F1 Pickings

As we revealed over the Russian GP weekend, thanks to Sebastian Vettel's qualifying shunt, Ferrari’s nose and cape have been modified in order to improve flow through what have become inlets beside the thumb-style tip. The leading edge of the under-nose cape is now slightly lower to help draw flow through the inlets, altering how the airflow and associated pressures build beneath the surface ... Keep reading

Mick Schumacher, Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman enjoyed an "unforgettable" Ferrari Formula 1 test on Wednesday, stepping up preparations ahead of their grand prix weekend debuts

Ferrari organised tests in the 2018 Ferrari SF71H at its dedicated test track near the factory for the three leading members of its driver academy, all of whom will feature in F1 practice sessions before the end of the year. Schumacher, Ilott and Shwartzman each completed their assigned programmes at Fiorano, and were quick to adjust to the car, according to Ferrari Driver Academy technical ... Keep reading

Ahead of their respective FP1 debuts at the Nurburgring and Yas Marina, Robert Shwartzman, Callum Ilott and Mick Schumacher were in action at Fiorano today.

Lewis Hamilton says he and Mercedes must "cover ourselves" to ensure Formula 1 stewards do not have "even a sniff" to sanction them after his Russian Grand Prix penalties

Zak Brown admits that his dream is to see McLaren contesting - and winning - motorsport's three main series.

Ferrari ran with a number of new parts on its car throughout the Russian Grand Prix weekend in Sochi as Charles Leclerc recorded the team’s best result in five races, finishing sixth. The updates included new rear wing endplates, a new nose cape and turning vanes as the team looked to remedy the issues with the underperforming car. “Driving-wise, it’s not like we felt a big ... Keep reading

Team bosses remain divided as F1 continues to propose reverse grids, Christian Horner admitting he's warming to the idea while Cyril Abiteboul fears the sport turning into DTM.

Hamilton was hit with two five-second time penalties during Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix for completing practice starts in the wrong place while on his reconnaissance laps to the grid ahead of the race. It meant polesitter and early race leader Hamilton could only recover to finish the race third after dropping behind Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull’s Max ... Keep reading

Williams acting team principal, Simon Roberts says that that team's new owners are "not hiding" as he admits that they "will only spend money and invest where it makes sense".

Ferrari is set to bring further updates for its SF1000 Formula 1 car to the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring next weekend

Bahrain will host two races towards the end of the 2020 season as part of the revised calendar, joining the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone in staging multiple grands prix this year. Unlike the other two tracks, Bahrain will use different circuit layouts for its two events, making use of its outer loop configuration for the second race on December 6.  The track is set to ... Keep reading

The Bahrain International Circuit does not anticipate the outer loop layout to become its regular Formula 1 grand prix track following its planned debut in December

However, on a weekend when Ferrari introduced some minor updates that it hopes will help unlock more performance from its car in the future, some of the finer aspects of its SF1000 were spotted after Sebastian Vettel crashed in qualifying. With the front wing ripped from his car, it offered onlookers a chance to stop aspects of its complex nose and cape area that were not so obvious ... Keep reading

With Ferrari pondering the next steps for its F2 race winners, Schumacher will join Ilott in getting some running in first free practice at the Nurburgring. Schumacher will drive for Alfa Romeo, taking Antonio Giovinazzi's cockpit while Ilott will take part in the practice session for Haas, replacing Romain Grosjean. Robert Shwartzman will get a first free practice run in the F1 season ... Keep reading

Alex Albon's Russian Grand Prix struggles were made worse by the Sochi circuit layout exaggerating the difficulties he has with Red Bull's Formula 1 car, says team boss Christian Horner

From seventh on the grid, Ocon jumped up to fourth at the start, and he subsequently ran in that position ahead of his teammate Daniel Ricciardo until the Australian stopped. Having gone two laps further before his own stop, Ocon then found life difficult on the hard tyre, and after a few laps he was obliged to switch positions with Ricciardo. He also lost out to Sergio Perez and Charles ... Keep reading

