2016 Russian GP - ROSBERG WINS AGAIN

Nico Rosberg kept up his perfect start to the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship season with an emphatic win in the Russian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in third.

While the race surrendered itself to Rosberg from the moment the lights went out, for his erstwhile title rivals Hamilton and Vettel, it was less straight forward to say the least. Already shackled by having to start the race in 10th, Hamilton drove superbly through the carnage of the opening lap and his mid-race pace suggested he may, just may have been able to chase down Rosberg and battle for the win before another technical problem with his Mercedes saw the Briton drop away from the eventual race winner. Sebastian Vettel on the other hand, could only manage three corners of the opening lap before he was harpooned into the barriers and out of the race – courtesy of Danni Kvyat’s over exuberance once again. It was a controversial collision to say the least which saw the red Bull driver make a decent get away but then under braking for turn two, he locked the right front and rammed Vettel’s Ferrari who in turn hit Daniel Ricciardo in the other Red Bull. All three were able to continue but rounding the left hander on the run down to turn three, Vettel had to lift slightly and with that, Kvyat cascaded into the German who was out on the spot.

There were other casualties further back who also decided to ensure their races were as short as possible as Nico Hulkenberg was spun into retirement by Esteban Gutierrez – who was also given a drive-thru penalty– with Rio Haryanto also out immediately in the Manor. With debris now littering the first sector of the lap, the safety car was deployed and with it came pit stops for Kvyat, Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez and Marcus Ericsson who all required repairs following their involvement in the opening incidents.

Up front, Rosberg led from Kimi Raikkonen, Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa and Hamilton, who for the first time this year avoided getting himself involved in such opening skirmishes by going wide around T2 and re-joining in a strong fifth position.

With the safety car entering the pits and the green flag waving, the defending champion soon began his move up the order - passing the Williams of Massa just as Bottas nipped inside a sleeping Raikkonen around the same turn for second place. As his rivals battled away for track position, Rosberg ended the first full racing lap with a comfortable three second advantage which would continue to grow over the next several laps.

Like a man possessed, Hamilton continued his charge – disposing of Raikkonen lap seven yet had to wait for the first round of pitstops on lap 16 and 17 to clear Bottas. Now some twelve seconds adrift of his team mate, Hamilton began to charge and the prospect of a tantalising fight between the two rivals looked set. Setting fastest lap after fastest lap, the #44 car was able to whittle Rosberg’s lead to 7.5s but it was at this moment his race engineer radioed in to inform the Briton that all was not well with the water pressure in his W07 machine and thus all hopes for a win were gone.

Now consigned to the fact that he would be nursing his car to the end, Hamilton conceded defeat and let Rosberg disappear into the distance – second place does after all, pay more points than a DNF…

With his teammates car now limping, Rosberg was left to complete yet another comfortable victory by 25 seconds – his fourth maximum score of the season which now leaves him 43 points clear of Hamilton.

Although the battle at the front was all but over, furher back there was action a plenty with Raikkonen getting the jump on Bottas through the pit-stop,on his way to third place and a second podium finish of the year. It was however a lonely race for the Finn who finished over thirty seconds off the race winner.

Leading the mid-field pack, the Williams pair of Bottas and Massa picked up a basket full of points for the Grove concern but it was telling that the Brazilian and Finn were the only other drivers in the field not to be lapped by Rosberg.

Also managing to avoid the melee of the opening lap, Fernando Alonso, Kevin Magnussen, Romain Grosjean, Sergio Perez and Jenson Button rounded out the top ten. For both Renault and McLaren it was a good race compared to recent form but they still have some way to go to be battling for race victories. Come to think of it, so does everyone not driving a Mercedes…

Full race results for round 4 of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship (F1), the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom.

1. Nico RosbergGER Mercedes-Mercedes 53 laps 1h 32m 41.997s

2. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes-Mercedes +25.022s

3. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari-Ferrari +31.998s

4. Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams-Mercedes +50.217s

5. Felipe Massa BRZ Williams-Mercedes +1m 14.427s

6. Fernando Alonso ESP McLaren-Honda +1 lap

7. Kevin Magnussen DEN Renault-Renault +1 lap

8. Romain Grosjean FRA Haas-Ferrari +1 lap

9. Sergio Perez MEX Force India-Mercedes +1 lap

10. Jenson Button GBR McLaren-Honda +1 lap

11. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull-Renault +1 lap