'Battle for P3 in the championship just as fierce as duel for title'

The Russian Grand Prix was a painful race for Lando Norris. The McLaren driver was in the lead at the end of the race, but the rain meant that Lewis Hamilton eventually took the win.

"I felt sorry for Lando Norris who drove brilliantly all weekend, grabbed pole position in difficult conditions and dominated the race until the rain arrived. After finishing 2nd to McLaren teammate Daniel Ricciardo in Italy you could really sense his determination and focus on getting the win in Sochi. No one should blame him for making the decision to try and keep his lead when the rain started to fall", Hakkinen says on Unibet.

The rain gave Hamilton the perfect opportunity to take victory. At the start of the race, he was stuck behind Ricciardo. "Hamilton showed another important quality in the race - patience. It’s a quality you learn over time, particularly when you have confidence in yourself, your car and the team. You learn to focus on simply driving your best strategy, allowing the race to come to you", says Hakkinen.

Carlos Sainz's P3 ensures Ferrari stay close to McLaren in the battle for third place in the constructors' championship. "I have the sense that McLaren now have the consistently faster car, but their battle for 3rd is just as tight as the duel between Mercedes and Red Bull Racing for the World Championship title."