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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
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18 min
51 sec
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Verstappen once again used DRS to fire it up the inside of Gasly at Turn 13.
Norris is closing up to Sainz now, and is homing back into DRS range.
Just as we say that, Verstappen has moved ahead into 13th. Bottas needs to do the same ASAP if he is to cause the Red Bull any grief this afternoon.
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.
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"Could be plan B," Ricciardo is told. But what was plan A?
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.
Verstappen made great use of the DRS and a tow from Bottas to expertly carve up his inside into Turn 13.
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!
That group has broken away from Latifi in 17th, who is heading Giovinazzi, Tsunoda and Schumacher at the back of the pack.
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.
Stopwatch
Sainz posts a 1m41.396s to take the new fastest lap so far.
The gap between Bottas and Verstappen stands at around eight tenths on lap five.
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"We think rain is reducing, so you need to do something about Russell," Stroll is told.
Fastest lap has gone to Bottas in P14 with a 1m41.437s.
Sainz is forging a lead now, and sits 1.6s ahead of Norris at the start of lap 5.
Verstappen has followed Bottas through on Mazepin. Now the Mercedes driver has to play tail gunner for his team-mate.
Verstappen has found a way through on Latifi for 16th as we head onto lap four. Bottas now ahead of Mazepin for 14th.
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.
Leclerc is harrying Vettel for 11th as they come to the end of lap two.
Hamilton gets a run on Alonso and now dives past at Turn 2, claiming back sixth place.
Sainz begins lap 2 with a one-second lead over Norris, with Russell a further two seconds back!
Ricciardo alongside Alonso down the back sweeping straightaway, and dives past for fifth place!
At the back Verstappen is up to 17th ahead of Schumacher, Giovinazzi and Tsunoda. Leclerc is 12th and Bottas 15th.
Hamilton's had a really iffy start and loses places to Stroll, Alonso and Ricciardo!
Hamilton only seventh after the opening salvo of corners.
Norris gets away nicely, but Sainz gets an excellent slipstream into Turn 2 and claims the lead!
Lights out
The 2021 Russian Grand Prix is go!
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!
The cars now line up, ready for the start...
Verstappen reports his "battery is draining - I don't know what's going on".
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"The rain is expected to come between five-past 3 and quarter-past 3. We expect it to be light," polesitter Norris is told.
Green flag
The formation lap is now underway.
Breaking news
We've got the majority of the field on the mediums, with Alonso, Perez, Gasly, Bottas, Giovinazzi, Leclerc and Verstappen on hards.
Stopwatch
Just under five minutes until what could be a very spicy Sochi encounter today...
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...
Rain
Back to present-day movements, we have a 70% risk of rain today. Quelle surprise.
Russia always knew how to churn out composers: Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov are such illustrious musicians.
Since the Russian national anthem can't be played, we get what I believe is Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1.
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/
Breaking news
By: autosport.com
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