RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX

I wasn't expecting much from Russia, to be honest. In the past, it hasn't produced very exciting races, especially because there are so few places to pass on the track

But, in a happy surprise, the Russian Grand Prix was very exciting this year. My favorite moments were when Hamilton nearly didn't make it into Q3 in qualifying, thanks to Sebastian Vettel's red flag crash, but, to my disappointment, he made it to the line to start a fast lap just in time. We're convinced they waited to push the red button until Hamilton was over the line, but compared to all the F1 conspiracies we throw around, this seems like a small one.

My other favorite thing about this weekend was that Hamilton didn't win this race. Thanks to some amazing stewards, who awarded Hamilton TWO penalties for a two separate incidents before the race, Hamilton ended up getting 5 seconds for each penalty, ten seconds in total, which he had to serve in the pits. He whined about it the rest of the race.

In contrast, when Daniel Ricciardo was given a penalty, he didn't even complain. He just focused on making up the time and went forward. I really respect him for that.

I'm happy for Bottas win. Charles had another stellar race. Max got P2, in the end. And Sergio Perez finished fourth after a stellar race without the u[grades he should have, which were given to Lance Stroll instead. Lance didn't even make it one lap before crashing out. I hope that makes the paddock think about what a driver they're losing next year in Perez.

Here are my notes from the weekend...

FP1

• had a Russian dish for dinner to be festive

• Sainz has a spin into the wall and dramatically loses his back wing but starts up again right away and gets debris all over the track so virtual safety car

• Right at the same time as the Sainz spin, Kvyat has a spin too

• With about 40 minutes left, Latifi has a hard hit into the tire barrier at turn 10 and brings out the red flag and medical car for impact but he’s fine

• There’s a fire extinguisher that has a mind of its own and crofty is just like “turn it off, mate”

• Grosjean has a spin but keeps it out of the wall

• The dust on the track has caused a lot of offs and spins

• Kvyat gets in the way of Max and Pierre separately and they both cuss him out in the radio

FP2

• Bottas having problems with his steering and his hand being caught when he is turning the wheel

• Stefano Domenicali will replace Chase Carey as F1 President and CEO starting January 2021

FP3

• parasailing feature

• Sirotkin is shown as reserve driver in the Renault garage

• Crofty says there’s more of a chance of seeing Elvis walking into a bar than you do of seeing Charles on pole again this year like he was last year

• This lady has an F1 Russian nesting doll, where do I get that

• They’re talking about how Ocon has constantly been out qualified by his teammate

• Grosjean is frustrated on the radio with the car balance

• Grosjean has a spin but keeps it out of the wall

Qualifying

• in Q1, a whole load of people had their times deleted for track limits, including Hamilton

• Out in Q1: Grosjean, Gio, Kmags, Latifi and Kimi

• At the last second of Q1, George Russell jumps to P13 and makes it into Q2, whereas Latifi is down in 19 so he’s been out qualified all 10 times this season by George

• There’s a huge grey cloud looming nearby that threaten rain

• In Q2, Hamilton gets his super fast time deleted for track limits

• SEB CRASHES with 2 min 15 seconds left of the Q2 session and causes a red flag!

• When Seb crashed, Charles was behind and had to narrowly avoided Seb’s crash and Charles came on the radio swearing and reporting it was very close

• Hamilton is still in last so they don’t think he can make it out for an out lap and a fast qualifying lap

• Now Mercedes are saying they’re going to have enough time

• All the cars went out to queue up for the q2 restart and there’s 8 cars waiting at the end of the pit lane in front of Hamilton so they are not sure if they will have time

• Now they’re taking Stroll back into the garage for some reason??

• Hamilton made it to the line with one second and gets in the stupid fast lap and now we were all excited that he wouldn’t get the lap in and not make it into Q3 but then disappointment abounds and it’s the same as it always is

• Out in Q2: leclerc, Kvyat, Stroll, Russell, and then Seb because of his crash

• Hamilton, Max and then Bottas

• So proud of max for getting second!

• Great to see Perez in 4th

Race

• Albon starts with penalty for grid box change

• Hamilton under investigation for stopping in a fast part of a track for a practice start during qualifying

• Kevin gets away last on the grid for the formation lap so potential problems there

• Safety car after first lap which was really exciting, by the end of the race Stroll and Sainz are both out in separate incidents

• Sainz hit the wall hard going through the bollards where you need to return to the track

• Lance got bounced across the track and possibly hit from behind by Charles or Gasly

• The Haas have made up a lot of places and had a great start

• Lance didn’t even make it one lap even though he has all the special upgrade parts that they denied Perez

• Hamilton gets TWO SEPARATE 5 second penalties for the practice starts!! This is awesome, who are these stewards?

• Stewards say no investigation necessary for Charles and Lance because Charles left space

• Investigation on Perez for something but they say no investigation necessary

• Great racing between George, Lando and Alex at the back, very respectful

• Perez has a great pass on Daniel into fifth

• Mercedes call in Hamilton for pit stop at 14/53 but he says no and won’t go in

• 17/53 hamilton finally goes in and then serves the 10 second time penalty and is going to try and get to the end of the race on these tires

• Ocon can’t get past Vettel despite it being crucial for them

• Team orders Ocon to let Ricciardo past so Daniel can try to get past Vettel but daniel doesn’t go around the bollards right when he goes past Ocon

• Daniel immediately passes Vettel which Ocon couldn’t do all this time, putting Ocon to shame and then Daniel gets a 5 second five penalty for the bollards

• When they tell Daniel about his penalty on the radio, Daniel is totally calm and handles it so perfectly, whereas Hamilton has been complaining and whining about his own penalties thus hold time

• Grosjean takes out the styrofoam bollards when Seb tries to get past him so they pull a virtual safety car to replace the styrofoam bollards

• Fastest virtual safety car ever

• The vsc was so short that when they pit Gasly it puts him behind because they were expecting the vsc to be out longer

• Investigating Grosjean for going through bollards but no further action

• Really great scraps between Gasly, Albon and Lando in the midfield

• Bottas wins! And Max in second! Hamilton is only in third hahahah

• Alex Albon gets a time penalty for not going around the bollards

• Bottas on the radio after winning: “to my critics, to whom it may concern, eff you”

• Perez finished fourth which is awesome considering lance was out before lap one ended

• Charles drove yet another impressive race near the front while Seb was way in the back again