Tag: Race Preview

2022 Miami GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
Will the most hyped new venue in a long time live up to expectations?

The Burning Questions

Who will win round five in the battle between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, or will somebody else spring a surprise?

Who will bring the best updates, and will those at Mercedes finally fix some of their issues?

Will we see a trademark sudden Florida downpour?

The Track

Image credit: F1

The Stats

  • Track Length: 5.412 km
  • Laps: 57
  • Race Distance: 308.326 km
  • Maximum Speed: 324 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 56%
  • First Grand Prix: 2022
  • Race Lap Record: n/a
  • Outright Lap Record: n/a
  • Most Driver Wins: n/a
  • Most Constructor Wins: n/a

The Weather

The Quotes

Martin Brundle | “There’s so much anticipation for this Grand Prix, like I’ve never seen before. I’ve never known so much hype and excitement before a Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton | “I’ve been coming out here for a long, long time but I never quite understood why people weren’t into Formula 1. This Netflix show [Drive to Survive], through the pandemic, has just brought massive awareness to the sport – and now it’s booming.”

Pierre Gasly | “I do believe there are bigger things to focus on [than drivers wearing jewellery]. I appreciate the FIA are looking after our safety. But in my case I am religious and there are things I have with me that I do not feel comfortable not having in the car.”

Anthony Davidson | “I think this circuit is a good mixture of high speed and very slow speed that we haven’t really seen so far this year. The Turns 14 and 15 chicanes give us some of the slowest speeds we’ll see the cars go this year – bar the Monaco hairpin perhaps.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | George Russell | 1:29.938 | 18 Laps
2 | Charles Leclerc | 1:30.044 | 21 Laps
3 | Sergio Pérez | 1:30.150 | 19 Laps
4 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:30.179 | 18 Laps
5 | Fernando Alonso | 1:30.372 | 20 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Charles Leclerc | 1:31.098 | 26 Laps
2 | George Russell | 1:31.169 | 23 Laps
3 | Max Verstappen | 1:31.277 | 14 Laps
4 | Sergio Pérez | 1:31.301 | 22 Laps
5 | Pierre Gasly | 1:31.498 | 27 Laps

The Photos

The Predictions

Winner

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2022 Emilia Romagna GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie

The Burning Questions

Will Ferrari delight the Tifosi on home soil?

Have Red Bull fixed the issues which saw Max Verstappen retire from two of the opening three races?

Will any of the teams have brought significant enough upgrades for the first European grand prix to change the pecking order?

Could we get another wet and wild Imola race?

The Track

The Stats

  • Track Length: 4.909 km
  • Laps: 63
  • Race Distance: 309.049 km
  • Maximum Speed: 311 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 71%
  • First Grand Prix: 1980 (Imola) | 2020 (Emilia Romagna GP)
  • Race Lap Record: Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2020 | 1:15.484
  • Outright Lap Record: Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 2020 | 1:13.609
  • Most Driver Wins: Michael Schumacher | 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
  • Most Constructor Wins: Ferrari/Williams | 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006/1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001

The Weather

The Quotes

Charles Leclerc | “I know in the past we have had so much support here, so to be here in that position I am pretty sure it is going to be special.”

Max Verstappen | “I race exactly like I always race because that is how I am. Charles is aggressive, too, and you can clearly see that. We have nice battles, but we don’t touch.”

Carlos Sainz | “I have been in the fight for pole in the three races and maybe I was missing the last 0.1 seconds. Of course Charles has done an exceptional job with this car and is making the difference as a driver and he is doing really well but I don’t feel that far [away].”

George Russell | “I think because we’re at just different stages of our career, there’s no hard feelings either way. From my side, I’m 24 years old going up against the greatest of all time – if he were to finish ahead of me, obviously I don’t like it but I’m not going to cry and sulk about it.”

The Photos

The Predictions

Winner

Podium

Sprint Winner

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 Abu Dhabi GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
Here we go then: get ready for the biggest race in years!

The Burning Questions

Very simply, who will be the 2021 World Champion?

And can Red Bull overturn a huge deficit to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship?

What will Kimi say in his inevitable Driver of the Day interview?

