Grand Prix race results: Hamilton wins wild Russian F1 GP

The race was decided in the closing stages, with Norris going for his first win and Hamilton aiming for his century, but the result was ultimately determined by rain and pit strategy. Hamilton pitted for intermediates as it began to drizzle, while Norris stayed out on slicks – but a downpour ruined Norris’s gamble.

Hamilton eased past him to win the race, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who drove from the back of the grid to second place, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr completing the podium having led early on.

2021 Russian Grand Prix race results

Cla	Driver	Chassis	Time	Gap
1	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	-
2	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	53.271	53.271
3	Carlos Sainz Jr.	Ferrari	1'02.475	1'02.475
4	Daniel Ricciardo	McLaren	1'05.607	1'05.607
5	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes	1'07.533	1'07.533
6	Fernando Alonso	Alpine	1'21.321	1'21.321
7	Lando Norris	McLaren	1'27.224	1'27.224
8	Kimi Raikkonen	Alfa Romeo	1'28.955	1'28.955
9	Sergio Perez	Red Bull	1'30.076	1'30.076
10	George Russell	Williams	1'40.551	1'40.551
11	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1'46.198	1'46.198
12	Sebastian Vettel	Aston Martin	1 lap
13	Pierre Gasly	AlphaTauri	1 lap
14	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	1 lap
15	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1 lap
16	Antonio Giovinazzi	Alfa Romeo	1 lap
17	Yuki Tsunoda	AlphaTauri	1 lap
18	Nikita Mazepin	Haas	2 laps
	Nicholas Latifi	Williams
	Mick Schumacher	Haas
View full results

How the Russian Grand Prix unfolded

In dry conditions, but with rain threatening, first-time F1 pole starter Norris led through Turn 1 as George Russell’s Williams initially passed Sainz off the line, but Sainz repassed him and then outbraked Norris for the lead at Turn 2. Russell held third, as Hamilton dropped to seventh behind Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren).

Ricciardo charged past Alonso on the back straight to grab fifth on the opening lap. From the back of the grid, Verstappen immediately gained three places.

Hamilton passed Alonso for sixth, while his teammate Valtteri Bottas (who took an engine penalty) rose to 14th, with Verstappen on his tail.

Sainz and Norris pulled clear of their pursuers and battled out front, as Verstappen passed Bottas on Lap 7. He then overtook Gasly and Leclerc, although had a huge moment attacking the latter – worrying Verstappen that he’d damaging his front wing.

Norris passed Sainz for the lead on the back straight on Lap 13, as Stroll pitted from fourth to switch from mediums to hards. That triggered a raft of early pitstops, as Russell pitted from third but rejoined behind Stroll.

Sainz pitted from second on Lap 15, with a sticky left-rear wheel that cost him time, while Verstappen passed Vettel and was now into the points.

McLaren gave up its 1-2 as Ricciardo pitted from second but, despite a fast wheel change, he wasn’t released and dropped him behind Sainz, Stroll and Russell. That elevated Hamilton to second, 12s in arrears of Norris but 2s ahead of Perez, Alonso, Verstappen (who was complaining that his tyres were dead) and Leclerc.

Hamilton pitted on Lap 27 after suffering a lockup, ditching his mediums for hards, with Verstappen also coming in on that tour to switch from hards to mediums. Hamilton rejoined behind Sainz and Stroll, with Verstappen blending in between Ricciardo and Russell.

Norris was triggered into making his pitstop too, rejoining fourth behind Perez, Alonso and Leclerc, who were all yet to stop. Hamilton passed Sainz at Turn 2 on Lap 30 for a net second place and was nine seconds behind Norris at this point.

Ricciardo passed Stroll for net fourth, with Verstappen doing likewise up to fifth a few corners later. Norris lost time battling past the long-running Leclerc for third, allowing Hamilton to close the gap to within 5s. Then he was further delayed by Alonso, which allowed Hamilton to get within 3s.

Perez pitted from the lead but suffered a slow stop and dropped to fifth, behind Norris, Hamilton, Sainz and Ricciardo. Despite a slow pitstop, the fresh-tyred Alonso managed to get ahead of Verstappen at Turn 2 sixth.

In the closing stages, Hamilton closed in on DRS range of Norris, just as spots of rain began to fall. Perez passed Ricciardo for fourth with eight laps to go.

Norris ran wide at Turn 5 as the rain intensified but just held on from Hamilton, as Perez passed Sainz for third. Norris had a second off-track excursion but stayed out. Stroll and Vettel collided and continued. Later, Stroll spun off.

Hamilton, Ricciardo and Verstappen pitted for intermediates with three laps to go. Hamilton was 25s behind the leader, as Norris stayed out. But heavy rain ruined Norris’s gamble, and Hamilton passed Norris for the lead as Norris slid helplessly off the track.

Verstappen moved up to second on inters, as Norris slithered back to the pits for intermediates, rejoining the track and likely getting a penalty to rub salt into his wounds. Leclerc went off, dropping to 15^th.

Hamilton beat Verstappen to the finish 53s, with Sainz third from Ricciardo, Bottas, Alonso, Norris, Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo), Perez and Russell.