The Sochi Autodrome only knows one winner: Mercedes. The 2019 World Cup, a single sovereign: Lewis Hamilton. This insurmountable team-pilot society is successful even in situations as extreme as the one experienced this Sunday at the Russian GP, ​​where the equator was crossed, the Ferrari double was taken for granted. The 1-2, however, went to the Silver Arrows , blessed by the gods of the engine and the breakdown of Sebastian Vettel.

Carlos Sainz started fifth and finished sixth, thanks to his strict punctuality with serious things, which are what have characterized his career as a pilot. Without taking unnecessary risks in the early stages, leaving room for Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Hamilton himself, the McLaren leader confirmed Saturday's good omens. Too bad Alexander Albon frustrated the absolute joy five turns of the checkered flag. The wreck of the Renault, added to the eighth position of Lando Norris, further rounded the issue for the people of Woking.

In fact, only Mercedes treasured even more reasons to feel fully satisfied. The great reference of the turbohybrid era returned for its privileges with its eighth double of the course, the first from Silverstone, back in July. Hamilton increases his margin over Leclerc to 107 points and 110 over Verstappen. His sixth coronation ceremony only requires accuracy on the site and date.

A sunny Sunday on the shores of the Black Sea, with 35ºC on the asphalt, where the average Hamilton and Bottas tires did not react at the exit. This was intended to take advantage of Sainz, installed to rebuild the leader of the World Cup, first and behind Bottas later. Behind, an ugly maneuver by Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) at the exit of curve 3 eliminated Romain Grosjean (Haas) and Daniel Ricciardo (Renault) at a stroke and forced the entry of the safety car .

Yield the position

The Ferrari, like Spa, Monza and Singapore, soon showed the superiority of their engine, but also showed, with the impunity of their radio conversations, all their intimacies. In public light the miseries of a mutineer Vettel and the forced phlegm of Leclerc. They had warned the four-time champion to give up the job, but they also urged the Monegasque to get closer to overtaking. From that tug of war, after a flash of fire, he found out about the pointer. Seb did not lift his foot and Charles took his domain.

On lap 21, Mattia Binotto pitched Leclerc to mount the yellow tires. The opposite strategy of Mercedes, which had to endure as much as possible before putting the soft rubber. "It seems that there is not much degradation," Hamilton said. In the meantime, Maranello's new idol was squeezing thoroughly, to convince his people that he deserved the leadership his partner denied him.

The leader was ahead of Hamilton in five seconds when he changed his shoes on lap 26. The only thing that had to be done then was to order the red 1-2 in a damn way. Or so it seemed. Because three turns later, Vettel's MGU-K, the electric motor of the power unit, completely collapsed. Vettel's melancholy lament deserves a place in the little history of this championship: "Bring us back the fucking V12 engines."

Decisive 'virtual safety car'

He had left the SF-90 in turn 15, so Michael Masi, race director, stipulated the virtual security car. Immediately, Toto Wolff took advantage of the situation to take to the assault what until then seemed a distant chimera. After that stop, a breakdown in the brakes of George Russell sent the Williams against the protections of the curve 8. Another safety car . And another extra stop for Leclerc.

In the blink of an eye, the big favorite to victory was seen behind the Silver Arrows . The strict order to Bottas, that would exercise like dam of containment before Leclerc, impotent even with the DRS at the end of straight. Hamilton was going to allow even the quick-spin bonus license.

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  • sports
  • Formula 1
  • Ferrari
  • Sebastian Vettel
  • Romain Grosjean
  • Valtteri Bottas
  • Williams
  • Daniel Ricciardo
  • Lewis Hamilton
  • Max Verstappen
  • Carlos Sainz Jr

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