More heartbreak for Hartley as Hamilton ushered to victory

New Zealand Formula One driver Brendon Hartley had another disaster, being forced out of the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi with brake problems.

Britain’s Lewis Hamilton won the race after team-mate Valtteri Bottas allowed him to pass under team orders.

But there was only pain for the Toro Rosso team, with both Hartley and Pierre Gasly out of the race early with mechanical issues.

It was Hartley’s fifth retirement of a frustrating season that sees his place in the team for next year under increasingly threat.

Toro Rosso have signed Russian Daniil Kvyat for 2019 to replace Gasly who has been promoted to the Red Bull team. Hartley is under orders to beat Gasly over the remaining races of the season to try to save his job.

He made a good start to that assignment in Sochi before trouble hit. His only saving grace was that Gasly was also hit by brake problems in what was an issue out of the drivers’ hands.

‘‘I had a good start and passed Pierre before turn five, I was attacking the McLaren when the brake pedal went long,’’ Hartley said.

‘‘I reported it on the radio and then made our planned pit stop. We were going to try and be a bit cheeky with the strategy and do almost a full race on the softs, we had great tyre life and pace and think it would have worked.

‘‘However, once I left the pits the pedal went completely to the floor, the rears locked and the car spun. The same happened across both cars at the same moment so I’m sure the team will quickly diagnose and sort it out for the next race.’’

Mercedes’ use of team orders to hand Hamilton victory is part of a long and controversial tradition in Formula One.

Pulling over to let a team-mate through can be humiliating, and Hamilton seemed embarrassed that his team-mate Bottas was ordered out of his way.

Bottas ‘‘deserved to win,’’ the British driver said.