Just six races left in the 2018 Formula One schedule as the series heads to the Sochi Autodrom for this Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix. Race time is scheduled for 7:10 a.m. Eastern and American viewers can catch it on ESPN2. Check back for Mybookie Sportsbook odds.
Sochi’s Olympic park track offers drivers a challenging layout to compose with but one which can also prove very satisfying when mastered.
“It’s one of the longer laps of the season, with lots of corners,” said Nico Hulkenberg. “That provides a challenge as you have to string together those combinations and get the sectors nailed perfectly; especially in qualifying.”
Hulkenberg’s track record hasn’t been all that impressive in Sochi with just one top-ten finish in the event’s four-race history. That result was achieved last year, however.
2018 Russian Grand Prix Formula 1 Odds & Expert Pick
There has never been a Red Bull on the podium in Russia…
And with fresh power units imminent for Ricciardo and Verstappen, that could be unlikely to change in 2018 >> https://t.co/V4mnTIdjO1#RussianGP 🇷🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/5Sdyqjn7MG — Formula 1 (@F1) 24 de septiembre de 2018
- Number of times held: 6
- First held: 1913
- Most wins (drivers): United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton (2)
- Most wins (constructors): Germany Mercedes (6)
- Circuit length: 5.848 km (3.634 mi)
- Race length: 309.732 km (192.459 mi)
- Laps: 53
Previous Winners
- 2017: Valtteri Bottas
- 2016: Nico Rosberg
- 2015: Lewis Hamilton
- 2014: Lewis Hamilton
- 1914: Willy Scholl
- 1913: Georgy Suvorin
Hamilton Remains as the Favorite
The points leader in F1 is England’s Lewis Hamilton, and he’ll be the betting favorite for the Russian Grand Prix because he’s the favorite in every race. A midseason surge has put Hamilton in sight of a fifth world drivers’ title, with Sebastian Vettel left counting the cost of on-track errors and strategy blunders from Ferrari. The German must make up a 40-point deficit in the remaining six Grand Prix of the year. Hamilton won this race in both 2014-15 and a Mercedes driver has won the past four in Russia. Last year, it was Valtteri Bottas, his first-ever F1 victory. He held off a late charge from Vettel. Bottas jumped Vettel and teammate Kimi Raikkonen at the start from his third position on the grid and dominated until the closing stages when Vettel used a late pit stop to close the gap. Vettel got to within a second and a half of Bottas with 10 laps to go but the Finn responded and kept Vettel at arm’s length for the rest of the race. Hamilton had a frustrating race, making a good start initially but struggling in the second phase of acceleration as he stayed in fourth. He complained consistently that his car was overheating in the first half of the race and after the stops, he was unable to catch Kimi Raikkonen and ended up a distant fourth. Hamilton has won the past two races this year, last at Singapore. Hamilton is hitting top form; he has won four of the last five races overall and now holds his biggest championship advantage – 40 points – since the end of last season. Another Ferrari tactical blunder cost Vettel the chance of victory in Singapore. Vettel was a frustrated third, telling his team: “We were again too late. We will not make it to the end.”Birthday Boy Wish
Could Max Verstappen win in Russia on his birthday? The Dutchman will turn 21 on the day of the race in Sochi, but the chances of him winning appear to be slim. Red Bull have not stood on the podium since the race’s introduction on the Formula 1 calendar in 2014 and Verstappen’s best result is last season’s run to fifth place. “It’s not the best track for our car so it’s vital to get the set-up right for specific corners, we know we will lose time on the long straights so cornering is key,” he said. Verstappen was second in Singapore, his best race finish since winning July’s Austrian GP.
Sochi’s Olympic park track offers drivers a challenging layout to compose with but one which can also prove very satisfying when mastered.
“It’s one of the longer laps of the season, with lots of corners,” said Nico Hulkenberg. “That provides a challenge as you have to string together those combinations and get the sectors nailed perfectly; especially in qualifying.”
Hulkenberg’s track record hasn’t been all that impressive in Sochi with just one top-ten finish in the event’s four-race history. That result was achieved last year, however.
