MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2018 16 Hami wins after team order to overtake and then defended five races remaining. itive pace before Bottas pitted Victory sealed in him from attack by title rival “It’s actually quite a difficult for fresh tyres after lap 12, re- • of Ferrari. day,” said Hamilton. “Valtteri joining fifth behind Verstappen. ‘Strangest day of Russia after Mercedes Russian President Vladimir did a fantastic job all weekend Hamilton took over as lead- order Bottas to Putin, who sat next to former and was an absolute gentleman er, but stayed out when Vettel let Briton pass F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to let me by... I can understand pitted one lap later. He came in my career’, says after a late arrival at the Sochi how difficult it is for him.” on lap 14 and, with his title rival Vettel finishes third Autodrom, saw the Briton make Bottas was understandably enjoying a rapid lap, emerged victorious Hamilton • the most of Mercedes’ strategy brief. “Good result for us as a to re-join the fray behind his as Hamilton extends and a thrilling passing move on team, but as everyone saw it was Ferrari. AFP | Sochi lead to 50 points Vettel. a difficult race,” he said. “How did that happen?” Bottas had started on pole and Kimi Raikkonen finished asked Hamilton on team radio. downcast Lewis Ham- AFP | Sochi was unhappy at being asked to fourth for Ferrari ahead of Red Irked, the Briton chased Vet- Ailton said his victory in obey team orders that deprived Bull’s Max Verstappen who tel down. He challenged to pass yesterday’s Russian Grand I want to win him of a possible victory as he marked his 21st birthday with a on the inside, but the German Prix aided by Mercedes team the right way. As sheepish Lewis Ham- finished 2.545 seconds behind rousing drive, including a spell closed the door, forcing Hamil- orders was “the strangest racing drivers, ilton increased his lead Hamilton, who looked uncom- as race leader, from 19th on the ton to ease off and avoid hitting day” of his career. we exist to win. Ain this year’s drivers’ fortable at the situation after grid. a wall. While title rival Sebas- If you tell us we world championship to 50 the race. Renault-bound driv- Unperturbed, Hamilton at- tian Vettel of Ferrari said it can’t win, it’s points when he claimed an ac- Vettel finished third and the er Daniel Ricciardo and Fer- tacked again. He gathered mo- had been a “no brainer” for complished victory, aided by German saw Hamilton extend rari-bound of mentum through Turn Three Mercedes to order Valtteri taking our air Mercedes team tactics, in yes- his lead over him in the stand- Sauber filled the next places. and swooped to pass Vet- Bottas to allow Hamilton to away, it’s taking terday’s Russian Grand Prix. ings. Kevin Magnussen finished tel on the inside at win and increase his cham- our life away. The defending four-time It was Hamilton’s third win in eighth for Haas ahead of the next turn. pionship lead to 50 points, It’s not how I champion, who started sec - Russia, his fifth in six races and job-hunting Frenchman Este- This lifted him Mercedes were left squirm- want to win the 70th of his career, confirm- ban Ocon and his Force India to fourth behind ond on the grid, was helped ing with embarrassment. by Mercedes team-mate Valt- ing he has the momentum to team-mate Sergio Perez. Raikkonen and “It’s honestly the strangest teri Bottas, who allowed him clinch a fifth title triumph with Verstappen, day I can remember having ‘Difficult day’ who had not in the sport in my career,” Mercedes team chief Toto stopped, and said Hamilton, the reigning Wolff left the luckless Bottas Bottas. When Rai- world champion. tant to acknowledge Valtteri, with no choice, but he tried to kkonen pitted, the “I remember we’ve who was the absolute gen- comfort the Finn afterwards. Dutch birthday crossed the situation before tleman. We have to embrace “Valtteri, this is Toto – a diffi- boy took over and I’ve always felt super the moment still, but it’s the cult day for you, difficult for us as leader. uncomfortable. win on my list of wins that – let’s get together and discuss “I want to win I’m least proud of. it later,” Wolff said. the right way. “There’s not many team- Hamilton’s win lifted him to As racing driv- mates who would do some- 306 points in the championship ers, we exist thing like that.” ahead of Vettel on 256, Bottas to win. If you Hamilton made clear that on 189 and Raikkonen on 186. tell us we he did not ask for any assis- After light rain, it was over- can’t win, it’s tance from Bottas. cast but warm and when taking our “Passing him did not feel the race started and Bottas air away, it’s good and I didn’t know what made the most of his second taking our was planned for the end - I pole of the year to pull clear life away. was waiting for some news while Vettel, in the Finn’s It’s not how or something, but I knew slipstream, challenged I want to the team wanted it to end Hamilton for second. win. that way.” The Briton resisted and, “The Bottas’ obedience was ac- when Bottas pulled across team took knowledged by Mercedes to deprive Vettel, he took the decision. team chief Toto Wolff, who the slipstream to seize sec- There are made the decision. ond again and draw close to stronger heads “Valtteri is such a tremen- his team-mate round Turn in the team who dous team player,” he said. Two. say we have to “Lewis was far back and we Bottas held on to the lead win and there told them to switch and he ahead of Hamilton and Vettel are those of us did it immediately.” Russian President Vladimir Putin applauds in front of winner Mercedes’ British as the order settled. who are racers Wolff had made the deci- driver Lewis Hamilton, second placed Mercedes’ Finnish driver The front-runners were soon Lewis and emotional sion to protect Hamilton’s and third placed Ferrari’s German driver Sebastian Vettel during the podium joined by Verstappen who rev- Hamilton about it. title bid, but admitted he was ceremon elled in his Red Bull’s compet- “It’s impor- uncomfortable.

