Race Notes - Hamilton wins in Sochi

Lewis Hamilton won the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi today in his Mercedes GP 5.9 seconds ahead of the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, and 28.9 seconds ahead of Sergio Perez in the Force India-Mercedes in third place.

At the start of the last lap Valtteri Bottas was in third, when Kimi Raikkonen dove down the inside of his countryman and made contact, taking Bottas out and promoting Perez up to third place.

The win is Hamiltons ninth of the season and moves him ahead of Ayrton Senna on the all-time wins list, tying him with Vettel for third with 42 wins.

Felipe Massa (38.8s) in the Williams-Mercedes takes fourth, followed by Kimi Raikkonen (42.3s), in the second Ferrari in fifth, Daniil Kvyat (47.5s) in the Red Bull-Renault in sixth, Felipe Nasr (56.5s) in the Sauber-Ferrari in seventh place, Pastor Maldonado (1m01.0s) in the Lotus-Mercedes was eighth, Jenson Button (1m19.4s) in the McLaren-Honda was ninth and his team mate Fernando Alonso finished in the final points paying position in tenth place.

Before the start the weather was looking fine, but overcast, with a 10% chance of rain during the race.

Alonso starting the race for his 250th career Grand Prix start.

The top ten starters are all on super soft with the red sidewalls. Most drivers expected to run a one-stop strategy today.

Rosberg starts on pole with his Mercedes GP team mate second. Bottas and Vettel are on the second row, with Raikkonen and Hulkenberg on the third row, Perez and Grosjean on the fourth, and Verstappen and Ricciardo rounding out the top ten on the grid.

At the appointed time the grid cleared and the field headed out for the formation lap, and lining up for the start. The lights went out, and the race started with Rosberg taking the lead from Hamilton. Raikkonen getting past Bottas for third. Hulkenberg spins with Verstappen collecting a puncture and Ericsson colliding with Hulkenberg.

Verstappen limped back to the pits for new tyres while the Safety Car is deployed.

Grosjean pits for a slow stop.

While the track is being cleared, behind the Safety Car Rosberg leads Hamilton, Raikkonen, Bottas, Vettel, Perez, Kvyat, Grosjean, Ricciardo and Button in tenth.

At the start of lap 4 the Safety Car pulls in and the race resumes. Bottas sets up Raikkonen going into turn 2 and takes back third place. Kvyat has jumped from 11th at the start up to seventh place at his home race.

Rosberg complains to the Mercedes GP team that his car has a sticky throttle pedal. The team advises him that ºit will kill on brake pressure¹. He leads Hamilton by a second.

On lap 6 Vettel passes Raikkonen into turn 2 to take fourth place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m42.888 seconds, and then passes his team mate Rosberg for the lead as he goes wide in the chicane. Rosberg with continued problems slows and then crawls back into the pits. Rosberg gets out of the car as the mechanics work to fix the car.

On lap 8 Massa chases fellow Brazilian Nasr for eighth place.

On lap 9 Maldondo passes Button for tenth place.

Mercedes tells Hamilton, ºyou are doing too good a job,¹ at saving fuel and wants the Briton to pick up his pace.

At lap 10 Hamilton leads Bottas by 3.1 seconds, followed by Raikkonen (7.3s), Vetttel (8.2s), Perez (15.7s), Kvyat (18.0s), Ricciardo (18.7s), Nasr (23.6s), Massa (24.5s) and Maldonado (26.5s) in tenth place.

On lap 11 Grosjean has an accident at turn 3 and hits the wall. The Safety Car is deployed as number of cars pit, including Perez, Ricciardo, Sainz, Button, and Alonso

Grosjean gets out of the Lotus unaided.

Hamilton complains that the Safety Car is going slowly, and that he cant keep the tyre temperature up.

At the end of lap 16 the Safety Car comes in and the race resumes. Hamilton takes the lead, Vettel makes a run at Raikkonen at turn 2, but cant take the position and Raikkonen runs wide.