The Track

The Stats

  • Track Length: 5.281 km
  • Laps: 58
  • Race Distance: 306.183 km
  • Maximum Speed: 322 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 64%
  • First Grand Prix: 2009
  • Race Lap Record: Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2019 | 1:39.283
  • Outright Lap Record: Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2019 | 1:34.779
  • Most Driver Wins: Lewis Hamilton | 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019
  • Most Constructor Wins: Mercedes | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

The Trivia

  • A record four drivers – Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel and Hamilton – were in contention for the World Drivers’ Championship coming into the decider at Yas Marina in 2010
  • The track has a number of unique features: a tunnel is part of the pit-lane exit and the Yas Viceroy Hotel straddles the circuit between turns 18-19.
  • Yas Marina has an advanced track design with six different configurations to suit different racing series
  • Red Bull have never failed to get both of their cars through to the final part of qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The Weather

The Quotes

Lewis Hamilton | “Honestly I think it’s such a hard job that the stewards have and Michael [Masi] has, and they have done an amazing job given everything that is thrown at them, every scenario is always different. Whether you agree with every decision or not, they have such a tough job.”

Max Verstappen | “I get treated differently to some other drivers. I end up with a penalty where others do the same thing and don’t get one. I don’t know why that is. You have to ask other people that question.”

Christian Horner | “I have a respect for Mercedes, I have a respect for Toto [Wolff]. That doesn’t mean I have to like him. Whoever comes on top out of this championship, either one, will be a deserving champion.”

Toto Wolff | “If things go against the team, against the two drivers, I can get quite emotional with the moment and Christian has his own way in dealing with it, as he said we’re very different personalities.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:23.691 | 26 Laps
2 | Esteban Ocon | 1:24.034 | 29 Laps
3 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:24.083 | 29 Laps
4 | Max Verstappen | 1:24.332 | 25 Laps
5 | Sergio Pérez | 1:24.400 | 26 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Max Verstappen | 1:25.009 | 23 Laps
2 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:25.205 | 27 Laps
3 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:25.355 | 25 Laps
4 | Sergio Pérez | 1:25.363 | 24 Laps
5 | Yuki Tsunoda | 1:25.378 | 23 Laps

The Photos

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 Saudi Arabian GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
And so begins the most intense week (and a bit) in F1 in some time.

The Burning Questions

So, does round 21 go to Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen?

Will Mercedes or Red Bull prove to have the stronger package around the world’s fastest street circuit?

Can McLaren do anything to keep their fight against Ferrari for third alive?

The Track

The Stats

  • Track Length: 6.174 km
  • Laps: 50
  • Race Distance: 308.450 km
  • Maximum Speed: 330 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 72%
  • First Grand Prix: 2021
  • Race Lap Record: n/a
  • Outright Lap Record: n/a
  • Most Driver Wins: n/a
  • Most Constructor Wins: n/a

The Trivia

  • Jeddah features a calendar-high 27 corners, four more than the previous record at Singapore
  • In 1970 – the final year that Spa-Francorchamps was run as a true ‘road course’ – Chris Amon lapped at an average of 244.7 km/h. Whether you regard the old Spa as a true street track or not, Jeddah looks set to be comfortably quicker than that, and all of the other street tracks on the 2021 calendar
  • The track is one of only three on the 2021 calendar to feature three DRS zones

The Weather

The Quotes

Lewis Hamilton | “Do I feel comfortable here? I wouldn’t say I do. But it’s not my choice to be here. The sport has taken the choice to be here. If anyone wants to take the time to read what the law is for the LGBTQ+ community, it’s pretty terrifying. There’s changes that need to be made.

Max Verstappen | “We just have to try to put a good car on the track, and then of course you need to get comfortable driving as well because the track layout is very quick and not a lot of room for error. It’s a special track. We don’t really know what our competitors are going to do. We always try to do the best we can.”

Fernando Alonso | “I felt that we were building something even before the podium because the team had some weaknesses that we saw very early in the year. We worked on those throughout 2021 and I think we’ll be more ready in 2022. The podium for sure brings an extra boost for everyone.”

