Bottas wins Russian Grand Prix, Hamilton misses record

Valtteri Bottas, who also claimed the bonus point for fastest lap, said he wanted to thank his critics after ending a run of eight races without a win.

Published : Sep 27, 2020 20:11 IST , Sochi

Valtteri Bottas also claimed the bonus point for fastest lap on Sunday.
Valtteri Bottas also claimed the bonus point for fastest lap on Sunday.
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Valtteri Bottas also claimed the bonus point for fastest lap on Sunday.

Valtteri Bottas won the Russian Grand Prix on Sunday after his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton’s race was ruined by penalties, in front of the largest crowd of the pandemic-hit season.

"Where’s that in the rule book?” he asked the team, and called the situation “ridiculous.”

Bottas, who also claimed the bonus point for fastest lap, said he wanted to “thank my critics” after ending a run of eight races without a win despite having, with Hamilton, by far the fastest car.

Two first-lap crashes brought out the safety car as McLaren’s Carlos Sainz clipped a barrier while trying to rejoin the track from a run-off area and Lance Stroll’s Racing Point span into a barrier after contact with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

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Sergio Perez was fourth for Racing Point in his best placing of the season, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo for Renault. Leclerc finished sixth, Ferrari’s best placing for seven races in one of the Italian team’s worst-ever seasons. His teammate Sebastian Vettel trailed in 13th after a crash in qualifying.

Esteban Ocon came seventh for Renault ahead of the two Alpha Tauri cars of home racer Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly. Alexander Albon couldn’t follow up his third-place finish at the last race at Mugello and was 10th in the second Red Bull. Albon has finished behind his teammate Verstappen every time they have both completed a race.

Russia allowed larger crowds than at any other round of the F1 season to date. Fans wore masks in stands filled to around half of normal capacity. Final attendance figures weren’t immediately available, but Russian media reported around 30,000 spectators were expected over the race weekend.

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