming into the Russian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton on the cusp of a finishing blow on Sebastian Vettel’s title aspirations. Join The Roar for a live blog of the race, starting from 9:10pm AEST.
40-points is the gap between the two protagonists, with Hamilton only another win away from putting one hand firmly around a fifth world championship.
So, it is all for Vettel and Ferrari to do during the 53-lap grand prix, staged at the former Winter Olympics site at Sochi and its 5.8km circuit – with nothing less than a win to keep his bid alive.
Second is the best result for the German in Russia, as Mercedes AMG have dominated this race since its maiden running in 2014, with Valtteri Bottas the reigning race winner.
Overtaking is inherently difficult at Sochi, as is the lack of tyre degradation, meaning that pole position is vital and executing the predicted one-stop strategy crucial to victory.
As much as the onus was on Vettel and Ferrari to produce a result in qualifying, the more they have fallen behind Mercedes AMG, with Bottas taking the pole ahead of Hamilton and then Vettel third.
Upgrades for the reigning world champions have throughout the weekend, given the edge to Mercedes AMG over Ferrari, who’ve not had the best car in comparison to the Scuderia in recent races.
A quarter of the grid has also taken grid penalties for this race, with all the listed drivers having made mass power-unit component changes. Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, Brendon Hartley, Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso all will start from the rear of the field.
It’s another long run before the first major braking zone at Turn 2, so can Vettel from third make the lightening start he needs from third to rescue his championship? Or will the Silver Arrows walk away with another race.
Tune in on The Roar for live blog coverage of the Russian Grand Prix from 9:10pm AEST, for what shapes to be a pivotal race in the 2018 Formula One world championship.
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