Esteban Ocon says that the Russian Grand Prix was his best race since he returned to Formula 1 with Renault, until he pitted and changed to the hard tyres

Hamilton was leading the Russian GP when he was brought in on lap 16 to switch to the hard tyres for the run to the flag. The team knew that he had to serve a 10-second time penalty for his practice start infringements, and thus also factored in where he would come out in traffic. Both before and after his stop Hamilton questioned its timing – only Renault's Daniel Ricciardo ditched the ... Keep reading

Mercedes Formula 1 team trackside engineer director Andrew Shovlin says Lewis Hamilton's early stop in Sochi was triggered by concerns about a sudden drop-off of the soft tyre

However, on a weekend when Ferrari introduced some minor updates that it hopes will help unlock more performance from its car in the future, some of the finer aspects of its SF1000 were spotted after Sebastian Vettel crashed in qualifying. With the front wing ripped from his car, it offered onlookers a chance to stop aspects of its complex nose and cape area that were not so obvious ... Keep reading

Mick Schumacher is one of three Ferrari academy drivers who will be given Formula 1 race weekend debuts in forthcoming races.

Lewis Hamilton admits he "may not always get it right" after accusing Formula 1 bosses of "trying to stop him" at the Russian Grand Prix.

Britain's Callum Ilott will make his Formula 1 FP1 debut when he drives the Haas at the Nurburgring next month.

World champion takes to social media to post conciliatory message following Sunday's controversial events.

Mick Schumacher will make his debut in an official F1 race weekend practice session when he takes the wheel of the Alfa Romeo at next month's Eifel Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

Mick Schumacher will get his first run in an official Formula 1 practice session at the Eifel Grand Prix, as Ferrari announces run plans for a trio of its youngsters

With Ferrari pondering the next steps for its F2 race winners, Schumacher will join Callum Ilott in getting some running in first free practice at the Nurburgring. Schumacher will drive for Alfa Romeo, while Ilott will take part in the practice session for Haas. Robert Shwartzman will get a first free practice run in the F1 season finale at Abu Dhabi, but it has not yet been confirmed with ... Keep reading

Mercedes trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin has suggested that a rival team may have alerted the Sochi stewards to Lewis Hamilton's practice starts outside the designated area.

The Thai driver has suffered from the inconsistent balance of the RB16 this year, with teammate Max Verstappen better able to deal with the tricky handling characteristics. While it was hoped a confidence-boosting podium finish for Albon at the Tuscan Grand Prix was a sign that he had got on top of things, he endured a challenging time in Russia. He was baffled as to why he ended up 1.1 ... Keep reading

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer looks at five lessons we can learn from the Russian GP.

Australian Grand Prix organisers are still working towards hosting the opening round of the 2021 Formula 1 season in March, according to Autosport's sources

It's understood the preferred plan is to stick with the same mid-March time slot used this year, which would put race day at Albert Park on March 14 2021. There are plans to have a spectator allowance as well, although Australia's strict COVID-safe protocols will likely mean capacity will be limited and grandstands re-positioned. Pushing for a March date is not without it risks, though, with ... Keep reading

As drivers complain about Sochi's Turn 2, Ross Brawn admits that the thorny subject of track limits remains one of the sport's most contentious issues.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner says that Mercedes' rules mix-up at Sochi could be a sign of complacency creeping in at the reigning Formula 1 championship-winning team

Hamilton's pair of in-race five-second penalties were the key talking point in Sochi, the saga continuing after the race as the two penalty points that would have left him perilously close to a race ban were rescinded. In the latest episode of the Motorsport.com Podcast, Oleg Karpov and Oriol Puigdemont join host Andrew van Leeuwen to debate all sides of the matter, including whether the FIA ... Keep reading

