Russia - first ever - F1 GP

[J.Clark]

As much as I can say I would thoroughly enjoy going to this race, especially the inaugural, I can equally say that I don't see anything in the circuit layout that looks to make for particularly good racing.

Everything will be new.
There are no reference points.
Nobody has won before.
There is no lap record for the circuit, which is 5.853km (3.63 miles), with 18 turns - no hairpin.  Ten of the turns are roughly a 90 degree turns, but several have another turn right behind them going the other direction so making them long chicanes in a way.  It looks like mechanical grip will be the key, perhaps more than anything else.

Here is a link to a video game of the circuit.
https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AqA6mpElW0s5gY6TnbkhFLqbvZx4?fr=yfp-t-901-s&toggle=1&fp=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&p=sochi%20formula%201

I don't see this circuit helping Red Bull, Ferrari, or Force-India; although, if any of the three get any lift it will probably be Force-India.

[Jericoke]

Anyone else think the race diagramme looks like the Millennium Falcon?

I always like when F1 does a new track.  It's a great equalizer where young teams and drivers are on equal footing with experienced teams and drivers.

I also love that people who might never have been interested in F1 have the opportunity to discover what we all have.  Whatever we may think of the political situation, track layout, engine configuration:  I believe there's a Russian Jeri waiting to fall in love with the sport.  I wish her all the luck in the world.

[J.Clark]

A little more preview stuff:

It looks like it will be sunny and dry, with temperatures in the low 20s (70s F).

Pirelli has evaluate the surface and believes it to be a low-abrasion asphalt.  They have said they think it will be a 2 or 3 stop race.  If it is low-abrasion, who would opt for a three stopper?  I guess Friday will see a lot of work by all on tire wear.

[Scott]

FP1

Pos   Driver   Team   Time   Gap
1   Rosberg   Mercedes   1:42.311   127.862 mph
2   Hamilton   Mercedes   1:42.376   0.065
3   Button   McLaren   1:42.507   0.196
4   Alonso   Ferrari   1:42.720   0.409
5   Magnussen   McLaren   1:43.026   0.715
6   Perez   Force India   1:43.129   0.818
7   Kvyat   Toro Rosso   1:43.164   0.853
8   Raikkonen   Ferrari   1:43.212   0.901
9   Vergne   Toro Rosso   1:43.327   1.016
10   Bottas   Williams   1:43.542   1.231
11   Massa   Williams   1:43.741   1.430
12   Ricciardo   Red Bull   1:43.821   1.510
13   Hulkenberg   Force India   1:43.976   1.665
14   Vettel   Red Bull   1:44.506   2.195
15   Sutil   Sauber   1:44.625   2.314
16   Maldonado   Lotus   1:44.876   2.565
17   Sirotkin   Sauber   1:45.032   2.721
18   Grosjean   Lotus   1:45.190   2.879
19   Merhi   Caterham   1:46.782   4.471
20   Ericsson   Caterham   1:46.922   4.611
21   Chilton   Marussia   1:47.284   4.973

[cosworth151]

I just watched FP2. Once again, Herr Tilke that he can put more people to sleep than Sominex, Nyquil and James Taylor combined.

I did see one thing that might be a result of Bianchi's incident at Suzuki. With about ten minutes left in the session, Ricciardo's car konked out. It coasted to a halt about five yards down the barrier from a large opening. The red flag was flown, even before the fire crew was dispatched to the smoking Red Bull. It took about 20 seconds for the marshals to remove the car. In previous races, I think double yellows would have been used.

