Russian GP: Single point for Williams Racing

Qualifying had see the Williams Racing Team achieve the amazing result of having one of their cars third on the grid with George Russell. Unfortunately for the other car of Nicholas Latifi he had been forced to take a power unit change that would see him start from 18th. Very different strategies for the two drivers. On pole was Norris followed by Sainz, George , Hamilton, Ricciardo, Alonso, Stroll, Perez, Ocon and Vettel tenth. Some notable drivers who would also be starting from the rear of the grid included Bottas, Leclerc and Verstappen who had taken engine penalties. As for tyres the field would have a free choice given the fact that qualifying was done in the wet. The Williams drivers would take the medium tyre. The rest of the top ten were on the same tyre except Alonso and Perez who were on the hard. of the rest of the field Gasly, Bottas, Giovinazzi, Leclerc, Verstappen were all on teh hard and the rest on the medium. rain was expected in the race.

The grid would complete the parade lap and with the start it would be Sainz leading from Norris and George. Nicholas was now in 16th behind Bottas. Stroll was fourth followed by Ricciardo, Alonso, Hamilton and Perez. Hamilton would pass Alonso for sixth as Sainz continued to lead. Nicholas was now 17th having been passed by Verstappen. Leclerc was now in 12th behind Vettel as George continued to hold his position in third. Verstappen would pass Bottas for 14th clearing that one obstacle to his forward movement. He would pass Gasly for 13th to now be behind Leclerc.

At the front Sainz continued to lead from Norris and George with ten laps completed. Verstappen would pass Leclerc now in 12th behind Vettel. On lap fourteen Stroll would pit taking the hard and returning in 15th. Norris would finally pass Sainz for the lead as George pitted. He would return in 15th but behind Stroll. Nicholas would also pit now in 19th and also on the hard tyre. Sainz would pit on lap sixteen taking the hard and returning in 13th ahead of Stroll. More drivers would start to pit including Ocon and Raikkonen. Norris continued to lead from Ricciardo and Hamilton. Perez was now fourth followed by Alonso, Verstappen, Leclerc, Vettel, Gasly, and Bottas tenth.

George had now moved up to be 13th but unfortunately behind Stroll. Lap twenty four and Ricciardo would pit but it was a slow pit stop seeing him return in 14th behind Ocon. George was now in 12th still behind Stroll. Nicholas was now 17th as Norris continued to lead from Hamilton and Perez. None of these drivers had yet to pit to change tyres. Alonso, Verstappen, Leclerc, and Vettel, Gasly and Bottas in ninth had also yet to pit. Hamilton and Verstappen would both pit on lap twenty eight with the pair both taking the medium tyre. Vettel had also come in changing to the hard tyre. Norris continued to lead from Perez, Alonso, Leclerc, Gasly, Sainz, Bottas, Stroll, Hamilton, and Ricciardo. George was now 11th while Nicholas was now 17th.

George would lose his place to Verstappen now running in 12th. Norris and Bottas would both pit with Norris now on the hard and Bottas the medium. Norris was now fourth ahead of Alonso and Leclerc. Norris was now fourth ahead of Gasly. George would recover his 11th position with thirty laps completed. Hamilton would move past Gasly for fifth while Ricciardo and Verstappen had both passed Stroll. Hamilton was now behind Norris as he started to close the gap to what was effectively the race leader. Schumacher would retire his car in his pits on lap thirty five. Gasly would pit seeing George now 10th and Gasly returning in 16th on the medium tyre. Hamilton would pass Leclerc to again be behind Norris. Leclerc would pit switching to the medium tyre returning in thirteenth. George was now ninth as we saw Perez and Alonso pit.

Perez would return in fifth and Alonso seventh. Norris was now leading ahead of Hamilton, Sainz, Ricciardo, Perez, Alonso, Verstappen, Stroll, George, and Ocon tenth. Nicholas was now 16th in a lonely race. Lap forty two and Norris continued to hold a 1.6s gap over Hamilton and then Sainz. Ricciardo was fourth followed by Perez, Alonso, Verstappen, Stroll, Leclerc and George now in tenth having been passed by the Ferrari. George would be on his radio saying that there were spots of rain. Leclerc would pass Stroll for eighth using his newer medium tyres. Perez was able to pass Ricciardo for fourth as rain started to fall. Lap forty eight and the rain was now heavy and Norris would run wide seeing Hamilton continue to close. Vettel had now passed George for tenth seeing the Williams 11th. It was now becoming very tricky as the leaders continued to struggle. George would pit taking the gamble to switch to intermediates. This would see George now 14th.

More drivers were pitting as the rain continued to fall. Next would be Hamilton as Norris continued to lead with three laps remaining. Nicholas would be listed as retired while George was now 13th but he would pass Ocon to now be 12th as we saw heavy rain continued to fall. But it would go wrong for Norris and he would slide off losing the lead and he would be forced to pit. With more pits tops George would recover to be tenth. On the final lap Norris would be forced to pit seeing the order now Hamilton, Verstappen, Sainz, Ricciardo, Bottas, Alonso, Raikkonen, Norris, Perez and George. Norris would make the mistake of crossing the pit entry line so a penalty may be on the cards. Hamilton would complete the final lap taking victory and making it a 100 race victories. The order would remain the same with Verstappen second followed by Sainz, Ricciardo, Bottas, Alonso, Norris, Raikkonen, Perez and the Williams of George finishing in tenth bringing a single point for Williams.