2017 RUSSIAN GP: MAIDEN WIN IS SWEETEST

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas withstood sustained late-race pressure from Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel to take his first Formula One victory after rising from third on the grid to take the lead at the race start. When the lights went out at the start, Bottas pounced, with the Finn getting a tow on the long run to the first corner to power around the outside of Räikkönen and Vettel to claim the lead. Through the first stint, Bottas built a slim advantage but after the drivers’ single stop for supersoft tyres Vettel began to close in and over the final 10 laps exerted heavy pressure on the Mercedes drivers, narrowing a five-second gap to less than a single second by the final two laps. Bottas held on though to take his maiden grand prix win ahead of Vettel and Räikkönen. Defending champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth.

“It took quite a while, more than 80 races but it was worth the wait, worth the learning curve,” said Bottas. “This strange opportunity came to me during the winter to join Mercedes AMG and I really want to thank them. Without them this would not have been possible.”

ettel’s second place means the German heads to the next round in Spain with a 13-point lead in the drivers’ standings over Hamilton who finished fourth behind Räikkönen. Vettel now has 86 points to Hamilton’s 73. Bottas’s first win leaves him third in the standings on 63 points, 14 clear of Räikkönen. In the Constructors’ standings, the win and fourth place for Mercedes puts them at the head of the title race, though the defending champions have just a single point in hand over Ferrari.

2017 Russian Grand Prix , Sochi
53 laps, 304.356km., Weather: Sunny.
CLASSIFIED:
 P.     DRIVER          TEAM         TIME/GAP 
 1. Valtteri Bottas   Mercedes AMG 1h28:08.743
 2. Sebastian Vettel  Ferrari       +    0.617
 3. Kimi Raikkonen    Ferrari       +   11.000
 4. Lewis Hamilton    Mercedes AMG  +   36.320
 5. Max Verstappen    Red Bull      + 1:00.320
 6. Sergio Perez      Force India   + 1:26.788
 7. Esteban Ocon      Force India   + 1:35.004
 8. Nico Hulkenberg   Renault       + 1:36.188
 9. Felipe Massa      Williams      +    1 Lap
10. Carlos Sainz JR.  Toro Rosso    +    1 Lap
11. Lance Stroll      Williams      +    1 Lap
12. Daniil Kvyat      Toro Rosso    +    1 Lap
13. Kevin Magnussen   Хас           +    1 Lap
14. Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren       +    1 Lap
15. Marcus Ericsson   Sauber        +    1 Lap
16. Pascal Wehrlein   Sauber        +   2 Laps

2014 L.Hamilton - Mercedes AMG - 1ч51:43.021  
2015 L.Hamilton - Mercedes AMG - 1ч37:11.024  
2016 N.Rosberg - Mercedes AMG - 1ч32:41.997   
2017 V.Bottas - Mercedes AMG - 1ч28:08.743    

Fastest Lap: Kimi Raikkonen - 1:36.844        

NOT CLASSIFIED:                               
Daniel Ricciardo  Red Bull
Jolyon Palmer     Renault
Romain Grosjean   Haas
Fernando Alonso   McLaren

 AFTER 4 RAVES:
 DRIVERS:                   CONSTRUCTORS:     
 1. Sebastian Vettel  86   Mercedes AMG 136
 2. Lewis Hamilton    73   Ferrari      135
 3. Valtteri Bottas   63   Red Bull      57
 4. Kimi Raikkonen    49   Force India   31
 5. Max Verstappen    35   Williams      18
 6. Daniel Ricciardo  22   Toro Rosso    13
 7. Sergio Perez      22   Haas           8
 8. Felipe Massa      18   Renault        6
 9. Carlos Sainz JR.  11
10. Esteban Ocon       9
11. Nico Hulkenberg    4
12. Kevin Magnussen    4
13. Romain Grosjean    4
12. Daniil Kvyat       2