Ferrari experienced in the Grand Prix of Russia will be a fiasco. Sebastian Vettel is slowing after a strong start from his Team, to the advantage of Charles Leclerc, then by the technology. At the end of Mercedes cheers.
The disappointment of Sebastian Vettel stood written on his face as he stepped in front of the microphones of the journalists. “I kept my part of the agreements actually. Honestly, I would like to deal with this internally,” said the Ferrari driver while Lewis Hamilton took his first win after the summer break, import. The Briton won ahead of his team-mate Valtteri Bottas, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.
It had looked like at the beginning of the race after the second Vettel-victory in a row. Rank three he had managed in qualifying in Sochi, a place with victory-view. 2017 Bottas won in the Mercedes, also from the place starting after his clever maneuvers right at the beginning of the race.
This time, Vettel took advantage of the characteristics of the track, for an impressive attack. He overtook Hamilton on the first few meters – the Briton was on slower tyres. Then the Ferrari driver attacked his team-mate out of the wind shadow. With Success. Vettel overtook on the inside and took the lead in front of Leclerc, then the Mercedes followed.
Sebastian Vettel (left) pulls over at the Start of Lewis Hamilton and Chalres Leclerc
Vettel was faster and pressed on the Gas, the other riders could not follow. So far so good, but the Ferrari Team had a different idea and instructed Vettel to let his team-mates again overtake. In consequence, a radio Farce à la Ferrari developed. A possible explanation for the statement from the Ferrari Box would be that the 21-year-old Monegasque team-mate had given the wind the shadow of previously intentionally and thus outdated it could be. However, Vettel refused.
Cracks in the Team more than clear
Both pilots gave the result of no rest and there is a lively discussion on the radio, developed at nearly 300 kilometers per hour. Because now dam Leclerc’s values in its leaders. A week after a pit-stop Vettel in the team duel in Singapore favored him, so the first victory after more than a year had backed up, now felt Leclerc once again at a disadvantage.
With a view on the pace of Hamilton wanted to move to Ferrari is now on “Plan C” and left, it was the first in the rank. With Vettel at the top. The 32-Year-old continued to keep the pace and stopped Leclerc at a distance. Behind, Hamilton was in for a surprise on several occasions about the Speed of the Ferraris, the five-time Champion ran came.
Vettel has to wait longer than necessary
As the first of the top riders in the Box Leclerc came. A week ago, it had been Vettel. Now, the German had to really step on the Gas to keep the lead on Leclerc so great that he would stay with his stop still ahead of him. It turned out differently. Ferrari had Vettel, despite the weakening of the tire is longer on the route as necessary, until the pads in sight would not be sufficient.
And so happened what had to happen: Vettel came back after his change of tyres as the Second behind Leclerc. But that’s not enough, the Vettel, his racing car had to retire a lap later. A Defect. Hamilton took advantage Of the Safety Car period due to the Vettel-for a tire change and over pushed themselves to Leclerc.
And also Bottas slipped through, because Leclerc was on the faster tyre. After that, Mercedes demonstrated how successful team work looks like: Bottas served as a buffer, was Leclerc’s lap, while Hamilton is at the top of his 82. Career victory, said: “An incredible Job of all, we never gave up.”
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Big cheers when Lewis Hamilton, the Briton is on the way to his next world title
🏁 TARGET 🏁
Round 53 of 53: Hamilton victory in Sochi and wins in front of his team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.
Lap 52 of 53: at The conclusion drives of Hamilton is still a new lap record – not bad! Meanwhile, Leclerc seems to be settle for third place.
Round 50 of 53: Ferrari pushes again, but Leclerc makes a mistake but stays on the track. Nevertheless, everything looks like a victory for Hamilton.
Round 47 of 53: 🕓 Hamilton controlled the race and driving the fastest lap.
Lap 44 of 53: Verstappen is now on the fourth and Sainz Fifth. Front everything unchanged. Hamilton leads Bottas and Leclerc.
Lap 40 of 53: Leclerc is still in place behind Bottas, while Hamilton more Gas. All of this looks like a victory for Mercedes, is it?
