To Whom it May Concern?! Russian GP 2020

So, it wasn't the most exciting race we have had this season. Clearly with how fast F1 uploaded the highlights to YouTube. Little hint you can always tell how exciting or dull a race is by how fast they upload the highlight reel!

As you can probably see from the title this was finally the resurgence of Bottas 2.0! How long that will last probably only one race, but I am hopefully that he gets a little Rosberg advice and starts taking it to Hamilton. And Max finally was able to finish a race! Thank GOD!! I wasn't gonna be to happy as a Red Bull fan if the DNF again... Not that I don't like Alex. But, you see where I am going with this.

The race itself was pretty boring, not huge amount of stuff really going on. It did look like it was gonna be like the last two races there for a little bit though. With Sainz and Stroll out on lap one and then Hamilton getting a 10 second time penalty. Which for Lewis this year has been super harsh or unlucky for him and penalties. He has gotten a lot since the start of the season, almost so that he was almost 2 points away from a race ban... And yeah I probably would have loved that meaning Bottas and maybe Max would have a shot at the title. Who are we kidding Lewis could miss have the season and still win the thing somehow?....huh! Enough complaining on my end as there is already a ton of that going around on the world wide web.

I'm gonna tackle four main things that happened during the race. Seeing as there wasn't a whole lot of action or drama.

First, the start of the race and the fact that Bottas finally got those elbows out and took it to Lewis on the outside of turn 2. He grew some balls and got P1 from P3 at the start. Now, the tow in Russia is ridiculous on straight leading into turn 2. As with last years Ferrari team fiasco with Seb and Charles. If you haven't watch that race be sure to check the highlights and the team radio out for that one! Then Sainz ran wide and tried to go through the run off area, which is designated during the driver briefings. But, from the angles I saw it looked like it was a really tight squeeze through the bollards. He clipped left front hard on the barrier and was out of the race! The radio from Norris (his teammate) was hilarious, "What is he trying to a hero at turn 1..!". Then not a turn later Stroll gets rammed in the back by Leclerc and is spun into the wall. And boom SAFTEY CAR! This has to be some kind of record for safety cars in a season. Because, it feels like we have had about a hundred!! Then the race got underway again, but found its way right in to boresville.... After that it was a pretty straight forward race for the front three cars.

Second, Hamilton's penalty i'm not gonna take to much time on. But, the jest of it is as follows. You are allowed to do practice starts leading up to the grid. So, when the cars are driving around on the recon lap or formation lap. There is a different area at each track that is designated by paint or by the stewards during race briefings. However, some times the area may have to much rubber. Which doesn't allow the driver to get a proper feel for how the car might actual get off the line when the lights go out. So, they might ask if they can go further or to a different spot. This time however when Lewis asked if he could go further down the pit lane. I think there was some confusion on how far he went to, how far he should have gone. In the end he was awarded two separate 5 second time penalties! Which basically meant that his race was over before it even started (poor lewis...not). Now, if you are a conspiracy theorist you will definitely assume one of the other teams blew the whistle big time! Which I hope they blew it as hard as they could! (Also, get your mind out of the gutter after you read that last sentance)

Third, Norris vs. Albon vs. Gasly. This probably being the only real battle of the actual race. Gasly is showing some amazing form this year, a lot more than last year for sure. Maybe, not having all the pressures from the higher ups at Red Bull or just how the team is run. But to say that he hasn't improved is an understatement. Will he make the m

ove back to Red Bull probably not, but this is showing other teams he is a worthy driver for a seat. He comes out behind Albon and Norris after a pit stop for new tires. And then a full lap of just who is gonna pass who goes on. Albon chomps down on that over take cord and tries so hard for the first few corners to get by. Norris places his car perfectly on the entry/exit of the corner to block off Albon. Which means Gasly can set back and wait for the right moment. Into turn 6 I believe it was Albon tries to go "Around the Outside" and can't get it done. Which then means he is compromised going into the next turn. Norris gets a better exit and is out

of range for DRS. But, lying in wait is the Frenchman! Gasly makes his move with the aid of DRS and gets past Albon. And then gets passed Norris not long after that. A crucial mistake this time around. Being a little to over ambitious, instead of waiting for the right moment to launch an overtake!

Forth and final. The fact that Grosean pulling a Koolaid man move and smashed the heck out of the Styrofoam barriers! I'm glad he is safe and all. But, seeing

the styrofoam go every where reminded me of how many times I have done that in the F1 game and just kept on

driving.

In the end the results of the race where sorta back to normal. With two Mercedes and Red Bull on the podium again. Now, don't get me wrong I love seeing that Red Bull on the podium. That's my team of course, but maybe we could get rid of the two mercs and have some diversity up there!

RACE RESULTS

• 1 77 Valtteri Bottas MERCEDES 53 1:34:00.364 26

• 2 33 Max Verstappen RED BULL RACING HONDA 53 +7.729s 18

• 3 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 53 +22.729s 15

• 4 11 Sergio Perez RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES 53 +30.558s 12

• 5 3 Daniel Ricciardo RENAULT 53 +52.065s 10

• 6 16 Charles Leclerc FERRARI 53 +62.186s 8

• 7 31 Esteban Ocon RENAULT 53 +68.006s 6

• 8 26 Daniil Kvyat ALPHATAURI HONDA 53 +68.740s 4

• 9 10 Pierre Gasly ALPHATAURI HONDA 53 +89.766s 2

• 10 23 Alexander Albon RED BULL RACING HONDA 53 +97.860s 1

• 11 99 Antonio Giovinazzi ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 52 +1 lap 0

• 12 20 Kevin Magnussen HAAS FERRARI 52 +1 lap 0

• 13 5 Sebastian Vettel FERRARI 52 +1 lap 0

• 14 7 Kimi Räikkönen ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 52 +1 lap 0

• 15 4 Lando Norris MCLAREN RENAULT 52 +1 lap 0

• 16 6 Nicholas Latifi WILLIAMS MERCEDES 52 +1 lap 0

• 17 8 Romain Grosjean HAAS FERRARI 52 +1 lap 0

• 18 63 George Russell WILLIAMS MERCEDES 52 +1 lap 0

• NC 55 Carlos Sainz MCLAREN RENAULT 0 DNF 0

• NC 18 Lance Stroll RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES 0 DNF 0