Hamilton was given two five-second penalties in the Russian Grand Prix for making two pre-race practice starts in the wrong place, and after serving the penalty he dropped to third place behind Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. The sanction originally also included two penalty points, which would have put him on 10 for the current 12-month period, and vulnerable ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton was handed two five-second penalties at the Russian Grand Prix after making practice starts outside of the area that had been designated by the FIA. Mercedes later owned up to having wrongly advised Hamilton that he would be okay to practice his getaways outside the pitlane, an action which prompted the stewards to row back on handing out two licence penalty points to the world ... Keep reading

FIA race director Michael Masi has defended Formula 1's regulatory and judicial system after Lewis Hamilton suggested the stewards "are trying to stop me" with penalties

Ross Brawn advises Lewis Hamilton to move on from controversial Russian Grand Prix penalties.

Hamilton was hit with a 10-second time penalty during Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix for completing two practice starts en route to the grid that went against the FIA’s pre-race instructions. The FIA stewards initially handed Hamilton two penalty points on his FIA superlicence, taking him up to a total of 10 for the last 12 months. Drivers receive an automatic one-race ban if they receive 12 ... Keep reading

George Russell says he was too aggressive on the first lap of the Russian Grand Prix and regrets not taking his usual cautious approach of "fannying around"

Following a brutal run of three triple-headers to start the 2020 Formula 1 season, the paddock ventured to Sochi last weekend for its first standalone event of the year. The Russian Grand Prix has rarely been a memorable race through its seven-year history, and the 2020 running wasn't much of an exception as a pre-race penalty overshadowed the race. Valtteri Bottas breathed a little bit of ... Keep reading

While a pre-race mistake dominated the Russian Grand Prix post-race reaction, Sochi delivered a few major developments in the 2020 Formula 1 world championship. LUKE SMITH pinpoints the top talking points

From 13th on the grid Russell became caught up in an incident at Turn 2, and he followed Carlos Sainz through the escape route, just missing the crashing McLaren driver. Having lost ground and with the safety car out, his team made an instant strategic call to bring him in and put him on the hard tyre, allowing him to potentially run to the end. Russell subsequently enjoyed a ... Keep reading

Hamilton asked the team as he drove out of the pitlane if he could conduct his starts beyond the usual area, which was covered in rubber after two days of action. His engineer Peter Bonnington said he could, but with no TV coverage of his exit from the pitlane, the team did not spot how far beyond the usual area he had travelled. After running through the pits, Hamilton conducted a second ... Keep reading

Red Bull boss Christian Horner says the team's straightline deficit at the Russian Grand Prix was "skewed" by Honda's power unit running out of battery deployment on the long straights

The nature of the Sochi circuit, with very few heavy braking zones and long flat-out sections, make it hard for the turbo hybrid engines to recover enough power throughout each lap to run at maximum boost for the entire length of the circuit. That results in what is known as 'clipping' - when the power unit runs out of the extra 160hp battery boost towards the end of the straights. With Red ... Keep reading

FIA race director, Michael Masi has reacted to Lewis Hamilton's claim that he is being victimised by the sport's powers that be.

Formula 1 drivers have called for changes to Sochi's Turn 2 after numerous penalties at the Russian Grand Prix associated with corner-cutting and Carlos Sainz Jr's opening lap crash

Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel have questioned the FIA's Formula 1 penalty points system after a "harsh" sanction given to Lewis Hamilton was rescinded

Drivers who went behind the apex kerbs were obliged to take an “escape route” created by a gap between the polystyrene blocks and the wall, or face a loss of a lap time in qualifying or a five-second penalty in the race. Sainz ran straight on at the corner on the first lap of the Russian GP, and having misjudged his speed through the gap the McLaren driver ran hard into the wall, saying ... Keep reading

Mercedes Formula 1 track engineering director Andrew Shovlin was not surprised that Lewis Hamilton was penalised in Sochi after realising where he had conducted his Russian Grand Prix practice starts

