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Sunday's summary: Hamilton and Verstappen benefit from the rain

Sunday's summary: Hamilton and Verstappen benefit from the rain

26-09-2021 21:54
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GPblog.com

The Russian Grand Prix was another race where a lot happened. Max Verstappen started from the back of the grid due to an engine change with Valtteri Bottas. Lando Norris took pole position, but just before the finish it went wrong.

Max Verstappen was unable to make up many places in the first lap, but slowly the Dutchman made his way through the midfield. It looked as if Verstappen was stuck behind the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso, but the rain eventually helped and the Red Bull Racing driver managed to secure a handsome P2.

Hamilton retakes championship lead

Things were looking good for Norris who was leading by the end of the race. Lewis Hamilton was getting closer and closer and with just a few laps to go, it started to rain. The McLaren driver decided to stay out, while Hamilton pitted for intermediates. This proved to be the right decision in the end, as Norris slid slowly down the track, losing a lot of time. Hamilton walked away with the win and takes back the lead in the championship.

Midfield performances

It seemed for a while that Carlos Sainz would not finish on the podium after his P2 in qualifying, but the Ferrari driver eventually managed to finish third. George Russell, who achieved a great P3 on Saturday, was unable to hold this position for long. He did manage to score another point for the Williams team.

Sergio Perez led for a long time due to a long stint on his tyres, but the Mexican only finished ninth. Daniel Ricciardo lost a lot of time due to a slow pit stop, but he was the perfect teammate by keeping Hamilton behind for long periods of time, allowing Norris to open up a gap. In the end, a P4 finish is not a bad performance for the Australian.