Grand Prix race results: Hamilton wins wild Russian F1 GP

The race was decided in the closing stages, with Norris going for his first win and Hamilton aiming for his century, but the result was ultimately determined by rain and pit strategy. Hamilton pitted for intermediates as it began to drizzle, while Norris stayed out on slicks – but a downpour ruined Norris’s gamble.

Hamilton eased past him to win the race, ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who drove from the back of the grid to second place, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz completing the podium having led early on.

2021 Russian Grand Prix race results

Cla	Driver		Laps	Time
1	Lewis Hamilton		53	1:30'41.001
2	Max Verstappen		53	1:31'34.272
3	Carlos Sainz Jr.		53	1:31'43.476
4	Daniel Ricciardo		53	1:31'46.608
5	Valtteri Bottas		53	1:31'48.534
6	Fernando Alonso		53	1:32'02.322
7	Lando Norris		53	1:32'08.225
8	Kimi Raikkonen		53	1:32'09.956
9	Sergio Perez		53	1:32'11.077
10	George Russell		53	1:32'21.552
11	Lance Stroll		53	1:32'27.199
12	Sebastian Vettel		52	1:30'42.256
13	Pierre Gasly		52	1:31'17.819
14	Esteban Ocon		52	1:31'30.744
15	Charles Leclerc		52	1:31'38.660
16	Antonio Giovinazzi		52	1:32'03.513
17	Yuki Tsunoda		52	1:32'22.488
18	Nikita Mazepin		51	1:30'57.024
19	Nicholas Latifi		47	1:21'01.414
	Mick Schumacher		32	55'42.175
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How the Russian Grand Prix unfolded

In dry conditions, but with rain threatening, first-time F1 pole starter Norris led through Turn 1 as George Russell’s Williams initially passed Sainz off the line, but Sainz repassed him and then outbraked Norris for the lead at Turn 2. Russell held third, as Hamilton dropped to seventh behind Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren).

Ricciardo charged past Alonso on the back straight to grab fifth on the opening lap. From the back of the grid, Verstappen immediately gained three places.

Hamilton passed Alonso for sixth, while his teammate Valtteri Bottas (who took an engine penalty) rose to 14^th, with Verstappen on his tail.

Sainz and Norris pulled clear of their pursuers and battled out front, as Verstappen passed Bottas on Lap 7. He then overtook Gasly and Leclerc, although had a huge moment attacking the latter – worrying Verstappen that he’d damaging his front wing.

Norris passed Sainz for the lead on the back straight on Lap 13, as Stroll pitted from fourth to switch from mediums to hards. That triggered a raft of early pitstops, as Russell pitted from third but rejoined behind Stroll.

Sainz pitted from second on Lap 15, with a sticky left-rear wheel that cost him time, while Verstappen passed Vettel and was now into the points.

McLaren gave up its 1-2 as Ricciardo pitted from second but, despite a fast wheel change, he wasn’t released and dropped him behind Sainz, Stroll and Russell. That elevated Hamilton to second, 12s in arrears of Norris but 2s ahead of Perez, Alonso, Verstappen (who was complaining that his tyres were dead) and Leclerc.

Hamilton pitted on Lap 27 after suffering a lockup, ditching his mediums for hards, with Verstappen also coming in on that tour to switch from hards to mediums. Hamilton rejoined behind Sainz and Stroll, with Verstappen blending in between Ricciardo and Russell.

Norris was triggered into making his pitstop too, rejoining fourth behind Perez, Alonso and Leclerc, who were all yet to stop. Hamilton passed Sainz at Turn 2 on Lap 30 for a net second place and was nine seconds behind Norris at this point.

Ricciardo passed Stroll for net fourth, with Verstappen doing likewise up to fifth a few corners later. Norris lost time battling past the long-running Leclerc for third, allowing Hamilton to close the gap to within 5s. Then he was further delayed by Alonso, which allowed Hamilton to get within 3s.

Perez pitted from the lead but suffered a slow stop and dropped to fifth, behind Norris, Hamilton, Sainz and Ricciardo. Despite a slow pitstop, the fresh-tyred Alonso managed to get ahead of Verstappen at Turn 2 sixth.

In the closing stages, Hamilton closed in on DRS range of Norris, just as spots of rain began to fall. Perez passed Ricciardo for fourth with eight laps to go.

Norris ran wide at Turn 5 as the rain intensified but just held on from Hamilton, as Perez passed Sainz for third. Norris had a second off-track excursion but stayed out. Stroll and Vettel collided and continued. Later, Stroll spun off following a clash with Pierre Gasly that he was penalised for.

Hamilton, Sainz, Ricciardo and Verstappen all pitted for intermediates with three laps to go, as did most of the pack. Hamilton was 25s behind the leader, as Norris stayed out. But heavy rain ruined Norris’s gamble, and Hamilton passed Norris for the lead as Norris slid helplessly off the track.

Verstappen moved up to second on inters, as Norris slithered back to the pits for intermediates, going off after entering the pitlane, briefly rejoining the track, but avoiding a penalty to rub salt into his wounds. Leclerc went off, dropping to 15^th.

Hamilton beat Verstappen to the finish 53s, with Sainz third from Ricciardo, Bottas, Alonso, Norris, Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo), Perez and Russell.

2021 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix fastest laps

Cla	Driver	Laps	Time	Gap	Interval	km/h
1	Lando Norris	39	1'37.423			216.096
2	Lewis Hamilton	43	1'37.575	0.152	0.152	215.760
3	Valtteri Bottas	31	1'38.216	0.793	0.641	214.352
4	Pierre Gasly	35	1'38.279	0.856	0.063	214.214
5	Max Verstappen	28	1'38.396	0.973	0.117	213.959
6	Fernando Alonso	44	1'38.686	1.263	0.290	213.331
7	Charles Leclerc	45	1'38.994	1.571	0.308	212.667
8	Antonio Giovinazzi	39	1'39.058	1.635	0.064	212.530
9	Daniel Ricciardo	24	1'39.124	1.701	0.066	212.388
10	Sergio Perez	45	1'39.215	1.792	0.091	212.193
11	Sebastian Vettel	44	1'39.251	1.828	0.036	212.116
12	Carlos Sainz Jr.	40	1'39.294	1.871	0.043	212.024
13	Yuki Tsunoda	42	1'39.960	2.537	0.666	210.612
14	Nicholas Latifi	42	1'40.000	2.577	0.040	210.528
15	Mick Schumacher	22	1'40.276	2.853	0.276	209.948
16	Kimi Raikkonen	34	1'40.289	2.866	0.013	209.921
17	Lance Stroll	35	1'40.464	3.041	0.175	209.555
18	George Russell	40	1'40.596	3.173	0.132	209.280
19	Esteban Ocon	34	1'40.598	3.175	0.002	209.276
20	Nikita Mazepin	24	1'41.713	4.290	1.115	206.982
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