Russian GP: Massa 4th but disappointment for Bottas
By Andrew Hooper
October 11 2015
The results of the 2015 Russian GP would see Williams Martini driver Felipe Massa finish in a fantastic 4th but the results could have been so much better. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas had been able to move into 3rd on the last lap but would be hit by Raikkonen seeing the Finn retire. At the time of the accident for Valtteri he was running in 3rd and Felipe 6th. The race could have seen Williams come away with a double points scoring finish as well as a podium but this was not to be.
Russian Grand Prix Race Review
Qualifying for
the 2015 Russian Grand Prix would see Williams Martini drivers Valtteri
Bottas and Felipe Massa finish in third and fifteenth. It was a great result
from Valtteri but for Felipe his low grid position is going to make his race
a difficult time. On pole was Rosberg from Hamilton, Valtteri, Vettel,
Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Grosjean, Verstappen, and Ricciardo in tenth.
It was announced that Sainz, who had crashed in practice, had been cleared
to race but would start from the rear of the grid. Valtteri would start the
race on the option super soft tyre while Felipe would start on the medium tyre. This race would be Alonso's 250th even if he was
to start at the rear for the fifty three lap race. Apart from Felipe the
other drivers starting on the medium were Maldonado, Ericsson, and Alonso.
The grid would move off on their parade lap with Rosberg leading the field
back onto the grid. The grid would form and the lights would go off and it
would be Rosberg leading Hamilton with Valtteri third. Raikkonen would get
past Valtteri with Vettel in fifth behind the Williams. But the race would
go under the Safety Car as a result of Hulkenberg spinning and Ericsson
crashing into the Force India. Grosjean would pit while Verstappen would
suffer a punctured left rear tyre. Grosjean would switch to the soft tyre as well as having a new front wing put on.
Verstappen had spun as a result of the accident between Hulkenberg and
Ericsson. Felipe was down in eleventh having gained from the pit stops of
other cars but he had also had to avoid the accident. Sixth was Perez
followed by Kvyat, Ricciardo, Nasr and Button.
Valtteri was
able to get past Raikkonen using his straight line speed to his advantage.
Rosberg still had Hamilton close behind while Valtteri was 1.5 seconds
behind Hamilton. Vettel would try to pass Raikkonen at Turn two but he was
not able to get past. Rosberg would say to his engineer "My throttle pedal
is broken. Advise...what should I do if it sticks?" Lap seven and Raikkonen
was 2.7 seconds behind Valtteri but at the front Hamilton would get past
Rosberg with Valtteri also getting past. Rosberg would pit with Hamilton now leading from Valtteri, Raikkonen,
Vettel, Perez, Kvyat, Ricciardo, Nasr, Felipe, and Button tenth. Rosberg
would retire in the pit lane with the throttle issue costing him a possible
race victory.
Felipe was closing in onto Nasr while Maldonado had passed Button for tenth.
Hamilton was told that he could stop fuel saying and that his team-mate had
retired. Valtteri was 3.1 seconds behind Hamilton after lap eleven. Felipe
was just 0.7 behind Nasr after lap twelve with Maldonado a second behind
Felipe. But the Safety Car would again be deployed as a result of a crash by
Grosjean. Perez would pit along with Ricciardo. Sainz would also come in
joined by Button. These drivers had come back out on the soft tyre. Grosjean had spun into the barrier in the middle
of Turn three with his car badly damaged. Grosjean was able to get out of
his wrecked car. Nasr was now up to sixth and Felipe seventh. None of the
top eight had pitted under the Safety Car. Alonso would also pit taking on
the option tyre.
The damaged
Lotus was removed but it would a while before the race would restart. "This
is the slowest the safety car has ever gone, I can't keep temperature in the
tyres," said Hamilton. With the restart Hamilton and Valtteri were able to
move ahead of the Ferrari's. Vettel would try to pass Raikkonen but
Raikkonen would go off the track to keep his lead. But Vettel would finally
get past his team-mate at Turn six with Kvyat behind Raikkonen in fifth.
