• Verstappen to start last after power unit change, Giovinazzi crashes his Alfa Romeo

Valtteri Bottas spearheaded a dominant first day of practice for Mercedes at the Russian Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton, whose bid for a 100th F1 win was boosted with Max Verstappen set to start tomorrow’s race last after a power unit change.
The Finn, a specialist around the Sochi track, ended the day 0.044 seconds clear of his British team mate with a benchmark time of one minute 33.593 seconds, having already gone fastest ahead of Hamilton in the first hour of racing.
“From the first run I had a good confidence with the car and the balance was actually very good,” said the 32-year-old, who claimed his maiden Formula One win in Sochi in 2017. “So all we had to do (were) minor adjustments during the day.”
Hamilton trails Verstappen by five points in the standings. His chances of taking a fifth win this year and the championship lead already looked good with the Dutchman on a three-place grid penalty for a crash that saw both exit the last race in Monza.
Bottas, gunning for his first victory of the year, had also said he would be prepared to “take one for the team” and let Hamilton win if needed.
Mercedes, who are 18 points clear of Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, have won every race at Sochi since the 2014 Winter Olympic venue joined the calendar that year.
After Verstappen’s grid drop, Hamilton’s prospects look even better. “It’s definitely a shame for him but we’ve got to try and capitalise on that,” said the seven-times champion, who last won at his home British Grand Prix in July and has taken four wins to Verstappen’s seven this year.
“A one-two would be spectacular for us as a team.”
Verstappen, who fought his way up to fifth in the 2018 Sochi race after being dropped to 19th by engine and gearbox-related penalties, will try to limit the damage to his overall lead.
“We just try to make the best possible racecar for this weekend, of course, once we decided to take that engine,” said the 23-year-old.
“So I hope it’s going to work out.”
Pierre Gasly ended Friday’s running third quickest for AlphaTauri, although the Frenchman lost his front wing after clattering over the kerbs in the closing seconds of the session.
Lando Norris, who completed a one-two for McLaren behind race winner Daniel Ricciardo at the last race in Italy, was fourth quickest.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who like Verstappen will start from the back after a power unit change, rounded out the top 10.
Antonio Giovinazzi crashed his Alfa Romeo at the Turn 9 complex, forcing a nine-minute halt to the session.
Hamilton also ran into one of his pitcrew after overshooting his marks while stopping.
Kimi Raikkonen returned for Alfa Romeo after missing the last two races having tested positive for Covid-19. He ended yesterday’s running 12th.
Teams rushed to pack as much racing as they could into yesterday’s two hour-long sessions, with heavy rain predicted for Saturday when qualifying is scheduled, raising fears of a washout.
The first race of the Formula Three feeder series was moved to Friday from Saturday morning due to the weather forecast.


Hamilton under more pressure than Verstappen, says Horner
Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton is under “way more pressure” than his Formula One title rival Max Verstappen, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said yesterday.
Verstappen, 23, leads Mercedes’ Hamilton by five points in the championship after 14 of 22 races but will start Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix from the back of the grid after an engine change.
Hamilton, 36, will be expected to regain the overall lead in Sochi, with a compliant team mate in Valtteri Bottas and at a track where Mercedes have won every race since the first in 2014.
The two title rivals sparred verbally on Thursday with Hamilton saying he knew from experience how much pressure Verstappen was under in chasing a first crown and the Dutch driver saying he was “very chilled” and loving the fight.
“I think Lewis trying to get his eighth title is under way more pressure than Max going for his first,” said Horner.
“Max is just enjoying what he’s doing, he’s driving better than ever. If you want to look how he deals with pressure, just look at Zandvoort (Netherlands). The intense pressure he was under that weekend. “He’s enjoying driving the car, he’s enjoying the challenge, he’s enjoying the competition and he’s got nothing to lose,” added the Briton.
Verstappen won his home Dutch GP at Zandvoort on Sept 5 from pole position and in front of a raucous ‘orange army’ of fans expecting no less in the first race in the Netherlands for 36 years.
That victory was his seventh of the season, compared to Hamilton’s four, and put Verstappen back on top of the standings.
The Dutchamn and Hamilton then collided in the Italian Grand Prix on lap 26 of 53, both retiring.
“I think that he’s just really enjoying and relishing this battle,” said Horner, whose team won four drivers’ and constructors’ titles in a row with Sebastian Vettel from 2010-13.
“It’s been a long, long time since we’ve been in a position like this. Of course that’s exciting for him and it’s exciting and motivating for the whole team.”
Horner would not rule out further fireworks between the two title contenders, with the biggest prize in motor racing on the line.
“They’re racers, they’re going to race,” he said. “To sit here and say they’re never going to touch each other again in the next eight races, I doubt (Mercedes boss) Toto (Wolff) has that control over Lewis and we don’t over Max.
“Max is a no-quarter kind of guy; Lewis has demonstrated that he doesn’t want to give anything either and when you get two racers of that mentality, you get incidents.”