Lewis in Russia
always tomorrow is when it counts. To be on the second row is not that bad a thing as it is a pretty long run into turn one.” British driver Jolyon Palmer is in desperate need of a strong weekend after a troubled start to the new season, but he had another day to forget here.
Palmer’s Renault mechanics worked through the night to replace his chassis after an exhaust issue was detected in practice on Friday.
He then completed just four laps this morning following an engine failure, before he crashed out of qualifying to complete a torrid 24 hours.
The 26-year-old from Horsham, bidding to haul his car into Q2, ran over the kerbs on the entry to turn four before he lost control of his car and thudded the tyre barrier on the opposing side of the circuit.
Palmer walked away from the incident and is set to start 16th, but his Renault team face yet another repair job following the damage sustained to the front of his car.
And to make matters worse for Palmer his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, new to Renault this year, qualified an impressive eighth.
Elsewhere, Daniel Ricciardo will line up in fifth for Red Bull, with Williams driver Felipe Massa sixth. Fernando Alonso, yet to make it to the end of a race this season, is only a lowly 15th, while his McLaren teammate Stoffel Vandoorne is two spots further back on the grid.
Bernie Ecclestone, integral in bringing Formula One to Russia, was back in the paddock for the second race in succession in his socalled role as chairman emeritus.
The 86-year-old, here with his wife Fabiana, watched qualifying with Russian dignitaries. Ecclestone wore a white jacket with the Russian flag on one arm and his name embroided on the other.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will be a guest of honour for today’s race.