[J.Clark]

FFP-2 results:

1.  Hamilton    Mercedes   1m 39.630s 27 laps
2.  Magnussen    McLaren   1m 40.494s 32 laps
3.  Alonso        Ferrari   1m 40.504s 32 laps
4.  Rosberg       Mercedes   1m 40.542s 30 laps
5.  Bottas        Williams   1m 40.573s 33 laps
6.  Button        McLaren   1m 40.718s 32 laps
7.  Massa        Williams   1m 40.731s 30 laps
8.  Kvyat        Toro Rosso   1m 41.108s 32 laps
9.  Vettel       Red Bull   1m 41.396s 30 laps
10. Vergne        Toro Rosso   1m 41.531s 33 laps
11. Raikkonen    Ferrari    1m 41.630s 24 laps
12. Hulkenberg    Force India   1m 41.677s 27 laps
13. Ricciardo   Red Bull   1m 42.061s 25 laps
14. Perez       Force India   1m 42.090s 29 laps
15. Sutil       Sauber    1m 42.233s 31 laps
16. Grosjean    Lotus    1m 42.892s 30 laps
17. Maldonado    Lotus    1m 42.905s 33 laps
18. Gutierrez    Sauber    1m 43.055s 33 laps
19. Ericsson    Caterham   1m 44.135s 22 laps
20. Chilton        Marussia   1m 44.530s 29 laps
21. Kobayashi    Caterham   1m 44.952s 27 laps

Aside from Ricciardo's RB giving up at the end, there were no real problems for the teams.

I can appreciate Marussia not running Bianchi's car, but putting in the garage completely ready out of "solidarity" to Jules is truly a classy thing to do.  I also like that all drivers have Jules noted on their helmet.

Mercedes power is completely dominating this weekend so far, with the usual exception being Fernando's Ferrari.
McLaren seem to have found something extra at this point.

Hamilton is up by .8+, but from P-2 to P-7 are separated by a mere .3 of a second.

The circuit looks beautiful and there is even a small amusement park for the kiddies.  Just as stated by cosworth however, I think it may make for boring racing.  We shall see come Sunday.

[Irisado]

It's been a lousy day so far anyway, but watching bits of free practice made it worse.  What an awful track.  It's worse than Valencia, and I didn't think this was possible.  There are no distinguishable or distinctive corners, there are no challenging corners, there is acres of bland concrete run off, and boring slow turns.  The whole thing looks like Toy Town at best.  I'm disgusted with it.

The Olympic venue looks far more appealing.  They should have just left it at that.  Formula 1 has no business racing on such a poor circuit which is pathetically easy to drive on.

[John S]

I can appreciate Marussia not running Bianchi's car, but putting in the garage completely ready out of "solidarity" to Jules is truly a classy thing to do.  I also like that all drivers have Jules noted on their helmet.

Sorry I find it inexplicable, there is no suggestion that the car is unsafe so why not continue racing? 

Jules a career racer, whilst feeling honoured, would find this pointless PR stunt by the team odd, to say the least. 

[Jericoke]

I can appreciate Marussia not running Bianchi's car, but putting in the garage completely ready out of "solidarity" to Jules is truly a classy thing to do.  I also like that all drivers have Jules noted on their helmet.

Sorry I find it inexplicable, there is no suggestion that the car is unsafe so why not continue racing? 

Jules a career racer, whilst feeling honoured, would find this pointless PR stunt by the team odd, to say the least.

If we want to get cynical, a team in a financial crunch might enjoy the opportunity to run only one car for a weekend.  Otherwise, I don't see why a Russian team wouldn't run a full team at their inaugural home race.

[cosworth151]

In Q3, several cars looked like their rear tires suddenly went away. Rosberg, Bottas & Danny Ric all seemed to have suffered from it. Something to watch for during the race.

[J.Clark]

Grid result:
1.  Hamilton   Mercedes   1m 38.513s
2.  Rosberg       Mercedes   1m 38.713s
3.  Bottas       Williams   1m 38.920s
4.  Button       McLaren   1m 39.121s
5.  Kvyat       Toro Rosso    1m 39.277s
6.  Magnussen   McLaren   1m 39.629s**
7.  Ricciardo   Red Bull   1m 39.635s
8.  Alonso       Ferrari    1m 39.709s
9.  Raikkonen   Ferrari    1m 39.771s
10. Vergne       Toro Rosso    1m 40.020s
11. Vettel       Red Bull   1m 40.052s
12. Hulkenberg   Force India    1m 40.058s**
13. Perez       Force India    1m 40.163s
14. Gutierrez   Sauber    1m 40.536s
15. Sutil       Sauber    1m 40.984s
16. Grosjean    Lotus    1m 41.397s
17. Ericsson    Caterham   1m 42.648s
18. Massa        Williams   1m 43.064s
19. Kobayashi    Caterham   1m 43.166s
20. Maldonado    Lotus    1m 43.205s*
21. Chilton        Marussia   1m 43.649s**