Stefano Domenicali | “[Sir Frank Williams] was a true giant of our sport that overcame the most difficult of challenges in life and battled every day to win on and off the track. We have lost a much loved and respected member of the F1 family and he will be hugely missed.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:29.018 | 22 Laps
2 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:29.079 | 23 Laps
3 | Pierre Gasly | 1:29.099 | 22 Laps
4 | Max Verstappen | 1:29.213 | 20 Laps
5 | Fernando Alonso | 1:29.441 | 21 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:29.786 | 21 Laps
2 | Max Verstappen | 1:29.842 | 23 Laps
3 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:30.009 | 24 Laps
4 | Pierre Gasly | 1:30.263 | 28 Laps
5 | Antonio Giovinazzi | 1:30.318 | 27 Laps

The Photos

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 Qatar GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
The first of two new tracks as the season reaches its final three races.

The Burning Questions

Can Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes build on the momentum from an incredible weekend in Brazil?

Who will adjust the best to a brand new circuit?

Can McLaren do anything to bounce back as their fight with Ferrari looks to be getting away from them?

The Track

The Stats

  • Track Length: 5.380 km
  • Laps: 57
  • Race Distance: 306.660 km
  • Maximum Speed: 350 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 51%
  • First Grand Prix: 2021
  • Race Lap Record: n/a
  • Outright Lap Record: n/a
  • Most Driver Wins: n/a
  • Most Constructor Wins: n/a

The Trivia

  • Sergio Pérez is the only current driver to have raced at Losail, winning a 2009 GP2 Asia event
  • MotoGP has competed at Losail since 2004
  • The track is 22 miles north of Qatar’s capital city of Doha
  • 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell took victory at Losail in the short-lived Grand Prix Masters championship

The Weather

The Quotes

Lewis Hamilton | “I do think as sports go to these places, they are duty bound to raise awareness for these issues. These places need scrutiny. It needs the media to speak about these things. Equal rights is a serious issue. However, I am aware in this place they are trying to make steps and it can’t change overnight.””

Max Verstappen | “Listen, if it would have been the other way around in Brazil it would have exactly played out like that. It’s hard racing. We are fighting for a championship; we are not here to be in a kindergarten.”

Sebastian Vettel | “I guess we are all loving Formula 1 in one way or another. We go to many different places; some great places, some places maybe not so great, but it depends what you like. Some places that are very liberal, others are not, it’s probably a fair reflection of the world in general. So naturally there are places with things to catch up on and others are not.”

Charles Leclerc | “Whatever is allowed, then I just want it to be clear as a driver. That’s the only thing that matters to me. If this is allowed, then overtaking around the outside is going to be very difficult. But yeah, whatever the situation, the decision is, I’ll just adapt my driving to it; so I’m fine with both.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:23.148 | 27 Laps
2 | Pierre Gasly | 1:23.357 | 27 Laps
3 | Max Verstappen | 1:23.498 | 20 Laps
4 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:23.570 | 25 Laps
5 | Lando Norris | 1:23.632 | 24 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Max Verstappen | 1:23.723 | 22 Laps
2 | Pierre Gasly | 1:24.160 | 28 Laps
3 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:24.194 | 24 Laps
4 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:24.509 | 21 Laps
5 | Yuki Tsunoda | 1:24.648 | 27 Laps

The Photos

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 São Paulo GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
Will it be three sprint races, three collisions at the front?

The Burning Questions

Will Red Bull continue to hold an advantage at another track that should suit them?

With the potential for rain over the weekend, will Interlagos produce its trademark levels of drama?

Can McLaren do anything to bounce back as their fight with Ferrari looks to be getting away from them?

The Track

The Stats

  • Track Length: 4.309 km
  • Laps: 71
  • Race Distance: 305.909 km
  • Maximum Speed: 350 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 51%
  • First Grand Prix: 1963
  • Race Lap Record: Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 2018 | 1:10.540
  • Outright Lap Record: Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2018 | 1:07.281
  • Most Driver Wins: Michael Schumacher | 1994, 1995, 2000, 2002
  • Most Constructor Wins: Ferrari | 1976, 1977, 1990, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2017

The Trivia

  • 1991 saw Ayrton Senna‘s infamous first home victory, with the three-time world champion screaming over the radio at the end of the race, having driven the final laps of the race stuck in sixth gear
  • The 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix was the last time an F1 race was won by over a lap
  • Giancarlo Fisichella was eventually announced the winner of the 2003 race, five days after the event, due to a countback error following a red flag in a chaotic wet race
  • Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz recorded the first podium finishes of their careers at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. It was the first time that two drivers had taken their maiden podium finish at the same race since Germany in 1994

The Weather

The Quotes

Max Verstappen | “I’ve had a bigger lead already in the championship and that disappeared within two race weekends. We have to again try do the best we can do here and then after this weekend we will try to win the race.”

