For the past four years, there is the Grand Prix of Russia. And, so far, has always cheered Mercedes. Also this time everything looks like a silver arrow Triumph. Or you can change Vettel from the second row?
Valtteri Bottas after Qualifying
The Pole missed, but the world championship rivals once again left behind: Lewis Hamilton has revealed Sebastian Vettel again the boundaries and takes thanks to the overwhelming dominance of his Mercedes, the preliminary decision in the title race of the formula 1 into the visor. The world champion finished the Qualifying for the Grand Prix of Russia in second place behind his team-mate Valtteri Bottas, and has good prospects, the already comfortably ahead of Vettel by 40 points in the race on Sunday (from 13:00 in the DW live Ticker for this) to expand.
Bottas set the course record of 1:31,387 minutes, the best time ahead of Hamilton (1:31,532), made on his last fast lap in Q3, a mistake in the middle sector, and a better result gave away. For Vettel, it was not enough, however, to the first row of the grid: The Heppenheimer (1:31,943) had more than Raikkonen half a second behind Bottas, operating on rank three in front of Kimi (1:32,237) in the other, the loser in the Ferrari damage limitation.
Punishment transfers for the Red Bull pilots
For Bottas Sochi once again proved to be a good patch. The Finn, who was in the Training is always slower than Hamilton, was celebrated in the previous year, in Russia, the first of his three Victories. “I’ve done it again, to drive here are a couple of good rounds. The car was fantastic,” said Bottas. Hamilton spoke of a “very good weekend” for his Team. Not entirely displeased Vettel, who will start despite of the large time gap to Mercedes right behind Hamilton was. “We will see how it runs tomorrow. Mercedes is really fast, but it was important to be close to it. The car felt good, I’m very optimistic,” said Vettel.
No role in the battle for the Pole Position, played the Red Bulls Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Because of modifications to the engines, both drivers were added to the end of the start field. Return transfers also Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley in the Toro Rosso, as well as Ex-world champion Fernando Alonso in the McLaren are affected.
Mercedes dominance in Sochi
Even without the Red Bulls in the top group of Vettel on Sunday in the Mercedes-high-castle-in front of a mammoth task. Since the first Grand Prix in Sochi four years ago, the victory in Russia was always a silver arrow. Hamilton won in 2014 and 2015, he has given the strong impression from the Training and Qualifying good prospects on its third Russia-Triumph, and the third Grand Prix victory in a row.
For the turn on the Black sea, Vettel needed on Sunday to a dream start. Because: At the weekend, the Ferrari was the Mercedes cars in the Power range clear. “We’re struggling a little with the Pace on a lap, but also on the Long runs,” had Vettel said on Friday. The imbalance between him and Hamilton was confirmed this Saturday. Hamilton pulverized in the first Qualfying its only in the third Training, established track record.
sw/OS (dpa, sid)