Maldonado will receive the other 5 (not sure how they will do that - will he still owe 4 in Texas?) spots on the grid that he was unable to serve in Japan.
Three for gear boxes - Magnuson will drop to P-11; Hulkenberg will drop to P-17; Chilton (?) gets a penalty too, but there is no body behind him.

Glad to see Ricciardo out doing Seb again.
Awesome run by Kvyat 
Kimi right on top of Alonso, something most of us have been awaiting all season.
Bottas - had he not gotten it wrong in the last few turns . . . Wow
Massa has to be very disappointed to have yet another car issue.

Several drivers were talking up the circuit's merits, but we will have to wait until we go racing to see just how good a track it is.  The commentators on NBCSports are comparing it to Valencia flipped upside down.  That circuit was so bad, I thought seriously about not even watching the races there.  I hope it works well in the race.

[Jericoke]

In Q3, several cars looked like their rear tires suddenly went away. Rosberg, Bottas & Danny Ric all seemed to have suffered from it. Something to watch for during the race.

I enjoyed watching Q.  Plenty going on.  It may not be a classic track, but put on a show today.

[Scott]

During the Olympics I don't remember seeing the coastline like they have shown it on the F1 broadcast.  Pretty impressive.

[J.Clark]

The results are in for what has to be the most boring race of the season, if not of the past couple of years.

1.  Hamilton   Mercedes   1hr 31m 50.744s 53 laps
2.  Rosberg       Mercedes   +00m 13.6s
3.  Bottas       Williams    +00m 17.4s
4.  Button       McLaren    +00m 30.2s
5.  Magnussen   McLaren    +00m 53.6s
6.  Alonso       Ferrari    +01m 00.0s
7.  Ricciardo   Red Bull    +01m 01.8s   
8.  Vettel       Red Bull    +01m 06.1s
9.  Raikkonen    Ferrari    +01m 18.8s
10. Perez        Force India    +01m 20.0s
11. Massa        Williams    +01m 20.8s   
12. Hulkenberg    Force India    +01m 21.3s
13. Vergne        Toro Rosso    +01m 37.3s
14. Kvyat        Toro Rosso    +1 lap
15. Gutierrez    Sauber    +1 lap
16. Sutil       Sauber    +1 lap
17. Grosjean        Lotus    +1 lap
18. Maldonado       Lotus    +1 lap
19. Ericsson       Caterham    +2 laps
Rtd  Kobayashi        Caterham   21 laps completed
Rtd  Chilton       Marussia   9 laps completed

Flag-to-flag for Lewis, but considering the circuit, I just can't bring myself to call it a great drive.  Rosberg had a fantastic drive and to run 52 laps of the 53 on one set of tires is truly awesome.
Bottas too had a remarkable run to get on the podium, even though it was where he started on the grid.

Tire strategy for Massa is a    I truly can't understand why they didn't let him run up through who ever he was able for several laps on that harder tire and then switch to the softer rubber late, or, do like Rosberg did and run it all of the way, but I can't say I am sure what he started on.

Vettel post race, "I wasn't very busy" saying this in his response to whether or not he thought the circuit was challenging.  I agree. 

There were no truly good races and no over-taking worthy of note.  It was a beautiful venue, but did not deliver, Mr. Tilke

[Jericoke]

There were no truly good races and no over-taking worthy of note.  It was a beautiful venue, but did not deliver, Mr. Tilke

I enjoyed the race.  not a classic by any means, but a nice looking venue helps I guess.

BBC  preemptively apologized for Tilke's design, as the F1 track was put in after the Olympic park was built, so options for a track were limited.