Piece of cake as Verstappen Russia plans to Vettel ‘did not see’ Hamilton create its own F1 marks 21st birthday with Sochi team AFP | Sochi rejected the chance to taste a during mid-race battle birthday cake baked for him AFP | Sochi ax Verstappen marked before the race. AFP | Sochi Mhis 21st birthday yester- “I think I will have some ussia is planning to cre- day with a memorable drive now, though,” he said, once the Rate a team, ebastian Vettel admitted he from 19th on the grid to finish race, won by Mercedes’ world deputy Prime Minister Sdid not see Lewis Hamilton fifth for Red Bull in the Rus- champion Lewis Hamilton, Dmitry Kozak told report- in his Ferrari mirrors when the sian Grand Prix. was over. ers at Russian Grand Prix. pair battled for position during The Dutchman, who has de- Red Bull team chief Chris- Kozak said he had noted a classic mid-race scrap in yes- clared he wants to win four tian Horner praised the young the increased popularity of terday’s Russian Grand Prix. world titles in the future, said prodigy, who had the longest motor racing in Russia and The four-time champion Ger- he felt happy spell as race the growing interest in For- man was accused of performing with not only leader, for his mula One in particular. a double-defensive move by the his result, but maturity. “I know there are many Mercedes driver as he blocked also the style “It was a lovers of motor sports in Hamilton to stop him passing. of his charge My goal was always pity he had to Russia and also wealthy “I didn’t see him and I wasn’t through the to be P5, but (with) stop, but it was businessmen who are ready sure where he was,” said Vettel, field at the So- the way in which we mandatory,” he to invest in the creation of who finished third behind the chi Autodrom. did it today, I can be said referring a Russian F1 team,” Kozak triumphant Hamilton and his Ferrari’s German driver Sebastian Vettel steers his car during Russian GP “My goal was to Verstap - told Tass. Mercedes team-mate Valtteri always to be P5, very pleased. But I pen’’s late pit He added that he had Bottas. me in the wall. on the inside. but (with) the was not sure about it stop for new met potential partners at “I saw he was on the outside “I thought it was a dou - “I think everyone had the way in which before the race tyres when he the Sochi Autodrom, where and I needed to give him room ble-move, but the race stewards same pace, but we managed the we did it today, MAX VERSTAPPEN was leading the defending champion Lew- even if I didn’t want to – so it didn’t see it that way.” tyres differently,” said Vettel. I can be very field. is Hamilton triumphed for was fair, it remained fair, but A stewards’ investigation de- “I tried to put pressure on pleased,” he “We had a Mercedes in the race. he got past...” cided the tussle was a normal Valtteri, when I was behind, said. “But I was not sure about car that was very good on its Kozak said the presence Hamilton had complained racing incident and no further but I couldn’t get close enough, it before the race.” tyres,” said Horner. of Russian driver Sergey that the move was not fair. action was needed. and then, when he backed off Verstappen started at the “There was no sign of any Sirotkin, of Williams, and “Ultimately, for me, he did Hamilton reacted to the in- and lost 1.5 seconds, I had a back of the grid after picking blistering on the soft tyres and backing of Russian financial move over to the inside and cident with another on-track tiny lock-up and Lewis had new up penalties for engine rules it would have been nice to start institution SMP had been moved again and he nearly put attack that saw him swoop by tyres...Mine were only a lap old. infringements and said he had in normal grid positions.” important.