Lewis Hamilton wins 2014 Russian GP

Lewis Hamilton has won the Russian Grand Prix and in doing so has helped the works Mercedes AMG team secure its first ever constructors’ world championship. It’s Hamilton’s ninth win of the season and the second time this year he has won four races in a row. He now has 31 career grands prix victories, which puts him equal with Nigel Mansell.

For all of that though it was a boring race. The only excitment was at the approach to Turn 2 on the opening lap when Nico Rosberg overtook Hamilton for the lead, but in doing so locked up his tyres so badly that he had to pit for new rubber at the end of the lap.

In an illustration of how lifeless this race was Rosberg was then able to complete the race on the tyres he had fitted at the start of Lap 2. That enabled him to claw back every position except the lead and claim yet another Mercedes AMG 1-2 for the year (nine in total so far this season).

Valtteri Bottas continued his good form to finish P3 and ensured the Silver Arrows didn’t have it all their own way by securing the fastest lap of the race on his final tour. Jenson Button came home fourth, ahead of his teammate Kevin Magnussen.

If you’re paying attention you’ll notice the first five cars were Mercedes-powered.

Fernando Alonso was the first non-Mercedes powered driver across the line, hanging on to keep his Ferrari ahead of the Red Bull pairing of Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel. Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez rounded out the top 10.

With three races left, including the double points novelty at Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton has a 17 point lead over Rosberg and seems unstoppable for the drivers’ title. But as we all know, anything can happen in Formula 1 and it usually does.

Let’s hope that is the case, because after tonight’s Russian Grand Prix we need soemthing to wake us all up.

2014 Russian Grand Prix final placings

1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG – 53 Laps (25 pts)
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG – +13.6 secs (18 pts)
3. Valtteri Bottas Williams – +17.4 secs (15 pts)
4. Jenson Button McLaren – +30.2 secs (12 pts)
5. Kevin Magnussen McLaren – +53.6 secs (10 pts)
6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari – +60.0 secs (8 pts)
7. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing – +61.8 secs (6 pts)
8. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing – +66.1 secs (4 pts)
9. Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari – +78.8 secs (2 pts)
10. Sergio Perez Force India – +80.0 secs (1 pt)
11. Felipe Massa Williams – +80.8 secs
12. Nico Hulkenberg Force India – +81.3 secs
13. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso – +97.2 secs
14. Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso – +1 Lap
15. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber – +1 Lap
16. Adrian Sutil Sauber- – +1 Lap
17. Romain Grosjean Lotus – +1 Lap
18. Pastor Maldonado Lotus – +1 Lap
19. Marcus Ericsson Caterham – +2 Laps

Retired/Not classified
Kamui Kobayashi Caterham – +32
Max Chilton Marussia – +44 Laps

Fastest lap
Valtteri Bottas Williams – 1:40.896 (Lap 52)

Note: Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Chilton, Maldonado dropped 5 grid places for unscheduled gearbox changes. Maldonado also dropped 5 as remainder of 10-place penalty for engine change at last round

2014 F1 world championship – Drivers (Top 10)

1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG – 291
2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG – 274
3. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull – 199
4. Valtteri Bottas Williams – 145
5. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull – 143
6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari – 141
7. Jenson Button McLaren – 94
8. Nico Hulkenberg Force India – 76
9. Felipe Massa Williams – 71
10. Kevin Magnussen McLaren – 49

2014 F1 world championship – Constructors

1. Mercedes – 565
2. Red Bull Racing – 342
3. Williams-Mercedes – 216
4. Ferrari – 188
5. McLaren-Mercedes – 143
6. Force India-Mercedes – 123
7. STR-Renault – 29
8. Lotus-Renault – 8
9. Marussia-Ferrari – 2
10. Sauber-Ferrari – 0
11. Caterham-Renault – 0