For the better part of the last three years we have seen intense battles right down to the finish line between teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. The latter has since won his maiden Championship and subsequently retired, at the top, from
Formula 1 altogether. The promising Finn Valteri Bottas took Nico’s place in the Mercedes hot-seat for the 2017 season but as we look ahead to the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi this weekend it seems as if, once again, Hamilton will be going bumper-to-bumper with yet another German…
Sebastian Vettel, a four-time World Champion with Red Bull, had seemingly got lost in the wilderness since his move to Ferrari in 2015. 3
rd and 4
th placed finishes in 2015 and 2016 respectively may have appeared positive on face value but in a sport where the smallest of margins make the biggest difference, he was well and truly off the pace. Two wins in the first three races of this season however, has given Vettel and his Ferrari team a renewed sense of belief as they top both the drivers and constructors’ championships early on.
The only other man to feature on the podium thus far, other than Vettel or either of the two Mercedes drivers, has been young Max Vertsappen. The 19-year-old Belgian is only in his third full season of top-level racing and already has a victory under his belt. In winning the Spanish Grand Prix last year, he broke the record to become the youngest driver to win a Grand Prix, previously held by Sebastian Vettel. Despite not finishing the race in Bahrain a fortnight ago, Verstappen is still quietly optimistic of his chances and said of his team’s recent improvement “I was surprised to be that much closer to them to be honest, but we have to wait and see here I mean this shouldn't be the best track for us but we are here, so we have to drive!”
Local favourite, Toro Rosso’s Daniel Kvyat, will be hoping to put the demons of last year to rest. After finishing 5
th in Sochi 2015, he was involved in a collision with Sebastian Vettel in 2016 that ultimately cost the German his race while the young Russian lost his place at Red Bull and was replaced by Verstappen for the remainder of the season. One year on, and Kvyat looks like a man reborn. A 9
th place finish in Australia on the opening weekend was his best start to a campaign earning him his first two points of the season. Kvyat will be hoping that April 30
th will be a date to remember for all the right reasons and following two podium finishes in the last two calendar years maybe even a first win of his career in front of his home crowd.
Kimi Raikkonen was fastest in first practise ahead of the Mercedes pair of Bottas and Hamilton. It seems that Vettel always has a part to play though and once again this weekend it seems it will be the German that the closest chasers will be challenging. Catch all the action from qualifying on Saturday followed by the main race on Sunday.