Vettel then gets past Raikkonen for third place, Raikkonen complaining ""I had no speed in a straight line on the re-start - he just drove past me."

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m41.709s.

On lap 18 Ricciardo passes Sainz for tenth place.

Verstappen complains of a vibration from his Toro Rosso.

At lap 20 Hamilton leads Bottas by 4.4 seconds, followed by Vettel (7.0s), Raikkonen (9.1s), Kvyat (13.8s), Nasr (15.8s), Massa (18.9s), Perez (22.0s), Maldonado (23.6s) and Ricciardo (24.2s) in tenth place.

On lap 22 Hamilton sets fast lap with a 1m41.336s lap, as he pulls out to 7.5 seconds lead over Bottas with Vettel closing the gap to the Williams. Ricciardo closes on Maldonado in ninth.

Alonso is given a warning not to cut the apex at turn 16.

On lap 26 Sainz is given a 5-second penalty for cutting the white line on pit entry. Verstappen pits.

Bottas complains to the team that the tyres are dying. The team calls him in and he pits for soft tyres and rejoins in 11th place.

On lap 30 Bottas passes Sainz for tenth place. Vettel pits and he rejoins in sixth, ahead of Bottas. Massa and Maldonado pit as well.

Raikkonen pits the next lap and rejoins just behind Bottas in eighth.

On lap 33 Hamilton pits from the lead for soft tyres and rejoins still comfortablely in the lead.

On lap 34 Vettel passes Perez in the DRS zone to take fourth - Nasr in third still yet to stop. Kvyat pits from second place and rejoins in ninth place.

Button is complaining of gearbox troubles.

On lap 34 Nasr pits from second place for his first stop, and rejoins in 12th.

McLaren informs Alonso that he is racing Massa till the end, and he responds, ºI love your sense of humour.¹

At lap 35 Hamilton leads Vettel by 12.9 seconds, followed by Perez (18.4s), Ricciardo (19.9s), Bottas (20.6s), Raikkonen (21.3s), Sainz (23.8s), Kvyat (34.2s), Massa (37.4s), and Button (40.9s) in tenth place.

On lap 36 Raikkonen is chasing Bottas for fifth. The two battle side-by-side but Bottas keeps the position. Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m40.777s.

Massa passes Button, taking ninth place. Nasr passes Alonso for 11th.

On lap 38 Hamilton sets fast lap again at 1m40.695s.

Massa is closing on Kvyat.

On lap 41 Nasr passes Button for tenth place.

Perez runs third with Ricciardo, Bottas and Raikkonen chasing him within a few seconds,

Vettel sets fast lap at 1m40.532s.

On lap 45 Bottas passes Ricciardo for fourth place.

At lap 45 Hamilton continues to lead Vettel by 11.7 seconds, followed by Perez (26.6s), Bottas (29.5s), Ricciardo (31.0s), Raikkonen (31.5s), Massa (46.0s), Kvyat (50.2s), Sainz (54.2s) and Nasr (54.9s) in tenth place.

Raikkonen battles with Ricciardo but the Australian keeps the position.

On lap 47 Sainz has a brake failure and backs the Toro Rosso into the barriers but is out of his car.

On lap 48 Raikkonen passes Ricciardo for fifth place. Bottas chases down Perez for third.

A marshal runs across the track to pick up part of the rear wing from Sainzs car, Vettel calls out on the radio, "Okay it's clear that we have a very brave Russian running across the track.¹

On lap 50 Ricciardo says "Something has broken, suspension or something¹ and then pulls off the track.

Bottas continues to chase Perez for the final podium position. Raikkonen joins in behind Bottas.

Bottas dives down past Perez for third place at turn 13. Raikkonen follows Bottas through and chases after him.

On lap 53 Raikkonen dives down the inside of Bottas at turn 3 - the two drivers make contact, Bottas spins off into the exit of the corner his day is over, Raikkonen limps off with damage - Perez takes back third place.

Hamilton wins with Vettel second and Perez third - with Vladimir Putin handing out the trophies on the podium.