Hamilton wins, but Verstappen limits the damage
After a tumultuous end to qualifying, Lando Norris is today in pole position. Carlos Sainz is next to him on the front row. George Russell will start from P3 and Hamilton from fourth. Max Verstappen starts at the very back due to grid penalties. Bottas has also received a new engine from his team so that he can start right in front of Max. The track is dry, so the drivers can start on slicks.
Hamilton ruins the start
Carlos Sainz has the best start at the front of the field and immediately takes the lead from Norris with a slipstream. Hamilton gets locked inside turn two and falls back to P7. Verstappen takes it easier and is on P17 after the first lap.
Hamilton then ends up in a train, where he cannot overtake. Verstappen overtakes Bottas in the sixth lap, so that he can no longer be held up by a fast Mercedes. Meanwhile, Norris struggles to regain control. On the thirteenth lap Lando manages to pass the Ferrari.
Verstappen loses time after the pit stops
From the fourteenth lap a number of drivers come in who started on the medium tires. Sainz makes a quick stop, but Norris and Hamilton drive on longer. Lewis comes in on lap 28, with Max following immediately. Norris does the same a lap later and then stays in the lead.
After the pit stops, Verstappen ends up just behind Ricciardo, Stroll and Russell, while Hamilton comes out in front of that train. Verstappen therefore remains behind Ricciardo and later Alonso. Hamilton can then pull away and go after leader Norris. With a few laps to go, Hamilton is fighting for the lead. At the same time, it starts to rain on the track.
Chaotic end to the race
With four laps to go, everyone enters the pit lane again to pick up intermediates. Norris, however, continues to drive on the slicks. It turns out to be the wrong guess, because it will rain even harder. Norris loses tons of time with slicks on a wet track. Verstappen takes advantage of the rain and climbs to second place within a lap. Lewis Hamilton wins the 100th race of his career, but Verstappen limits the damage with a podium place. Carlos Sainz takes the last podium spot.
Russian GP 2021 results
01. Lewis Hamilton
02. Max Verstappen
03. Carlos Sainz
04. Daniel Ricciardo
05. Valtteri Bottas