Lewis Hamilton | “I think people underappreciate just how well we’ve done considering the pace they’ve had since day one.”

Toto Wolff | “It’s not been our strongest track in recent seasons and has tended to suit Red Bull more, but this year has proved anything can happen. It’s the last Sprint Race weekend, too, which opens up more opportunity.”

Daniel Ricciardo | “That was maybe the bigger frustration, you’re able to hold off a Mercedes but normally if you’re doing that you’re on the podium. Obviously in our case we were trying to come back through the field. I guess it was a pretty long Sunday for both of us but there was some promise in that we could hold [Valtteri Bottas] off.”

The Friday Form

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:09.050 | 31 Laps
2 | Max Verstappen | 1:09.417 | 22 Laps
3 | Sergio Pérez | 1:09.492 | 28 Laps
4 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:09.567 | 30 Laps
5 | Pierre Gasly | 1:09.880 | 32 Laps

The Photos

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 Mexico City GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
Will Day of the Dead prove to be a Day of the Red (Bull)?

The Burning Questions

Will Red Bull have the advantage that most expect of them this weekend?

Can Sergio Pérez do anything special in front of his passionate home crowd?

Will there be any major announcements over the weekend?

The Track

The Stats

The Trivia

  • At 2,240 metres above sea level, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is by far the highest track on the current F1 calendar
  • Gerhard Berger took his first win at the 1986 Mexico Grand Prix, driving a Benetton B186 – one of the most powerful F1 cars ever raced – and completed the win on a single set of tyres
  • John Surtees, Denny Hulme, Graham Hill and Lewis Hamilton have all clinched the world title in Mexico, with the latter doing so twice, in 2017 and 2018
  • In 2018, Max Verstappen became the first driver to win the Mexican Grand Prix in consecutive years

The Weather

The Quotes

Lewis Hamilton | “I always want to win it in the right way and if you’re going to lose it, you lose it in the right way also.”

Max Verstappen | “I will race hard like Lewis does and everyone else does and of course always try to keep it clean.”

Sergio Pérez | [On whether he would move aside for Verstappen whilst in the lead] “I think it will be a great problem to have from my side, you know? It always depends on the situation, because most of the decisions are normally taken during the race, during the heat of the event, so I think that depending on the circumstances, we’ll see. But I’m pretty sure the whole team, Red Bull, everyone, wants me to win this weekend.

Andrea Stella | “We don’t anticipate that from an HPP (Mercedes) point of view there should be any larger deficit than the other manufacturers. From a power point of view I don’t think this puts a McLaren or any other HPP cars at a disadvantage. Possibly in the past we saw there as a bit more of a swing associated with the power-unit, but I don’t see the technical reasons why this should still be true.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | Max Verstappen | 1:17.301 | 28 Laps
2 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:17.725 | 31 Laps
3 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:17.810 | 26 Laps
4 | Sergio Pérez | 1:17.871 | 26 Laps
5 | Carlos Sainz | 1:18.318 | 29 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:18.341 | 28 Laps
2 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:18.417 | 24 Laps
3 | Max Verstappen | 1:18.464 | 28 Laps
4 | Sergio Pérez | 1:18.610 | 20 Laps
5 | Pierre Gasly | 1:18.985 | 23 Laps

The Photos

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 United States GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
After two years, F1 is finally back stateside.

The Burning Questions

Will Mercedes or Red Bull be on top around COTA?

Can Ferrari continue their good form and close the gap to McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship?

Will there be any major announcements over the weekend?

