Despite having extended his Formula 1 championship lead to 50 points with victory in the Russian Grand Prix, Sunday was an awkward day for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes.
His team-mate Valtteri Bottas returned to the circuit at which he earned his first career win last season and quickly demonstrated just why he’s considered a Sochi Autodrom specialist.
Pole position on Saturday was met with a great launch off the line. Bottas led the race and despite briefly losing out to title rival Sebastian Vettel during the pitstop window, Hamilton was running in second place.
Mercedes elected to switch the positions, with Bottas being ordered to move aside to allow Hamilton to win the race and bag an extra seven points over Vettel.
The “gentlemanly” Bottas duly let Hamilton through, losing out on what looked like a certain race victory. Hamilton’s 70th career win is no doubt one of his most uncomfortable, albeit he leaves Russia with a mammoth points advantage which is beginning to look unassailable.
Here are the DRIVER RATINGS for the 2018 Russian Grand Prix.
