Russian GP: Race - RE-CAP & RESULTS

RUSSIAN GP - RACE - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Lewis Hamilton won the Russian Grand Prix after team-mate Valtteri Bottas was told to move aside.

    Bottas had retained the net race lead behind late pitter Max Verstappen after starting from pole, when Hamilton closed onto the back of the Finn. Mercedes made the call for Bottas to allow Hamilton past, fearing a blister on his rear left tyre might allow title rival Sebastian Vettel to close in.

    Hamilton was released into the race lead when Verstappen came into the pits with 10 laps remaining and led Bottas across the line to take a comfortable Mercedes 1-2.

    The Brit’s eighth win of the season puts him 50 points ahead of Vettel, who finsihed third.

    Vettel had made a strong start early in the race to challenge Hamilton off the line, but the Mercedes pulled into Bottas’ slip stream to pull away from the Ferrari.

    Hamilton held onto the net second position until the lone pit stop. Bottas came into the pits on lap 12, with Vettel following the next lap and Hamilton having to wait until lap 14.

    Bottas had tried to hold Vettel up while Hamilton came into the pits, but the championship leader still came out behind the Ferrari. He quickly made to try to pass Vettel, but the German defended hard – his defensive move enough to be investigated by the stewards but it was deemed to have been legal.

    Hamilton eventually made a way through, running around the outside of turn 3 to give him the inside line for turn 4.

    Vettel couldn’t fight back, settling for third ahead of team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

    Verstappen, who was one of five drivers to take engine penalties and start from the back of the grid, enjoyed a stunning race to climb up to fifth, just ahead of Daniel Ricciardo.

    Charles Leclerc earned the best of the rest position, finishing seventh ahead of Kevin Magnussen and the Force Indias of Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez.

    Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly were the only retirements. Both suffered spins on lap four, managing to return to the pits where they both retired with brake failures.

RESULTS:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points
2. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / + 18 Points
3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 15 Points
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / + 10 Points
6. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia / + 8 Points
7. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / + 6 Points
8. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / + 4 Points
9. Esteban Ocon / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / France / + 2 Points
10. Sergio Perez / Racing Point Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / + 1 Point
11. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France
12. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany
13. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
14. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain
15. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
16. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium 
17. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain
18. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

RETIRED - Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France / Brakes
RETIRED - Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand / Brakes

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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