Poll: Russian Grand Prix 2021, Sochi - Race 15

[Shimmy]

Sochi

When was the track built?
Designed by Hermann Tilke, the Sochi Autodrom is effectively a street circuit, evolving out of the internal roads of the park built for the city’s 2014 Winter Olympics.

When was its first Grand Prix?
Formula 1’s first ever Russian Grand Prix took place on October 12 2014. The race was won by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who was midway through a five-race winning streak that would ultimately see him clinch that year’s drivers’ title.

What’s the circuit like?
Looking at a map of the track, your eye can’t help but be drawn to the epic Turn 3, a 750m constant-radius left-hander taking the drivers around the outside of the dramatic Poyushchiye fountain. The rest of the track is characterised by a series of 90-degree bends coupled to some rapid, flowing straights-that-aren’t-straight.

TV Times
Sky:


C4:
Sat - Quali Highlights 5.50pm
Sun - Race Highlights 5.30pm

Track Diagram & Information


Weather Forecast


WDC Standings


Constructors' Championship Standings


Practice 1


Practice 2


Practice 3
N/A

Qualifying


Race

 

[SoliD]

Funny weather forecast

 

[Shimmy]

Funny weather forecast

No idea what you're on about

 

[SoliD]

That looks better! Hopefully it won't be biblical if it does otherwise will no doubt be a relatively dull race as Sochi has proved over and over.

 

[Mr Jack]

Kimi's back for this race, all clear on the Covid front. The two missed races are going to mean he finishes his career just short of 350 race starts.

 

[dave28]

prediction, another assassination attempt by Max. Was a very good try last time, the Halo kit probably saved his life

 

[chrismscotland]

With the predicted Rain forecast for Sunday I do hope we get a cracking race in Sochi rather the Snoozefest that we always get treated

I hope so, the F1 is usually dire here.
F2 oddly seems much better to watch here

 

[Jimbeam3678]

If anyone is interested in keeping an eye on the weather, I have been using this website https://www.windy.com/multimodel/43.443/39.927?42.810,39.927,8

Unsure if it is well known or not but I like it as you can compare all the models together which in theory gives you a better idea of the chances of a wet race.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Rain here will risk being boring if too heavy. It's quite flat and there'd likely be a lot of standing water.

 

[Mr Jack]

After FP1: looks like Mercedes have a slight edge over RB, and the spread of the field is bigger than usual. Max should be able to carve through the field from last place to 3rd without much difficulty here. I suspect his 3 place penalty is going to get rendered meaningless when he does a full engine swap.

 

[Mr Jack]

F3 have rescheduled their first race from tomorrow morning to 17:25 local time today due to concerns about the weather.

 

[englishpremier]

New engine for Max. Looks like there was a concern about qualy being moved to Sunday if it rains too much, then RB wouldn't have time to change the engine.

I thought it was only a 10 place grid drop for a new engine, but he'll be starting from the back.

I don't know why Rosberg is being mentioned by Crofty in terms of finishing 2nd from last, that Mercedes that years was probably way more than 1s faster than anything else on the grid.

 

[Mr Jack]

I thought it was only a 10 place grid drop for a new engine, but he'll be starting from the back.

It's 5 places per component, and there are multiple parts. Leclerc and Max starting from the back then, and Max's penalty nullified.

 

[GR63]

prediction, another assassination attempt by Max. Was a very good try last time, the Halo kit probably saved his life

I loved the quote from Max about "giving way goes both ways" or words to that effect... Lewis DOES give way but Max never... So was a bit rich really.

I think no crash this weekend as Max will take an engine but definitely next time they are near on the track again

 

[bayo000]

That's a bit unfair. He gave Lewis plenty of room at Silverstone yet Lewis still crashed into him.

 

[Mr Jack]

That's a bit unfair. He gave Lewis plenty of room at Silverstone yet Lewis still crashed into him.

Max literally steered into him.

 

[Armageus]

That's a bit unfair. He gave Lewis plenty of room at Silverstone yet Lewis still crashed into him.

Max literally steered into him.

yawn - I think this discussion has been done to death

 

[CSMonkeh]

Mercedes and Hamilton really need to take full advantage of Verstappen being at the back

Although Verstappen is very good in the wet, he can be rather impatient - Turkey last year
So long as he doesn’t take anyone out

 

[Irish_Tom]

Cheers @Shimmy.

Hamilton has to bring home 26 points this weekend. Nothing else will do, he simply can't afford to drop any more points.

 

[PikeyPriest]

I feel this is a high risk track to start from the back. Rain can give chaos (but too heavy and we have spa or 30 laps behind safety car), but I would rather be in the front 5 than the back of that pack.

Has there been any word on Mercedes taking a penalty for an engine? I heard talk last week they might mirror RB, but it seems a high risk strategy with the weather.