Felipe was again right behind Nasr while Raikkonen would complain "I have no
speed on the straight line on the restart." Lap nineteen
and Valtteri was 2.6 seconds behind Hamilton. Sainz and Ricciardo were
fighting over tenth place with the Red Bull leading. Perez was behind Felipe
while at the front Vettel was dropping back from Valtteri. Kvyat was running
in a lonely fifth.
Bottas would be informed of Vettel's pace behind him and Valtteri was asked
for tyre feedback. "Consistent at the moment," would say the Finn. Lap
twenty three and Hamilton was 7.2 seconds ahead of Valtteri. Of those who
stopped under the Safety Car Perez was down in eighth 24 seconds behind
Hamilton. Sainz would get a five second penalty for cutting the white line
at the pit entry. Vettel was now in DRS range but Valtteri had the advantage
of been quicker in a straight line. Valtteri would tell his team that the
tyres were dying seeing Valtteri pull into the pits. Valtteri would get
a set of soft tyres and would come back out in eleventh but behind several
drivers who had already made their second stop. His engineer had offered a
front wing adjustment, which Valtteri declined. Vettel was now in second
followed by Raikkonen and Kvyat. Felipe was now sixth but still behind Nasr.
Valtteri was
behind tenth placed Sainz who was to receive his penalty. Valtteri would
pass Sainz and was now tenth. Vettel would pit on lap thirty two taking on
the soft tyre. Felipe would also come in while Vettel would come back out in
front of Valtteri. Felipe was back out on the option super soft tyre while
on lap thirty three Raikkonen would pit taking on the soft tyre. Raikkonen
would come out close behind Valtteri with the pair coming very close to each
other going through Turns three and four. Hamilton would pit on lap thirty
four changing to the soft tyre. Vettel would get past Perez
going into Turn thirteenth with Vettel now fourth. Kvyat was now second and
Nasr third, but neither had pitted. Kvyat would pit on lap thirty five
coming out in ninth. Felipe was now down in twelfth running behind Alonso.
Valtteri was in sixth 0.5 behind Ricciardo. Perez was in fourth but this
would become third as Nasr pitted on lap thirty six. The order was now
Hamilton, Vettel, Perez, Ricciardo, Valtteri, Raikkonen, Sainz, Kvyat,
Button, and Felipe. Felipe had been able to get past Alonso for tenth.
Raikkonen was running right behind Valtteri with the Ferrari driver getting
alongside the Williams on a few occasions. Ricciardo a bit further up the
track but Valtteri was closing in onto the Red Bull. Valtteri was 1.0s
behind Ricciardo now, while Perez was 2.3s ahead of the Red Bull. Felipe was
able to get past Kvyat now running in eighth. Valtteri was told that Perez
was struggling at that he could still get the podium. Valtteri would finally
get past Ricciardo for fourth and now starting to close in onto Perez.
Valtteri was told "Brilliant Stuff" as he continued to push to close the gap to Perez. Raikkonen was
looking to pass Ricciardo but would run wide at Turn two seeing him having
to give the place back. Sainz would go off the track with a brake issue
seeing him back his car into the barrier at Turn thirteen. He would get
going but would pull off the track and stop. Felipe was now in seventh as a
result of Sainz's retirement. Kvyat was now eighth followed by Nasr and
Maldonado. Raikkonen would finally pass Ricciardo for fifth. But Ricciardo
would be another retirement pulling off the track at Turn eight with something broken in the rear of his car. Felipe was now in
sixth while Valtteri was 0.6 behind Perez. But the Finn could not get past
the Force India as the laps counted down. But in the dying moments Valtteri
was able to get past Perez. But now Raikkonen was right behind the Williams
having also got past Perez.
But at Turn four Valtteri and Raikkonen would make contact seeing Valtteri
spin into retirement. Hamilton would win with Vettel second and Perez third.
Felipe was able to get past Raikkonen for fourth with the Ferrari fifth.
Kvyat was sixth followed by Nasr, Maldonado, Button, and Alonso tenth.
Valtteri would say "What the **** did he do??" The incident between Valtteri
and Raikkonen was under investigation. Despite the disappointment of the
retirement of Valtteri it was a great effort from Felipe to come home
fourth.
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