In a hectic Russian Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas secured his second Formula 1 victory of the season after Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton served time penalties for pre-race practice start infringements

Hamilton was deemed to have completed two practice starts en route to the grid in the wrong place, going against Formula 1 race director Michael Masi's pre-race instructions. It resulted in a five-second time penalty for each violation, forcing Hamilton to wait for 10 seconds when pitting, dropping him out of the lead. He eventually finished the race third as teammate Valtteri Bottas scored ... Keep reading

Hamilton was awarded two five-second time penalties for conducting two practice starts outside the designated zone beyond the pit exit, and both came with an extra penalty point for his licence. That put him on 10 penalty points for the ongoing 12 month period, with two more incurred before the Turkish GP automatically triggering a race ban. However, after the race the stewards spoke to ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton feels the FIA changes rules to "keep the racing exciting" after receiving a 10-second penalty that cost him a shot at Russian Grand Prix victory

As the debate over Lewis Hamilton's time penalties continues, race director, Michael Masi has defended the stewards decision.

Lance Stroll insists that Charles Leclerc should have been penalised for the first lap clash that ended his race.

Sochi race-winner, Valtteri Bottas admits that his cryptic radio message was aimed at those who criticise him on social media.

Everything you need to know about the VTB Russian Grand Prix... all the details, stats, pictures and quotes.

FIA race director Michael Masi says that the Russian GP stewards decided that the original Formula 1 penalty points awarded to Lewis Hamilton was "inappropriate" after a post-race review

Lewis Hamilton's quest for the all-time record of Formula 1 wins was put on hold when he was hit with penalties at the Russian Grand Prix.

Today's post-race press conference with Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Formula 1 bosses rescind the penalty points they had given to Lewis Hamilton for breaking practice-start rules at the Russian Grand Prix.

Sainz's race lasted just two corners after he hit the wall while trying to weave between the bollards in the escape route set out at Turn 2, having missed the apex of the corner. Drivers are required to pass between the orange bollards if they do not take the corner or risk incurring a five-second time penalty, in a bid to avoid finding an advantage by running wide. Sainz clipped the wall on ... Keep reading

Formula 1 bosses rescind the penalty points they had given to Lewis Hamilton for breaking practice-start rules at the Russian Grand Prix.

Following new information from Mercedes the Sochi stewards have removed Lewis Hamilton's penalty points and instead fined the German team.

It was a good day from a Honda point of view, with four cars in the points for the first time since last year's Monaco Grand Prix.

Ricciardo ran wide at Sochi's Turn 2 when passing teammate Esteban Ocon, and subsequently received the standard penalty from the FIA stewards for not taking the designated route behind the polystyrene blocks. When told of the penalty by his race engineer Karel Loos he apologised and said "my bad," promising that he would drive faster to make up for it. The Australian eventually finished ... Keep reading

Hamilton was hit with a 10-second time penalty for two separate practice start violations ahead of Sunday's race at the Sochi Autodrom. The Mercedes driver served the penalty during the race, causing him to drop to third as teammate Valtteri Bottas won the race. Hamilton was also hit with two penalty points on his FIA super licence for the incidents, taking him up to 10 points for the ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton says the decision to penalise him at the Russian Grand Prix for breaking rules on practice starts was 'ridiculous'.

We leave Sochi with 99 points after 10 races, which is more than what we scored last year over a 21-race season, which is a clear demonstration of the team's progression, year on year.

Following his penalties at today's Russian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton claims the F1's powers that be are trying to "stop" him.

Managing thermal degradation was key, especially on the soft, but we also saw some particularly long stints on the hard.

Our race was moderate because we could have achieved more today.

Second place is a fantastic result for Max today and once again he extracted everything he could out of the car with a quality drive.

Follow the 11th race of the delayed 2020 Formula 1 season across BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC Sport website and mobile app.

