SOCHI – Championship contender, Lewis Hamilton finished numero uno in the Russian GP as poor Nico Rosberg’s throttle forced him to retire. This win puts Hamilton within points of a third driver’s championship title.
Rosberg’s throttle gave up on him around midway through the race thus putting the Brit in the driver seat’s for a podium finish.
Sebastian Vettel took second for Ferrari – and Force India’s Sergio Perez managed third after a dramatic last two laps, in which Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen both moved through to push him off the podium.
Now for the drama, come the last lap of the race, Kimi who had had quite an infuriating afternoon made a push for a third place finish only to drive into Bottas’s Williams who had just passed Force India’s Perez on the second last lap (after Sergio Perez’s tires seem to fail him) of the race.
The FIA further investigated and decided to fine him three places, thus classifying has a an eighth place finisher. This penalty also clinched the constructors championship for Mercedes. Speaking before reporting to the stewards, Raikkonen claimed it had been a racing incident in his opinion.
“I overtook him once before there [during the race],” the Finn said of his move. “I was catching through Turn 3, I wasn’t too far and thought I’d try again. Once I decided to try I couldn’t pull back.
“I don’t know if he saw me or expected me. I tried to turn inside as much as I could and we collided. For me it was racing, I tried to pass and unfortunately it ended like this.”
Compatriot Bottas, however, offered a very different stance, saying: “I don’t think it was a racing incident. I didn’t see anyone there, I was in front and then suddenly someone hit me.
“It’s very disappointing, obviously – I was running third on the final lap, I should be on the podium, but I’m here and with zero points. I’m just disappointed.”
Final Positions after Race (53 Laps):
1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1hr 37mins 11.024secs
2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:37:16.977
3 Sergio Perez (Mex) Force India 1:37:39.942
4 Felipe Massa (Bra) Williams 1:37:49.855
5 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:37:53.382
6 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Red Bull 1:37:58.590
7 Felipe Nasr (Bra) Sauber-Ferrari 1:38:07.532
8 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Lotus F1 Team 1:38:12.112
9 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren 1:38:30.491
10 Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren 1:38:37.234
11 Max Verstappen (Ned) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:38:39.448
12 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Williams at 1 Lap
13 Roberto Merhi (Spa) Manor Marussia F1 at 1 Lap
14 Will Stevens (Gbr) Manor Marussia F1 at 2 Laps
Not Classified:
15 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 47 Laps completed
16 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 45 Laps completed
17 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Lotus F1 Team 11 Laps completed
18 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 7 Laps completed
19 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Force India 0 Laps completed
20 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber-Ferrari 0 Laps completed