The Track

The Stats

  • Track Length: 5.513 km
  • Laps: 56
  • Race Distance: 308.405 km
  • Maximum Speed: 325 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 62%
  • First Grand Prix: 2012 (Austin) | 1959 (US) | 1950 (US incl. Indy 500)
  • Race Lap Record: Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 2019 | 1:36.169
  • Outright Lap Record: Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 2019 | 1:32.029
  • Most Driver Wins: Lewis Hamilton | 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • Most Constructor Wins: Mercedes | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019

The Trivia

  • Sebastian Vettel made his Formula 1 debut at the 2007 United States Grand Prix aged 19 and scored one point
  • In 2019, Lewis Hamilton became the first driver to clinch the Drivers’ Championship in the United States twice
  • Mario Andretti is the only American driver to win a grand prix on home soil
  • Kimi Räikkönen won the 2018 United States Grand Prix after a 114-race win drought – the longest such drought in F1 history

The Weather

The Quotes

Max Verstappen | “We know we still have a bit of work to do. I’m not concerned because there is nothing we can do about it. But we have to find a bit more performance.”

Lewis Hamilton | “I think we’re coming here and over these next few races, it’s still going to be very tight and close between us all. So we’re just trying to focus on maximising what we have. We’ve not updated the car, we’re just trying to finesse it and extract the most from it.”

Christian Horner | “To be at this stage of the championship leading the drivers and still in touch with the constructors, that’s phenomenal. We’re loving this fight, enjoying this scrap, and there’s some tracks coming up where it could go either way.”

Valtteri Bottas | “It’s been a while but feels good,” said the Finn. “From my side, it was one of the best races I’ve had – ever. I’m glad everything went smooth for once for me. It was nice.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | Sergio Pérez | 1:34.946 | 24 Laps
2 | Lando Norris | 1:35.203 | 20 Laps
3 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:35.310 | 22 Laps
4 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:35.360 | 24 Laps
5 | Daniel Ricciardo | 1:35.457 | 21 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:34.874 | 17 Laps
2 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:34.919 | 18 Laps
3 | Max Verstappen | 1:35.806 | 16 Laps
4 | Charles Leclerc | 1:36.334 | 18 Laps
5 | Carlos Sainz | 1:36.508 | 20 Laps

THE PHOTOS

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 Turkish GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
Verstappen recovered to second, now we see what hamilton can do.

The Burning Questions

With rain forecast over the weekend, will we get a repeat of last year’s thrilling race?

How will Lewis Hamilton recover from, at best, 11th on the grid?

Will Red Bull be struck by the special livery curse?

The Track

THE STATS

  • Track Length: 5.338 km
  • Laps: 58
  • Race Distance: 309.396 km
  • Maximum Speed: 324 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 59%
  • First Grand Prix: 2005
  • Race Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya | McLaren | 2005 | 1:24.770
  • Outright Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya | McLaren | 2005 | 1:24.770
  • Most Driver Wins: Felipe Massa | 2006, 2007, 2008
  • Most Constructor Wins: Ferrari | 2006, 2007, 2008

The Trivia

  • Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel are the only drivers to have taken multiple pole positions in Turkey
  • In the eight Istanbul Park races held so far, 2011 is the only year in which the polesitter has gone on to win the title in the same year
  • There were 82 pit stops made in the 2011 Turkish Grand Prix, which is a record for the most pit stops in any dry race in Formula 1 history
  • Vettel made his first F1 weekend appearance at Istanbul Park in 2006, where he drove for BMW Sauber during practice and picked up a $1,000 fine just seconds into his career for speeding in the pit lane

The Weather

The Quotes

Lando Norris | “We went through a lot of analysis with the team and myself, what I did and said on the radio. Sometimes you don’t realise the way it can come across, the way you say things. They understand the situation I’m in, the pressure I’m under, especially when you have Lewis behind you in a Mercedes; it’s a difficult position to be in.”

Max Verstappen | “Especially here in Turkey it’s a bit of a question mark. Last year was not really representative, there was a very low grip level so hopefully they solve that for this year.”

Lewis Hamilton | “It’s not a case of ignoring [the pressure] as it’s there. It’s a case of understanding what will be, will be. All you can do is prepare the best way you can and give 100 per cent so I don’t worry about these things.”

