Valtteri Bottas took victory in the Russian Grand Prix on Sunday, capitalizing on penalties that ruined his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton's race.
The reigning champion was looking to equal Michael Schumacher's record of 91 Formula One victories, but had to settle for third place behind Bottas and Max Verstappen. Bottas pulled away from Verstappen and comfortably cruised to his first win since the Austrian Grand Prix, the opening race of the season.
Hamilton was under investigation by the stewards even before the start from pole position. Prior to the race, he performed a couple of practice starts outside the pit exit, rather than in the designated area. This cost him a pair of five-second penalties.
"Where does it say that in the regulations?" he asked the team, while also calling the situation "ridiculous."
Hamilton asked Mercedes over the radio if he could do the starts in the area, and was told he could.
This is the second time in three races that a team error has cost the British driver the chance to win.
Hamilton was leading the Italian Grand Prix when he was penalized for entering the pit lane when it was closed, after the team's warning message arrived too late.
Hamilton's advantage over Finnish driver Bottas in the championship remains substantial, at 44 seconds, with seven races to go in a calendar that has been radically reconfigured due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Classification of the Russian Grand Prix of 309.745 km
1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes)
2. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda)
3. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes)
4. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Racing Point-Mercedes)
5. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Renault)
6. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari)
7. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Renault)
8. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/AlphaTauri-Honda)
9. Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Honda)
10. Alexander Albon (THA/Red Bull-Honda)
11. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari)
12. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari)
13. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari)
14. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari)
15. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Renault)
16. Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams-Mercedes)
17. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari)
18. George Russell (GBR/Williams-Mercedes)
Best lap in the race: Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:37.030 on lap 51 (average: 218.567 km/h)
Retirements:
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/McLaren-Renault): spin on the first lap
Lance Stroll (CAN/Racing Point-Mercedes): accident on the first lap
World Championship standings
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 205 pts
2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 161
3. Max Verstappen (NED) 128
4. Lando Norris (GBR) 65
5. Alexander Albon (THA) 64
6. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 63
7. Charles Leclerc (MON) 57
8. Lance Stroll (CAN) 57
9. Sergio Pérez (MEX) 56
10. Pierre Gasly (FRA) 45
11. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) 41
12. Esteban Ocon (FRA) 36
13. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 17
14. Daniil Kvyat (RUS) 14
15. Nico Hülkenberg (GER) 6
16. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN) 2
17. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA) 2
18. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) 1
Constructors' standings:
1. Mercedes 366 pts
2. Red Bull-Honda 192
3. McLaren-Renault 106
4. Racing Point-Mercedes 104
5. Renault 99
6. Ferrari 74
7. AlphaTauri-Honda 59
8. Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari 4
9. Haas-Ferrari 1
The Racing Point team was penalized with 15 points (7.5 points per car) for using Mercedes' brakes in 2019 as inspiration for their 2020 brakes, appealed this penalty and awaits verdict. (D)