Lance Stroll says it was "ridiculous" that Charles Leclerc wasn't penalised for their first-lap contact during the Russian Grand Prix, which resulted in the Racing Point driver crashing out

The Canadian was on the outside line heading into Turn 4 on the opening lap, with Leclerc to his inside, when they touched on corner exit and the Racing Point was sent spinning backwards into the wall. The incident was noted by the stewards, but no further action was deemed necessary. Leclerc went on to finish sixth for Ferrari but, speaking afterwards to Sky Sports F1, Stroll was critical ... Keep reading

Valtteri Bottas says his second "to whom it may concern, fuck you" message after winning Formula 1's 2020 Russia race was a response to people telling him to "give up"

Bottas echoed the radio call he made after winning the 2019 Australian Grand Prix when he repeated the message after winning Sunday's race in Sochi, which be began with "nice moment to thank my critics". When asked to explain his words in the post-race press conference, and to explain if criticism of his results this year against teammate Lewis Hamilton had been playing on his mind, Bottas ... Keep reading

Following his penalties at today's Russian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton claims the F1's powers that be are trying to "stop" him.

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says he has "agreed to disagree" with the FIA stewards after Lewis Hamilton received two five-second penalties during the Russian Grand Prix

The FIA deemed that Hamilton had performed a practice start beyond the area specified in the pre-event notes issued to teams by race director Michael Masi. The Briton was handed two five-second penalties. After taking the penalty at his only pitstop, Hamilton finished third behind teammate Valtteri Bottas and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, and he also received two penalty points, putting him ... Keep reading

Hamilton was hit with 10 seconds worth of penalties during Sunday's race in Sochi for two separate violations while en route to the grid. Hamilton was adjudged to have breached the race director's pre-race instructions by completing two practice starts in the wrong place, including one at the end of the pit exit slip road. It meant Hamilton ultimately finished the race third after leading ... Keep reading

Valtteri Bottas says a "massive bee" hitting his helmet under braking for Turn 2 in Sochi cost him the chance to pull off a first-lap pass on Lewis Hamilton

The Finn had got a good slipstream after the start and was set up to try to get around the outside of his Mercedes teammate at the first braking zone. But in the end he went in too deep, revealing that he had been distracted when a large insect smashed into his visor. "I obviously tried," said Bottas, who in the end went on to claim victory after Hamilton was hit with two five-second ... Keep reading

Full result of the VTB Russian Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas cruised to victory in Formula 1's 2020 Russian Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen, with Lewis Hamilton third after serving a double penalty for pre-race practice start infractions

Hamilton completed two practice starts on his reconnaissance laps to the grid at Sochi including one towards the end of the pitlane exit, which was against the instructions issued in the pre-event race director’s notes issued by the FIA’s Michael Masi. The world champion therefore went into the race under investigation, with the ruling issued during the first stint as he tried to defend his ... Keep reading

From pole position, Hamilton led the charge from pole position – starting on the soft tyre as opposed to rivals Bottas and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) on the mediums. But his race winning hopes were truly dashed by race control, which revealed two 5-second penalties for practice start violations. Mercedes decided to pit Hamilton early, putting him on the hard tyres for the rest of the race ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton's quest for the all-time record of Formula 1 wins was put on hold when he was hit with penalties at the Russian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton is just one incident away from a Formula 1 race ban after picking up two more penalty points on Sunday in Russia

Hamilton was handed two five-second time penalties during the Russian Grand Prix after he was found to have breached the FIA's pre-race instructions regarding practice starts. Hamilton completed two illegal practice starts, including one at the very end of the pitlane exit road, that went against Michael Masi's instructions issued earlier this week. He had been informed by Mercedes engineer ... Keep reading

Lewis Hamilton is facing a Formula 1 stewards' investigation over a practice start completed ahead of the Russian Grand Prix

