Overall, a better Russian Grand Prix this year than last year to watch by miles. Mercedes dominated qualifying once again with Nico Rosberg on pole. Come race day, Rosberg took the lead this time over team-mate Lewis Hamilton and stay there, until the end of the sixth lap when Rosberg Throttle pedal gave up the ghost and retire for his second retirement of the season. Then, current Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton took control and didn't look back, lead all the laps at Sochi; with no trouble at all for competition for the Current World Champion to conclude with a race win in this seasons Russian Grand Prix for Lewis Hamilton's ninth race win of the season.
While, Sebastian Vettel finished in third place in the Ferrari, Vettel was six seconds behind Hamilton at the end.
Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez finished in third place in the Force India to complete the podium after two final laps of drama. On the fifty-second lap Pérez was in third place saving his tyres to the end of the race after not pitting for over 40 laps. When both Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen overtake him for third and fourth places with Pérez relegated to fifth place. Then on the last lap, Räikkönen collided with Bottas's Williams, instantly retiring Bottas and Räikkönen crawling back to the finishing line to finish in fifth place, Pérez took the advantage and finished in third place on the last lap of the race. Pérez was twenty-nine seconds behind Hamilton at the end of the fifty-three lap race.
Meanwhile, Räikkönen received a thirty-second time penalty after the race with the collision with Bottas on the final lap, relegating Räikkönen to eighth place. And that was enough for Mercedes to win this seasons F1 Constructors' Championship with 172 points ahead of Ferrari with four races to go. Contracts to Mercedes for winning their second Constructors' Championship in Formula 1.
With Lewis Hamilton winning the Russian Grand Prix, Hamilton has now improve his lead of the F1 driver championship from 41 points to 66 points ahead of Sebastian Vettel who is now second in the standings with four races to go. Nico Rosberg is now down to third in the standings after his second retirement of the season, Rosberg is now 73 points behind team-mate Hamilton after Sochi. And could win his third Drivers' Championship in Austin if results goes his way.
Rate the Teams and Drivers
Mercedes - 7
Lewis Hamilton - 8 (race win)
Nico Rosberg - 7 (pole, DNF, Throttle)
Red Bull Racing - 7
Daniel Ricciardo - 7 (finished fifteenth/DNF, six laps down/Suspension)
Daniil Kvyat - 8 (finished fifth)
Williams - 7
Valtteri Bottas - 7 (finished twelfth/DNF, lap down/Collision with Kimi Räikkönen)
Felipe Massa - 7 (finished fourth)
Ferrari - 6
Sebastian Vettel - 8 (finished second, fastest lap)
Kimi Räikkönen - 5 (finished eighth)
McLaren - 7
Jenson Button - 8 (finished ninth)
Fernando Alonso - 6 (finished eleventh)
Force India - 8
Nico Hülkenberg - 7 (DNF, Collision with Max Verstappen)
Sergio Pérez - 10 (finished third)
Toro Rosso - 7
Carlos Sainz Jr. - 7 (DNF, Brakes)
Max Verstappen - 7 (finished tenth)
Lotus - 7
Romain Grosjean - 6 (DNF, Accident)
Pastor Maldonado - 8 (finished seventh)
Manor - 6
Will Stevens - 5 (finished fourteenth, two laps down)
Roberto Merhi - 7 (finished thirteenth, lap down)
Sauber - 7
Marcus Ericsson - 5 (DNF, Collision with Nico Hülkenberg)
Felipe Nasr - 9 (finished sixth)
Next stop Circuit of the Americas, Austin in two weeks time for the United States Grand Prix.
End of blog for now, new post soon. Bye.
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