Grand Prix 2017 Russia Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

As the Formula One circus shakes the Bahraini sand from it's shoes it heads to Russia for the 6th running of the Russian Grand Prix. Held for the last 3 years on the streets of Sochi the circuit wends it's way around the 5.9Km long Sochi Autodrom which was built as part of the 2014 Winter Olympic Park.

The last 3 Grand Prix around this circuit have all been won by a Mercedes driver with Lewis Hamilton scoring two wins with Nico Rosberg climbing the podium as victor last year.

However, it appears that the stranglehold Mercedes have had on the Championship over the last few seasons may be being loosened in the guise of Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari with the German taking two wins this season. Some could argue that for a duff strategy call and a penalty in Bahrain that Hamilton could be leading, but, in a sport where the margins are so fine on such events are championships won and lost. Vettel will be hoping for a better race than last year where he was unceremoniously punted off the track at turn 2.

Behind Hamilton and Vettel we have the Finns of Bottas and Raikkonen, Bottas may be disappointed that he couldn't convert his maiden pole position in Bahrain into his first win and if recent reports are to be believed team orders may come into play in the future races. Kimi was just disappointed that they'd run out of Tutti-Frutti ice cream.

Behind the German and Italian national teams we have the Fizzy Pop boys of Red Bull, Verstappen had a cracking drive in China but his adventures in the desert were cut short by brake failure, Will we see a blistering drive from the young Dutchman to make up for this disappointment?

Behind the top 3 teams there's a ding dong of a midfield battle with Williams, Force India, Torro Rosso and Haas all battling it out for points.

Rumour has it that Fernando Alonso will be driving a Communist era Trabant around the Russian track as "it'll be faster than this **^%$3**%%$~* Honda"

The tyres for Sochi are the Ultra soft, supersoft and soft compounds and judging by how the new formulation of rubber has been hanging on so far this season we may well a one stop race for the front runners with other teams taking a gamble on more stops and fresher rubber towards the end of the race.

Let battle commence!

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Well, let's see if I'm a bit psychic. No, not psychic. I mean prescient.

I dreamt about the GP the other day. Dreamt Vettel retired from the lead because of some sort of tyre issue.

If that comes to pass that'll be well spooky.
 
Don't know mate, the camera stayed with Vettel and didn't show the rest of the race after his retirement. Followed him getting changed and driving away in a convertible with four or five girlfriends. :D

Funny the random things one dreams about....
 
im kind of opposite to the new guy hambags im enjoying that for 1st time we have a 50/50 battle for 1st time in near on a decade. as i mentioned it on youbet thread. going into Russia i cant say who is going to win this race because lewis & vettel if both drive to there maximum could both win, whereas as i said near on a decade, it always been 1 drivers to lose
2014 - 16 lewis, mid 09 - 13 Vettel & early 09 Button, as if were on it they were unbeatable

& if the rumours are to be believed thats only going to get better when Red Bull bring their B Spec chassis, to compensate for the trick suspension they lost at the 2nd test. so could have 4 going for the races including the most exiticing driver since lewis in 2008
 
F1Brits_90 - we had a 50/50 battle last year.

I think you prob mean between two teams.

Im probally going to be controversial here but all 3 years of it i couldnt get into the lewis nico rivallery ok there was a few he won on absoulte pace but majority was because lewis had a problem personal or mechincical. As nico only took it abu dhabi in 2014 because of 3 month long horrendus run of bad luck between monaco & spa. 2016 the same lewis or his car kept letting it down until monaco

Really 9/10 on level playing field lewis would always wipe the floor with nico
 
I Don't think you can get more 50/50 on a championship than last season if I'm honest. It was always about who was on the best form on the day. Yes if both were on top form Lewis was better but it didn't work out like that. That's what F1 is about.
 
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