Fernando Alonso | “It seems that for [Verstappen] it is not a big deal every weekend and he takes it race by race. I think that’s the right approach for these remaining races.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:23.804 | 30 Laps
2 | Charles Leclerc | 1:23.970 | 29 Laps
3 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:24.214 | 31 Laps
4 | Sergio Pérez | 1:24.373 | 28 Laps
5 | Max Verstappen | 1:24.439 | 27 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:24.178 | 26 Laps
2 | Max Verstappen | 1:24.603 | 24 Laps
3 | Charles Leclerc | 1:24.654 | 27 Laps
4 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:24.842 | 28 Laps
5 | Carlos Sainz | 1:24.860 | 25 Laps

Signs look good for Mercedes pace-wise at the Turkish Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton topping both sessions, but the championship leader will be starting from 11th on the grid at the very best, having received a 10-place grid penalty for taking a new ICE (Internal Combustion Engine).

His title rival Max Verstappen struggled to find a good balance in his Red Bull so the team will have work to do overnight to ensure the flying Dutchman is able to take advantage of Hamilton’s penalty.

The Ferraris seemed to be working well on the Istanbul Park circuit – aided by their new power units – and appear to be genuine contenders for the front two rows.

The Photos

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day

2021 Russian GP preview

Posted on by James Mackenzie
From Russia with no love lost at the front.

The Burning Questions

Will Max Verstappen take an engine penalty and start from the back?

With rain due on Saturday, when will qualifying actually take place and will it spring any surprises?

Is Daniel Ricciardo now going to be back to his best with the added confidence from Monza win?

The Track

The Stats

  • Track Length: 5.848 km
  • Laps: 53
  • Race Distance: 309.745 km
  • Maximum Speed: 341 km/h
  • Lap Time at Full Throttle: 78%
  • First Grand Prix: 2014
  • Race Lap Record: Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2019 | 1:35.761
  • Outright Lap Record: Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 2020 | 1:31.304
  • Most Driver Wins: Lewis Hamilton | 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019
  • Most Constructor Wins: Mercedes | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

The Trivia

  • Mercedes has won every Russian Grand Prix to date – the seven since it joined the F1 calendar in 2014, and even the pre-Formula 1 grands prix in 1913 and 1914
  • There has been a Russian driver present at every running of the Russian Grand Prix so far
  • Sochi is the only Winter Olympics host city to have also staged a Formula 1 race, though four other current F1 cities – Melbourne, Montreal, Barcelona and Mexico City – have hosted the Summer Olympics
  • In 2014, Nico Rosberg locked up at the first corner, causing him to pit, and then did the remainder of the race on one set of tyres and recovered to finish second

The Weather

The Quotes

Christian Horner | “You’re always learning but he’s a hard racer, it’s part of his characteristic, it’s part of why he has the following that he does. you know when he’s in the car he’s going to give 110%. And I think that also has an impact on the driver he’s racing, because you know he’s going to go for it.”

Toto Wolff | “I think the change of approach is that Lewis pretty much decided not to bail out anymore when he thinks that the corner is his. Now it needs two to tango, it needs two to understand each other on track, when a collision can be avoided.”

Daniel Ricciardo | “Once I was in the lead and it had been a while since I’d had that feeling, fortunately it felt very familiar and it felt like home.”

Valtteri Bottas | “At this situation, how the situation is, yes I would [move aside for Lewis] because we are here as a team and we need to make sure we win both titles, not only the constructors’ but also the drivers’. At the moment, Lewis has a greater chance of that, so that’s the situation at the moment.”

The Friday Form

Practice 2 Top 5

1 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:33.593 | 19 Laps
2 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:33.637 | 22 Laps
3 | Pierre Gasly | 1:33.845 | 22 Laps
4 | Lando Norris | 1:34.154 | 17 Laps
5 | Esteban Ocon | 1:34.402 | 23 Laps

Practice 1 Top 5

1 | Valtteri Bottas | 1:34.427 | 25 Laps
2 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:34.638 | 23 Laps
3 | Max Verstappen | 1:34.654 | 13 Laps
4 | Charles Leclerc | 1:35.117 | 22 Laps
5 | Sebastian Vettel | 1:35.781 | 23 Laps

Mercedes continued their Sochi dominance with Valtteri Bottas heading a Silver Arrows 1-2 in both practice sessions.

It was confirmed that Max Verstappen would start from the back for the race – after taking on a new power unit – but the Dutchman complained that he could not overtake anyone with his current top speed, so Red Bull will need to ensure that he is able to do so by Sunday.

The Photos

The Predictions

Podium

Pole Position

Fastest Lap

Driver of the Day