Victory in Russia leaves Hamilton feeling awkward

SOCHI: Lewis Hamilton won the Russian Grand Prix on Sunday in a Mercedes onetwo that left the Formula One world champion feeling a little bit flat, even as his fifth title moved ever closer.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, third in the race and 50 points behind the Briton in a battle that now seems as good as over with five rounds remaining, looked like he had more to celebrate.

“It’s very, very hard to find the right words. It’s a very strange feeling,” Hamilton told reporters after team mate Valtteri Bottas obeyed team orders and moved aside to let him take the lead and the victory.

“We’ve had a one-two, we’ve dominated as a team this weekend, the team has done an incredible job and it’s obviously never, ever in my whole life been the way I’ve wanted to win a race.

“I just want to shine it on to Valtteri. There are not many team mates who would do something like that.”

Ferrari have long been criticised for giving Vettel top billing and favoured treatment over team mate Kimi Raikkonen but Mercedes have prided themselves on letting their drivers race each other.

Pragmatism, rather than racing passion, was the order of the day in Sochi, however.

Bottas had started on pole position, led away from the start and was on course for victory when the order came near the halfway point to let Hamilton through.

Mercedes said they were worried about the threat from Vettel and wanted to protect Hamilton’s title advantage, with Bottas too far behind in the standings to be in the running for anything more than race wins.

Sunday might have been the Finn’s first victory of the season, rather than his sixth second place.