Sochi (Russia) (AFP)

Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) won the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi on Sunday, ahead of Max Verstappen (Red Bull), while Lewis Hamilton, third in the other Black Arrow, will have to wait to equal Michael's winning record (91) Schumacher.

The Briton was in a day without.

He first received two penalties of five seconds, validated by the marshals at the start of the race, for having trained at the start, twice, at a place deemed dangerous and above all unauthorized in the pit lane, before leaving.

Very annoyed at having made this rookie mistake, at his 259th F1 GP, he first reacted by asking, on the radio, where this point of detail was in the regulations.

His race wasted, he also asked his engineer not to give him any more information on the race after having criticized him for having stopped it too early to change tires.

"It was not a good day, that's how it is. Spassiba (thank you) to all the fans," said the six-time world champion after the arrival.

- See you at the Nürburgring -

To equal the record of victories of "Schumi", Hamilton will have to wait for the next GP of the Eifel, scheduled for October 11 in Germany, on the Nürburgring circuit, and therefore on the land of the seven-time world champion.

In the meantime, Hamilton retains the controls of the world championship, with 44 points ahead - his lucky number - over his Finnish teammate, victorious for the second time this season, and the ninth of his career in F1.

For the anecdote, Mercedes remains undefeated on the circuit laid out in the Olympic Park of the 2014 Winter Games. And for fans of improbable suspense, Hamilton is only 77 points ahead of Verstappen, only 3rd in the drivers' championship. .

Behind the leading trio, Sergio Pérez managed a solid race that ended with a nice 4th place, while he will leave Racing Point at the end of the season, replaced by Sebastian Vettel, and that he still does not have a steering wheel for 2021.

At Renault, Daniel Ricciardo, also hit with a five-second penalty for overshooting the limits of the track while exchanging his position with his teammate Esteban Ocon, finished fifth.

What still bring points to Renault F1, which will become Alpine F1 next year.

In the constructors' standings, the Franco-English team remains fifth with 99 points, very close to McLaren (106) and Racing Point (104), and especially ahead of Ferrari (74).

At the heart of a good fight in the middle of the table, Ocon finally ranked seventh, just behind Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) who saved appearances for the Scuderia.

As often in 2020.

© 2020 AFP