[deetjohn]

Russia will welcome a F1 race for the first time in the sport's history when the Sochi Olympic Park plays host this weekend.

The show goes on, but the thoughts of all involved are with Jules Bianchi and his family. Ferrari tweeted on arrival in Sochi: "The team is in Sochi, all our thoughts remain in Suzuka. Hopes for Michael as well. #ForzaJules #ForzaMichael."



Following F1's strategy to push into developing economies around the world, it only seemed a matter of time before Russia took a place on the calendar. It is a momentous sporting year for Russia, with Sochi playing host to the Winter Olympics and then the venue re-purposed for their inaugural Grand Prix.

Sochi Autodrom is the third longest lap of the season after Spa and Silverstone. Like most recent additions to the calendar, it was designed by Herman Tilke and built around the Olympic Park.

Situated in the south-west of the country close to the border with Georgia, the track layout looks fast and flowing for a modern circuit, with a slower, more technical final sector.

Circuit Layout



It features a number of blind bends and a trademark long horseshoe corner at turns 2/3/4, which will put a lot of strain on the right front tyres and could be a limiting factor for strategy. Overtaking will be focused on the two high speed stretches, the pit straight and between turns 10 and 13, while the start will be decisive as there is a long run to the first corner.

Pit building


Race Control


Display - Pit building


For a change, here is a virtual hot lap of Sochi by Kvyat put together by Codemasters. All eyes will be on the Russian youngster this weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHETAkFqG5A

Race Strategy Briefing



TV Listings

Friday
FP1: 11:25 AM (SS 4, SS HD2)
FP2: 3:25 PM (SS 4, SS HD2)

Saturday
FP3: 01:25 PM (SS 4)
Q: 4:20 PM (SS 4, SS HD2)

Sunday
Race Day: 3:30 PM (SS 4, SS HD1)
Race: 4:00 PM (SS 4, SS HD1)

Likely tyre performance and likely timing of pit stops are all unknowns at this stage as its a brand new track. I really hope its not a bore fest as is the case with most new circuits by Tilke.

Courtesy: JAonF1, F1Fanatic

[asr245]

Wow! That will almost be a drag race till T2. Being on pole here may even be a disadvantage.

Generally the track looks boring, Abu Dabhi boring!

[AbelAFC]

That track looks mind-numbingly boring from the map posted. Like asr245 said, Abu Dhabi boring. This seems to be feature of Hermann Tilke's circuits, Buddh being the notable exception IMO.

[thetinywanderer]

Is this a street circuit? Just like the Singapore one?

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by thetinywanderer

Is this a street circuit? Just like the Singapore one?

Its a part street circuit, some portion of it is through public roads. Unlike Singapore where the whole circuit is on public roads.

[thetinywanderer]

Was watching the press conference before the start of the first Russian grand prix. All the drivers are shaken by the incidents in suzuka.

F1 2014 Russian GP: Drivers Press Conference:

http://youtu.be/s7xZYbodG5M

[zenren]

Check out the last question in the conference.

It seems the pit lane, especially the pit entry is very narrow. Amusing comments from Vettel and Button when asked about the same:

Vettel: Looks very narrow. In the first place, they had a lot of space to build the track. So sometimes you wonder why some errors like the pit lane didn't get a bit bigger.

Button: It fits a car. So that's a start. We'll go from there.

Looks like we might see more accidents while entering the pits with worn out tyres during the race than on the actual track.

[gtonsing]

Free practice 2
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Hamilton GBR Mercedes 1'39.630
2 Magnussen DEN McLaren 1'40.494
3 Alonso ESP Ferrari 1'40.504
4 Rosberg GER Mercedes 1'40.542
5 Bottas FIN Williams 1'40.573
6 Button GBR McLaren 1'40.718
7 Massa BRA Williams 1'40.731
8 Kvyat RUS Toro Rosso 1'41.108
9 Vettel GER Red Bull 1'41.396
10 Vergne FRA Toro Rosso 1'41.531
11 Räikkönen FIN Ferrari 1'41.630
12 HülkenbergGER Force India1'41.677
13 Ricciardo AUS Red Bull 1'42.061
14 Perez MEX Force India1'42.090
15 Sutil GER Sauber 1'42.233
16 Grosjean FRA Lotus 1'42.892
17 Maldonado VEN Lotus 1'42.905
18 Gutiérrez MEX Sauber 1'43.055
19 Ericsson SWE Caterham 1'44.135
20 Chilton GBR Marussia 1'44.530
21 Kobayashi JPN Caterham 1'44.952

[thetinywanderer]

Massa is out after Q1 already! Very surprising. He had some problems with his car.

[deetjohn]

Lewis on pole quite comfortably. Bottas could grab the front row, even P1 were it not for two drifts in the penultimate corners. He caught them spectacularly but cost him time.

But the star of the day is the Russian. Kvyat on Toro Rosso at 5th faster than both Ricciardo and Vettel. Amazing!

The Grid
1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1’38.513
2 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1’38.713
3 Valtteri Bottas Williams-Mercedes 1’38.920
4 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1’39.121
5 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso-Renault 1’39.277
6 Kevin Magnussen McLaren-Mercedes 1’39.629
7 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull-Renault 1’39.635
8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1’39.709
9 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1’39.771
10 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Renault 1’40.020

[khoj]

Was able to catch the lap being shown via Alonso's head cam or similar. The track is hemmed in at a lot of places, seems like one is driving through a military/restricted zone with the fenced in perimeter walls hugging the road. I was hoping that like most of the European tracks this too will be wide open and green but the is worse than even Singapore that is another hemmed in road/track.

What's gone wrong with Vettel this season? he looks like a shadow of the driver he once was.

[thetinywanderer]

Originally Posted by khoj

Was able to catch the lap being shown via Alonso's head cam or similar. The track is hemmed in at a lot of places, seems like one is driving through a military/restricted zone with the fenced in perimeter walls hugging the road. I was hoping that like most of the European tracks this too will be wide open and green but the is worse than even Singapore that is another hemmed in road/track.

What's gone wrong with Vettel this season? he looks like a shadow of the driver he once was.

Apparently the car setup is not as per his liking. He is having some difficulty with it. But Ricciardo seems to like it.

[Mik]

I am banking on the last set of corners to for some fun in this grand prix. Also hoping for multiple overtakes by Vettel and Massa as they pick up places. Hopefully Bottas will have the pace to challenge the Mercs.

[thetinywanderer]

what a race! Easy win for Hamilton. It's surprising how well the Mercedes climbed the ladder. Rosberg in this race and Hamilton in the German grand prix got me wondering how much of it the talent of the drivers and how much is the great car they've got?

[Nitrous Power]

What a car/engine Mercedes has delivered this year, Mind bowling! Top 5 finishers are Mercedes Powered cars and Mercedes finishing 1-2 securing first ever Constructor's championship. And what a drive from Nico. He drove on medium compound tires for the whole race but lap 1. Just amazing.