* Norris was leading the race, the storm left and he got lost
The process of Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix had a deserved winner like Lando norris (McLaren). But it was in the turn 47 when construction fell apart for the McLaren driver: a storm suddenly hit the Sochi Autodrome with only six laps to go and everything suddenly changed.
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) He was the great beneficiary of that rain, since he was the winner and reached his 100 victories in the Maximum, beyond taking over the top of the current tournament. But he also smiled with climate change a Max verstappen (Red Bull) that started at the last grid placement and marched for the seventh place when the first drops were announced: he was second.
Until the rain hit the circuit Norris had done everything right: he had started from pole positions and, although he lost his place with Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) in the beginning, quickly regained the lead of the race. He made his stop at the 29th turn when he put on hard tires to get to the end of the competition. The quick stop allowed him to return to the track in fourth position and those who preceded him had not yet completed their entry into the pits.
The 21-year-old Briton resumed command and Hamilton was left behind. In the last 15 rounds, Lewis began to close the gap to Lando: Hamilton was trying to lower the second away to activate the DRS. Neither expected what would come next. The excitement grew as Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) reported by radio that drops began to fall on one of the curves.
In the absence of six turns, a few drops began to fall in the Russian circuit and Norris was able to maintain the first position despite the fact that one of the curves was passed. But the light drizzle turned into a powerful rain and on lap 48 the Mercedes team called him to Hamilton to change the tires for a wet floor compound, but the sevenfold world champion did not enter. From the race control, they decided to deactivate the DRS because of how dangerous the track was.
While Norris held on to the track, Hamiltón abided by his team’s command on lap 50 and that would be the key to his triumph. He put on intermediate rain tires and returned to 25 seconds away from McLaren driver, who was also warned from his box that he had to stop to change tires because the water was already seriously affecting his handling possibilities. Norris noticeably slowed down and showed difficulties to stay on the track, despite that he bet to stay the last three laps as the leader. Was wrong.
Hamilton began to close the gap with Norris, who was left with dry tires and lost grip on his car due to the water that accumulated on the track. A turn later, Lando was thrown off track and Lewis captured the lead.. The McLaren racer went from first to eighth, but on the last lap he advanced one position and finished seventh.
The context was chaotic with the wet track with several drivers entering the pits where the traffic was incessant. Of course, getting there was an odyssey for the runners trying to stay on the asphalt as they could. Others also ended up against defenses like Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), who nevertheless was able to complete the race (11th).
* The summary of the exciting race
As a reference to the madness that was experienced in the last rounds, in the 44th turn – when George Russell reported that the first drops fell – the first ten positions were: Landau Norris (1), Lewis Hamilton (2), Carlos Sainz (3), Daniel Ricciardo (4), Sergio Pérez (5), Fernando Alonso (6), Max Verstappen (7), Lance Stroll (8), Charles Leclerc ( 9) and George Russell (10).
When everyone crossed the finish line there were multiple changes of positions in the top ten: Hamilton (1), Verstappen (2), Sainz (3), Ricciardo (4), Bottas (5), Alonso (6), Norris (7), Raikkonen (8), Pérez (9) and Russell (10) .
Without a doubt, the most benefited was Verstappen who started last due to engine change penalty And although he advanced to seventh place, the incidents at the end allowed him to win another five places (he advanced 18 in total), something fundamental thinking about the championship and although he lost command, it was only two units from Hamilton.
There are seven dates left to finish the season and each point is worth gold. The same strategies and making the right decision at the right time. Hamilton can attest to this, who ended up obeying his team’s call to change tires and earned him his hundredth victory in the Máxima.
KEEP READING