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Formula 1 Russian GP

F1 Russian GP Live Commentary and Updates - Race

Follow along for all of the sizzling Sunday action at the Russian Grand Prix

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR21

Live Standings

Stopped

Summary

    • Hamilton takes his 100th win at the Russian Grand Prix
    • Verstappen finishes P2 after starting 20th with Sainz in third
    • Heartbreak for Norris after not pitting for intermediates at the right time caused him to fall down the order, finishing P7
    • Schumacher and Latifi retired
  • Leaderboard
    1. Hamilton, Mercedes
    2. Verstappen, Red Bull
    3. Sainz, Ferrari
    4. Ricciardo, McLaren
    5. Bottas, Mercedes
    6. Alonso, Alpine
    7. Norris, McLaren
    8. Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo
    9. Perez, Red Bull
    10. Russell, Williams

Live Text

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Good afternoon everyone and welcome to our Autosport Live feed, as we approach the start of the Russian Grand Prix.
We've got a tantalising front row of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz Jr, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton on Row 2. The excitement is palpable.
First of all, a few updates news-wise. Bottas has taken an engine penalty and will start 16th, while Antonio Giovinazzi has a new gearbox.
Breaking news

Read Also:

Breaking news
Here's an archive piece from 2001 on then-emerging talent Kimi Raikkonen: https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/archive-how-unflappable-rookie-raikkonen-took-f1-by-storm/6674412/
Since the Russian national anthem can't be played, we get what I believe is Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1.
Russia always knew how to churn out composers: Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov are such illustrious musicians.
Rain
Back to present-day movements, we have a 70% risk of rain today. Quelle surprise.
Adding Shostakovich to that list of composers, there are many more I've missed. Trying to offset this chat with a classical music pun - but I'm really going for baroque...
Stopwatch
Just under five minutes until what could be a very spicy Sochi encounter today...
Breaking news
We've got the majority of the field on the mediums, with Alonso, Perez, Gasly, Bottas, Giovinazzi, Leclerc and Verstappen on hards.
Green flag
The formation lap is now underway.
Quote
"The rain is expected to come between five-past 3 and quarter-past 3. We expect it to be light," polesitter Norris is told.
Verstappen reports his "battery is draining - I don't know what's going on".
The cars now line up, ready for the start...
But at the end of the formation lap, Verstappen says it's "all good now". Not as if the Red Bull driver really need any more tension for the start of this race!
Lights out
The 2021 Russian Grand Prix is go!
Norris gets away nicely, but Sainz gets an excellent slipstream into Turn 2 and claims the lead!
Hamilton only seventh after the opening salvo of corners.
Hamilton's had a really iffy start and loses places to Stroll, Alonso and Ricciardo!
At the back Verstappen is up to 17th ahead of Schumacher, Giovinazzi and Tsunoda. Leclerc is 12th and Bottas 15th.
Ricciardo alongside Alonso down the back sweeping straightaway, and dives past for fifth place!
Sainz begins lap 2 with a one-second lead over Norris, with Russell a further two seconds back!
Hamilton gets a run on Alonso and now dives past at Turn 2, claiming back sixth place.
Leclerc is harrying Vettel for 11th as they come to the end of lap two.
Really nice move from Sainz at the start - the replay shows him getting a slower start than Russell, but the Spanish driver picks up the slipstream for Norris in front and claims the lead.
Verstappen has found a way through on Latifi for 16th as we head onto lap four. Bottas now ahead of Mazepin for 14th.
Verstappen has followed Bottas through on Mazepin. Now the Mercedes driver has to play tail gunner for his team-mate.
Sainz is forging a lead now, and sits 1.6s ahead of Norris at the start of lap 5.
Fastest lap has gone to Bottas in P14 with a 1m41.437s.
Quote
"We think rain is reducing, so you need to do something about Russell," Stroll is told.
The gap between Bottas and Verstappen stands at around eight tenths on lap five.
Stopwatch
Sainz posts a 1m41.396s to take the new fastest lap so far.
The scrap to crack into the top 10 is looking tasty. Raikkonen is holding away just over Vettel, with Leclerc, Gasly, Bottas and Verstappen close behind.
That group has broken away from Latifi in 17th, who is heading Giovinazzi, Tsunoda and Schumacher at the back of the pack.
Verstappen goes up the inside of Bottas at the end of the back straight to take 14th. That is not what Mercedes needed from their driver!
Verstappen made great use of the DRS and a tow from Bottas to expertly carve up his inside into Turn 13.
A better lap for Norris in comparison to Sainz that time around - the gap was floating around 2s, but the McLaren's cut that down a bit. Sainz is trying to stint-extend at the moment.
Quote
"Could be plan B," Ricciardo is told. But what was plan A?
Bottas hasn't let Verstappen disappear. He's keeping in touch with the DRS, while the Red Bull is yet to find a way through the AlphaTauri of Gasly on the eighth lap of this race.

By: autosport.com

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