Jack Leslie F1: 2015 Russian Grand Prix In Pictures

The Sochi Autodrom is an unusual circuit, but it produces some great pictures and this year hosted a dramatic Russian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton took victory after his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg retired, while a last lap crash between Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas promoted Sergio Perez to third. Here is the race weekend in images.

Friday

It was an unusual start to the weekend, with a diesel spill delaying first practice while track workers tried to clean the circuit. Nico Hulkenberg was fastest for Force India.

Wet weather tyres were used in FP1 despite a lack of rain, but it arrived for FP2, creating tricky conditions - Felipe Massa was fastest for Williams.

The Mercedes duo did emerge in FP2 but failed to put a time on the board. In fact, only eight drivers set timed laps in the session.

The weather may not have been good for the fans watching from the grandstands and on TV, but it certainly produced stunning photos.

Saturday

Rosberg was quickest in the dry FP3, which got off to a busy start following the lack of track action on Friday.

However, the session was cut short by a big crash for Carlos Sainz Jr at Turn 13. He was airlifted to hospital but was found to be uninjured and was discharged later on Saturday.

In Q1 Fernando Alonso was the first to be eliminated, but a 35-place grid penalty meant he started from the back of the grid. He was joined in the drop-zone by Marcus Ericsson, Will Stevens and Roberto Merhi.

Massa made an error in Q2 and hit traffic later in the session, meaning he was slowest of the runners and qualified 15th. Daniil Kvyat was 11th on home soil, ahead of Felipe Nasr, Jenson Button and Pastor Maldonado.

Force India enjoyed a positive qualifying, with Hulkenberg sixth, ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez, Romain Grosjean, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.

Rosberg dominated qualifying and took pole position, ahead of Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. The Finn beat both Ferrari drivers, with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen fourth and fifth.

Sunday

On the run to Turn 2, Hamilton took the fight to Rosberg, while Bottas looked to challenge.

Rosberg remained in the lead, with Hamilton right behind him, while Raikkonen passed both Bottas and Vettel to move up to third. Hulkenberg and Ericsson were eliminated in a crash on the opening lap.

A crash on lap 12 for Grosjean brought out the Safety Car, with several drivers - including Perez and Ricciardo - pitting.

Bottas quickly passed Raikkonen on the restart, pulling away from his countryman.

The Ferrari drivers then battled closely, with Vettel eventually passing Raikkonen for fourth.

The midfield fight was hotly contested, as it usually is, with Nasr holding off the charging Massa and Maldonado.

The McLaren drivers spent a bit of time during the race fighting each other, with both struggling for speed on the straights.

Once Rosberg retired, Hamilton started to pull away from those behind and had a rather lonely race.

Merhi was back in a race seat with Manor, finishing ahead of his team-mate Stevens.

Ricciardo and Sainz Jr battled for position after the Red Bull's pit stop. The Toro Rosso driver was allowed to race after his FP3 crash.

Ricciardo's strategy meant he was running fourth in the closing stages, but he retired with a suspension problem shortly after losing places to Bottas and Raikkonen.

Bottas initially struggled to take third from Perez but did so on the penultimate lap, with Raikkonen following him through. However, the two Finnish drivers crashed on the final tour.

Hamilton took a clear victory from Vettel and Perez, giving Force India its first podium since Bahrain 2014.

A penalty for Raikkonen handed Mercedes the constructors' title for the second consecutive season.

14 October 2015

2015 Russian Grand Prix In Pictures

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