Round 36 of 53: Leclerc puts pressure on Bottas, but fights and so on as a buffer to the Hamilton acts.
Round 36 of 53: 🕓 fastest lap from Hamilton, on the front of the Gas pushes.
Round 32 of 53: The Safety Car is back inside and Hamilton is the winner of the flying Start ahead of team-mate and Leclerc.
Round 31 of 53: Now comes Leclerc to the Box and sorted by “only” in third place behind Hamilton and Bottas again. Has Ferrari lost there?
Round 30 of 53: A short status report: Grosjean, Ricciardo, Vettel and Russell are out. Hamilton leads ahead of Leclerc and Bottas in the race.
Round 29 of 53: 💥 Now comes the right Safety Car – Russell slips out of the corner and lands in a stack of Tyres.
Round 29 of 53: Hamilton and Bottas the benefit of the virtual Safety Car Phase and go to the Box. The world champion is in front of Leclerc out – clever move by Mercedes.
Round 28 of 53: Vettel remains the same, he has a technical Problem and gets out of his car. The wars for him.
Round 27 of 53: Now it is ready. Leclerc overtakes Vettel, who had to be in the Box. Ferrari had Vettel three laps longer than usual outside.
Round 23 of 53: Now comes Leclerc in the Box – only 2.5 seconds of time, that was fast. The Ferrari driver has raised fresh yellow tyres and comes out behind Bottas back on track.
Round 22 of 53: The first pit stops, so far without incident. The leading trio remains, but first the outside.
Round 20 of 53: Vettel now has a 4.5 second lead – Leclerc remains in second place ahead of Hamilton.
Round 16 of 53: Hamilton is impressed by the Speed of the Ferrari and function to the Mercedes-Box: “The boys are pretty fast.” 🕓 Vettel confirmed it with the fastest lap of the race.
Round 14 of 53: 🕓 Hamilton gives Gas again and drives the fastest lap of the race.
Lap 13 of 53: Vettel makes more time on Leclerc well, he now has 3.6 seconds ahead of his team-mates. Now to be implemented, “Plan C”, the radio message from Ferrari is that, at least – it remains curious.
Round 9 of 53: Raikkonen must once by the Box travel – a penalty for his early start.
Round 9 of 53: The reversal of the Ferrari is moved. Meanwhile, Verstappen is pulled Perez over and is now Seventh. The front leads Vettel in front of Leclerc and Hamilton.
Round 6 of 53: Vettel is informed over the radio that he was in the next round of Leclerc to overtake to leave. The German does not want to do this, but first, and currently only 1.3 seconds ahead of Monegasques.
Round 4 of 53: The Safety Car is in and Vettel sets the pace for the restart.
Round 1 of 53: 💥 For Grosjean, the race is already over, collision with Ricciardo. Also Giovinazzi and Stroller were involved in the accident. The Safety Car is on the road, it’s the flying restart.
Round 1 of 53: The traffic light is out, off we go. Vettel wins the Start and passes to Hamilton and Leclerc.
🚥 START 🚥
13:10 watch: The cars go on the formation lap – all of them are left.
At 13:09: Particularly exciting is expected on this Sunday, once again the duel with Ferrari. Neither in the training nor in Qualifying, Vettel was able to align something against Leclerc. Nine times in succession he lost to last in the on the Saturday before the race. Basically, Vettel in Sochi, is still waiting for a victory, his best results are two second places in 2015 and 2017.
13:06 PM: no one, except for Mercedes since the race debut in Sochi 2014 win. The probability is high that this will change. “We have a package at the Moment, not the fastest,” said Motorsport head Toto Wolff after Qualifying on Saturday. We have to recognize “the deficit”, said the Austrian: “We expect to dominate the next few weeks.But we do not give up.”
13:03 PM: Can Ferrari continue his winning series also in Russia continue? Charles Leclerc from the first starting position in the Grand Prix of Russia, Sebastian Vettel in third. However, the duration of rival Mercedes, with world champion Lewis Hamilton lurking in Sochi on his Chance.
13:00: welcome to the DW-live scores from the Grand Prix of Russia!