Poll: Russian Grand Prix 2021, Sochi - Race 15

[GravyMonster]

Interesting little graphic showing the big winners and losers from the final rain shower:

 

[Kautya]

A very entertaining last 10 laps and a Hamilton win I have to wonder if and when Hamilton has to take a grid penalty for a new power unit, that he will have as much luck as Verstappen did towards the end of the race. That could really flip the drivers championship again. It seemed Bottas and Verstappen where the biggest place gainers due to the rain.

I wonder if they are chancing it with the possibility of having fewer races happen due to covid than the current schedule. As otherwise taking a new engine could mean that they take a penalty for no reason. Sochi was the best track for them to take the new PU and penalty of the next few tracks and they chose not to, to maximise on Max's penalty.

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

Because <10 laps of lottery rain racing at the end doesn't make a race great. It was pretty dull until some in the top 10 decided to risk staying out on slicks instead of pitting, which caught them out in the end and gifted Max second and Lewis the win.

Did you actually watch the first half of the race?
If you're going to give this race a 2, then I can't imagine what a 5 would be for you, let alone a 10.

 

[this_is_gav]

Merc clearly have the best car? Based on what? At best I would say after Silverstone they have equal cars albeit strength in different areas. To say Merc clearly have the best car is not accurate for me

Not quite the summer break itself, but up to and including Silverstone Mercedes had a grand total of one race with a front row lockout in the first 10 races (at Portimao). In the three dry weekends since they've had two already (with Hamilton a whopping 0.4 faster than Verstappen in both cases) and in the other Hamilton qualified just a tenth behind with Bottas in 3rd. While Bottas's finishes haven't changed much in terms of results (despite knowing he was leaving), Perez's have steadily gotten worse.

Mercedes had by far and away the quickest car at Hungary and Monza and had similar pace to Verstappen at Zandvoort - Verstappen just edging it as the race went on. As I said earlier, given their record at Spa and Sochi they likely had the fastest cars there too, but again, that's just conjecture.

Three unaffected races is an admittedly small sample pool, but in every quantifiable way they had by far and away the fastest car in two of them, despite both being very different tracks.

 

[TonyLewis]

Remember guys RBR are using there 2022 spec engine this season, they pulled it forward.

Honda bring forward 2022 engine by a year for Red Bull and AlphaTauri | Formula 1®

So this is the engine they will be using next year, Merc should have a new spec for 2022.

Merc will be back in front next year.

 

[Milkyway]

Looking forward to 2022... the cars look so much cleaner, get rid of all those ugly aero add on’s.

 

[UTmaniac]

Did you actually watch the first half of the race?
If you're going to give this race a 2, then I can't imagine what a 5 would be for you, let alone a 10.

I'm not going to give 5+ for the equivalent of pro footballers using beach balls in high winds to score silly goals.

 

[this_is_gav]

For me a race doesn't have to have tons of overtaking to be great, especially since DRS was introduced. It has to feel exciting, not knowing who is going to win or what is going to happen. Hungary 1998 is probably the best example of a race itself not being great but still putting you on the edge of your seat. Monaco qualifying for me is one of the best sessions of the year.

The first 2/3 of Sunday's race was certainly exciting. You didn't have much overtaking, but you could sense it was building to a crescendo even before the rain was forecast. The added excitement and uncertainty of the rain at the end was enough to jump from an 8 or 9 to a 10.

 

[Scam]

As a McLaren fan, having fun at the moment

With Lando and Daniel driving for them I don't see how anyone can dislike McLaren right now. Except maybe for Zak Brown who honestly just looks like a sex pest. My girlfriend can't even look when he's on TV

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

I'm not going to give 5+ for the equivalent of pro footballers using beach balls in high winds to score silly goals.

So most, or all, modern F1 races should automatically be a 2/1 for you I guess.
Alonso’s driving did nothing for you? Norris in the first half too?

People can have different opinions, but rating this one a 2 seems like someone saying "look at me, I’m different".

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Looking forward to 2022... the cars look so much cleaner, get rid of all those ugly aero add on’s.

I think you're looking at the generic 2022 launch car and making big assumptions. Once the teams launch their cars and dissect the rules you'll see innovations, winglets and holes etc.

 

[SKILL]

Well, maybe not at launch...

 

[GR63]

I went for a 7. The rain added entertainment and chaos at the end, but it was all a bit luck of the draw to me. Before that, the race was more tactically interesting that we usually see from Sochi but still not the most riveting affair.

Lewis drove a great race after fluffing his start. I was frustrated at his failure to pass early, but it was clear as things panned out that he'd decided to protect his tyres and go long. It was a solid strategy, but I doubt he'd have got the win without the rain. Max drove a fantastic race, but was very lucky with how the rain panned out to propel him from the low points to the podium. Lando had a great weekend, right up to the last few laps: painful for him, but still an impressive performance overall. Kimi showed there's life in the old dog yet, once again excelling in tricky conditions.

Russell continues to perform vastly above where his machinery should put him. He may even pass Tsunoda in the points before the end of the season at this race.

Bottas and Perez both had poor weekends.

I think so re Russell but Lord Max says "the car isnt that bad" or words to effect.. methinks Max doesnt like competition for the "greatest" tags