F1 Russian GP talking points: Heavy rain threatens another washout
Heavy rain threatens another washout
According to the current weather 🍎foreca𓂃st, heavy rain threatens to curtail this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix.
Rain is forecast on the three days of♛ running, while there’s currently a 100 per cent chance of rain on Saturday.
The Belgian Grand Prix was ultimately reduced to 🦋just two laps 𝓀behind the Safety Car before a result was declared - hopefully F1 and the FIA have learnt from this.
— Carlin (@CarlinRacing)
At least the sky is pretty even if the🌞 paddock is a tad flooded
For the first time in 2꧋021, F2 and F3 are also in action at the same weekend as F1, so it will be fascinating to see whether🐲 all the races go ahead as planned.
Will Verstappen take a new power unit?
This weekend coulꦆd be when Red Bull decides to give Verstappenꦐ a fresh power unit.
The Dutchman has a three-place grid penalty to serve for ꦅhis role in the incident with Hamilton at Monza, and we’ve seen in the past that it is possible to get through the field at the Sochi Autodrom.
Verstappen went fr𒐪om the back of the grid to finish fifth in 2018, while Alexander Albon enjoyed a similar recovery a year later.
With Mercedes likely to hold a significant performance advantage an🧜yway, it could be the right time for Red Bull.
Mercedes the favourites
Mercedes has a faultless record in Russiไa, winning every race since it was introduced to the calendar back in 2014.
Other than in 2019, Mercedes has often held a significant performance adva😼ntage over its rivals.
Hamilton has won in✃ Russia four times, while Valtteri Bottas claimed his maiden win at Sochi in 2017 before taking a second vi🃏ctory in 2020.
Sergio Perez believes Mercedes will be “hard to beat”, and🎐 given recent history, it is a fair comment to make.
The battle behind
McLaren’s 1-2 finish at the Italian Grand Pr🧸ix moved it ahead of Ferrari in the race for third in the constructor🎃s’ championship.
The battle between two of F1 legendary constructors has ebbed and flowed 🍌all season, b☂ut who will hold the balance of power in Russia?
The first sector will suit McLaren given its straight-line high-speed advantage, while Ferrari will thrive in the final two-thiꦬrds of the lap.
Lando Norris has been brilliant in wet conditions in 2021 - without hi🌠s crash at Spa in Q3, he’d likely have taken pole position.
Sochi heads towards the exit door
This weekend’s Russian G😼P will be the penultimate race at the Sochi Autodrom before it's moved to the Autodrome Igora Drive, north of St. Petersburg from 2023.
Making its debut in 2014, the races hav༒e often been uneventful, making it not a fan favourite amo♍ng fans.
The tight, twis𒁃ty secti𓂃on which ends the lap means it is difficult to follow before the long, start-finish straight.
The track surface is incredibly smooth meaning tyre d💫egradation is never a factor.
Not many people will miss Sochi besides a🌠 certain F🍬innish Mercedes driver.
With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and storylines,ꦍ Connor is the hear🐽tbeat of our unbiased reporting.
