F1 News
LIVE: 2019 Russian Grand Prix - Ferrari go for first-ever win at Sochi Autodrom!
- Bobby Vincent
It's the 2019 Russian Grand Prix! Charles Leclerc is on pole position for the fourth successive time and Ferrari will be looking for their fourth win in a row to match that. Lewis Hamilton starts in second, with Sebastian Vettel in third. Ferrari have not yet won a Formula 1 race at the Sochi Autodrom and this is their best chance yet to end that unwanted statistic.
Weekend Summary
It's been a largely Ferrari-dominated weekend in Sochi. Charles Leclerc went quickest in the first free practice session. Daniil Kvyat had a fuel leak issue in the first practice at his home-race. Daniel Ricciardo spun his Renault right at the end of the session but the car was unscathed.
FP2 saw Max Verstappen set the fastest lap-time, much to everyone's surprise and it then looked as if the weekend would be between Verstappen and the two Ferraris. It was a non-eventful practice session but Verstappen has failed to show that sort of speed for the rest of the weekend.
Leclerc again went quickest in FP3, on the day of qualifying, and it looked as if Ferrari were really stepping their performance levels up as it was getting to the crunch qualifying session. Sebastian Vettel went second fastest for a Ferrari one-two.
Qualifying saw Leclerc take a record-equalling fourth consecutive pole position for Ferrari - equalling Michael Schumacher's record of four successive pole positions in 2001 for the Prancing Horse - with Lewis Hamilton a place behind the 21-year-old and Vettel down in third.
Verstappen will start from P9 on the grid after taking a grid penalty with new parts from Honda and believes he can finish in the top five at least in Russia. Valtteri Bottas will start in P4 and couldn't continue last season's pole-setting form in qualifying. Carlos Sainz of McLaren starts in P5!