Seb up for Sochi street fight
Ferrari’s Vettel in fine fettle to break Merc’s Russian GP winning streak as Hamilton feels Bahrain pain
FORMULA ONE champions Mercedes have led every lap of every Russian Grand Prix since the race made its debut around Sochi’s Olympic Park in 2014 but Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel will aim to break that streak this weekend.
The four-time world champion is enjoying his best start to a season since he was at Red Bull in 2011, leading Lewis Hamilton by seven points after two wins and a second place from the first three races.
Another win, at the street circuit where the German finished second in 2015, would signal Ferrari’s best opening four races since 2008.
“Things start to click and hopefully that sort of success now in the first couple of races helps us build some sort of momentum that maybe these guys (Mercedes) had in the past,” said Vettel, pictured, after winning in Bahrain on April 16.
Hamilton, presented with the winner’s trophy by Russian president Vladimir Putin in 2014 and 2015 before now-retired Mercedes teammate and champion Nico Rosberg won from pole position last year, felt the pain in Bahrain.
“We’re going to push hard together, re-gather as a team and come back fighting,” he said after collecting a time penalty and finishing second.
Mercedes, who still look faster over a single lap in qualifying, have done plenty of homework since then but recognise they have a battle on their hands.
“This season with new regulations, you can’t take anything for granted,” said team boss Toto Wolff. “The trophies of previous years don’t guarantee that we’ll be winning in Russia when you have a very fierce competitor like we do in Ferrari. We’ll take it one step at a time…”
Hamilton saw teammate Valtteri Bottas take a career first pole position in Bahrain and the Finn has a good track record in Sochi too, setting aside a last-lap collision with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in 2015 while battling for third place.
Bottas set the first fastest lap of his career there in 2014, on his way to third place, and it is a layout that he likes.
“I have always been comfortable there so we will see. It’s a completely different type of track again, completely different kind of temperatures, different asphalt. So many different things. We’ll see,” he said.
Red Bull, the only team to beat Mercedes last season, have yet to reach the podium in Sochi but both Australian Daniel Ricciardo and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen are hoping for more excitement this time with cars loading more G-forces than previously.
“I expect this year for the track to be grippy and with these cars it should be quite fast,” said Ricciardo. “I would say it’s going to be more enjoyable than it has been so I’m looking forward to that.”
Behind them, Force India’s Sergio Perez is chasing his 14th successive scoring finish while Sauber and McLaren have yet to “shield”, warning that it could make racing more dangerous in wet conditions.
The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) announced this week that it was focusing on the shield (screen) concept rather than a previously tested “halo” cockpit protection system.
It said that track tests would be carried out during the season in preparation for implementation next year.
“We’ve seen some pictures. I’m not for it,” Haas F1 driver Magnussen told reporters at the Sochi circuit ahead of Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix.
“I don’t think we need something like that. I think it’s going to be difficult, especially in the wet, with the screen. Even without a screen, in the wet it’s difficult to see anything.
“I’m sure with that as well, it’s going to be impossible and more dangerous in wet conditions,” added the former Renault and McLaren driver, who said he would prefer to continue without either system.
The “halo” device, which is fixed at three points including a central pillar in front of the driver that supports a protective loop above his head, was extensively tested last season with mixed response.
Cockpit protection is seen as a key area where improvements can be made in safety following fatalities in other series where drivers were hit by wheels and flying debris.
While the FIA said in January that the safety benefit had been established, some leading F1 figures were wary about changing the look of the cars so dramatically.
This year’s crop of cars have already been criticised by some for their use of shark-like fins and wings for aerodynamic effect.
The same FIA Strategy Group meeting that resolved to focus on the shield concept also agreed changes to next year’s regulations that will kill off the “Shark Fins”.
“It looks better,” commented Force India’s Mexican Sergio Perez of the shield, which he has yet to test.
“It’s probably not at the level of halo in terms of safety but there is a lot of improvement that the FIA think can be done,” he added.
“It’s a matter of how much development they can do.”