RACE DEBRIEF

    An 82nd career win for Lewis Hamilton in Russia helped put Mercedes within touching distance of the 2019 constructors’ crown. Here’s just a few more statistical nuggets from Sochi…

    • Hamilton became the all-time record holder for races led today - this was the 143rd Grand Prix he has led, surpassing Michael Schumacher’s mark.
    • Schumacher held that record for 18 years, since taking it from Ayrton Senna at the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix.
    • Hamilton’s victory means Mercedes maintain their 100 percent win record in Russia.
    • Hamilton scored points for the 28th consecutive race and the 61st time in the last 62 races (Austria 2018 being the exception).
    • Valtteri Bottas’s 2nd place means Mercedes have finished 1-2 in Sochi in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019.
    Russian GP: Grosjean retires on Lap 1 after three-car collision
    • Grosjean suffered his 7th retirement of 2019 – no other driver has more than 4.
    • Charles Leclerc is the first driver in Sochi history to finish in the top 4 after making more than 1 pit stop.
    • Despite starting from the pit lane, Alex Albon has now finished in the top 6 in all 4 of his starts for Red Bull – who had both cars in the top 5 for only the 3rd time this year after Monaco and Silverstone.
    • Sebastian Vettel retired for the first time since Hockenheim 2018, having led both races.
    • Both Williams retired, the team having had a 100 percent finishing record prior to the last round in Singapore.
    • With Carlos Sainz 6th and Lando Norris 8th, McLaren have scored over 100 points in a season for the first time since 2014, the team’s last year with Mercedes power.