Welcome to Sochi.

The Russian F1 Grand Prix is held at the Sochi Autodrome built around the Olympic Park at Sochi Russia. It was added to the F1 circuit in 2014 and has been won twice by Lewis Hamilton.

Interesting bit. The straights leading to turn 1 is the longest on the circuit. It gives a driver in 3 place on the grid the opportunity to slipstream the lead car and overtake the car on pole. Valtteri Bottas did that to Seb Vettel in 2017 and ended up winning the race.

Qualifying was a very interesting event. The Mercedes were consistently fastest from Practice through qualifying setting the record for the fastest lap ever at Sochi in P2. But a couple of mistakes during P3 by Hamilton left Bottas with the fastest lap in Q3 taking Pole position.

So the grid line up from 10th position is as follows

10. Marcus Ericsson (Sauber) – 1:35.196

9. Romain Grosjean (Haas) – 1:33.704

8. Sergio Perez (Force India) – 1:33.563

7. Charles Leclerc (Sauber) – 1:33.419

6. Esteban Ocon (Force India) – 1:33.413

5. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) – 1:33.181

4. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) – 1:32.237

3. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) – 1:31.943

2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 1:31.532

1. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) – 1:31.387

So we have a Mercedes lock down of the front row. The Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are taking grid penalties with their taking new engines.

In all the excitement, meanwhile, few noticed Kevin Magnussen’s sterling final effort, which saw the Danish Haas driver finish P5, leapfrogging over the early Q3 midfield pace-setters of Force India’s Esteban Ocon and Sauber’s Charles Leclerc.

The Renaults of Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg opted not to run in Q2, knowing engine penalties to others would place them 11th and 12th with a free choice of tyres for the race. FIA rules mean you race with the tires with which you placed your fastest time in Q2.

The question for Mercedes is if they will let their driver's race each other and potentially have them make mistakes, or give team orders to Bottas to let Hamilton through. 40 points seperate Hamilton and Vettel in the driver's championship and a win by Hamilton almost guarantees the championship for him.

Also the F2 race this morning saw rain for the final laps of the race. If it rains during F1, that gives Hamilton the advantage as he is the best driver in the wet.

Tire management also matters with Ferrari making a mess of it the last few races.

Vettel hasn't been holding up under pressure making very costly mistakes the last few races.

Let's see how it goes. Race begins at noon

Happy birthday Max Verstappen. He's 21 today. Let's hope he gives himself a good birthday present.

Lights out. Race starts. No incidents. Bottas still leads feom Hamilton and Vettel. Vettel had a great start and almost went past Hamilton. Verstappen already in 12 from 19th place. Leclerc goes past Magnussen. What a start!

Lap 6/53
Verstappen making a mockery of the bottom half of the grid. From 19th place to 6 in just 6 laps. Riccardo is up to 12th.

The 2 Torro Rosso cars are out of the race. Something broken in those cars.

Bottas keeping ahead of Hamilton who is pulling away from Vettel. The Mercedes diapering into the distance from the Ferraris.

This race seems to be all about Verstappen. He's just 21. I feel like I should have done more with my life so far

Go Tifosi!
Bottas pits. Vettel pits. Comes out behind Bottas. Hamilton held up slightly by Sergeo Sirotkin then pits but comes out behind Vettel. "How did that happen?", he asks.

Lap 16/43
What a bit of racing! Hamilton goes back at Vettel. He tried to overtake him on the third corner and then again on the fourth, succeeding at the second time of asking. Great stuff from Hamilton.

Stewards looking into Vettel's blocking of Hamilton. Rules say you can't make 2 moves to block an overtaking.


Edit.
No further action on that incident.

Bottas lets Hamilton pass as Verstappen was slowing everyone down.

Sergio Perez also lets Esteban Occon pass to try challenge Magnussen

Finally Verstappen pits. He held back Hamilton and Bottas long enough to put Bittas in Vettel's range. Vesta comes out 13 seconds behind Raikonnen but with faster hyper soft tires, he has a chance to get into 4th position.

For Lewis, it's hammer time.

Perez still can't get past the Haas of Magnussen. He's been switched with Occon again. Magnussen retains 8th position. Daniel Ricciardo is racing himself. 40 seconds behind 5th place, 15 seconds ahead of 7th place.

Charles Leclerc holds 7th place.

Fernando Alonso up to 14th place.

For the 3rd time, Lewis Hamilton wins at Sochi. 4 Mercedes wins in 5 years.

1) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2) Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
3) Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4) Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
5) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
6) Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

Max Verstappen wins driver of the day. I would not have given it to him with his obstruction of the Mercedes. I would have given it to Kevin Magnussen.

Hamilton now 50 points clear of Vettel in the driver's championship.

From the Guardian Newspaper

Wolff is already onto Bottas to explain why he made him step aside. It will all be done in private but Wolff seems a little quiet at the moment, possibly worried that it is his house which will be blown down.

Hamilton: “It’s a difficult day as Valterri did a fantastic weekend and he was a gentleman to let me go by.

“He did a fantastic job and deserved to win.”

Well, until next week at Suzuka for the Japanese grand prix.