Hamilton took the 96th pole position of his F1 career in qualifying at the Sochi Autodrom on Saturday, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas. But Hamilton was spotted completing a practice start at the very end of the pit exit slip road en route to the grid, passing the kink at Turn 1. Drivers are only permitted to complete practice starts at pit exit for ... Keep reading

In a meeting in Sochi on Friday evening, the crash and the circumstances around it were discussed at length, with all drivers able to air their views. The question of how late the safety car lights should be turned off before a restart was a main topic, along with the unusually late position on the pit straight in Mugello of the control line, where the race resumes. The consensus was that it ... Keep reading

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Amid the uncertainty over the financial situation of 2020 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Haas has elected not to introduce any upgrades this year. One of the consequences of that, according to Grosjean, is that the team is running older parts for longer than it would in a normal campaign. That then triggers situations where the team no longer has the best versions of components ... Keep reading

Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi have both been handed 5-place grid penalties for today's Russian Grand Prix.

Amended starting grid for the VTB Russian Grand Prix: after penalties applied.

Carlos Sainz Jr says a wind direction change caught out the McLaren Formula 1 team in qualifying in Sochi - and similar conditions on Sunday will make for a difficult race

F1 announced on Friday that ex-Ferrari team principal Domenicali would be taking over from Chase Carey as the series’ CEO and president at the start of next year. Carey will stay on with F1 as a non-executive chairman, having served as CEO since Liberty Media’s takeover of the series in January 2017. Domenicali’s appointment has won widespread praise throughout the F1 paddock given his ... Keep reading

Romain Grosjean says Haas' inconsistent form is not being helped by the team having to run old car parts due to its cost-saving measures

Daniel Ricciardo says being brave in making his Renault set-up more "uncomfortable" to drive was key to him making a step forward at the Sochi track

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes Stefano Domenicali will avoid pursuing "artificial things" when he takes over as Formula 1 chief in January

Lewis Hamilton says he must consider a creative strategy to defend top spot in the Russian Grand Prix as he will start on the disadvantageous soft tyres

Alexander Albon and Nicholas Latifi will both take a five place grid penalty for Sunday's Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix after gearbox changes following qualifying

The FIA has moved to ban Formula 1 drivers from wearing anything other than their race suits in post-race podium ceremonies after Lewis Hamilton's gesture at the Tuscan Grand Prix

Albon had been due to start the race in Sochi from 10th on the grid, but will now drop back to 15th as a result of the sanction, while Latifi will fall from 19th to 20th. FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer confirmed in his pre-race report that both Red Bull and Williams had requested the gearbox changes on Saturday night. “The gearbox has been replaced with the approval of the FIA technical ... Keep reading

Formula 1 drivers are told they cannot wear clothing bearing any slogans or messages in post-race official duties.

Sainz was an encouraging third fastest in FP3 on Saturday morning, behind only the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. However in the afternoon’s qualifying session he slipped to sixth, with cars from Red Bull, Racing Point and Renault all jumping ahead. Read Also: Hamilton concerned about cars "flying by" him at start Norris to race with new McLaren F1 nose ... Keep reading

The move comes in the wake of Lewis Hamilton’s gesture at the Tuscan GP, where the race winner wore a t-shirt carrying the message “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor.” The message was in support of the black medical technician who was shot and killed by police in Kentucky, and who has become a focal point in anti-racism campaigns. Hamilton’s gesture led to a review by the FIA ... Keep reading

Linked with Chase Carey's role, long before Stefano Domenicali got the gig, Toto Wolff says Ferrari would never have accepted his appointment.

Ahead of today's Russian Grand Prix, the FIA has clarified the rules relating to what drivers must wear in the moments after the race and during the podium ceremony.

Christian Horner reacts to Eddie Jordan's suggestion that Lewis Hamilton should join Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

Hamilton, who was forced into starting on the red-walled softer rubber when both of his opening runs in Q2 were disrupted, is also concerned about being passed on the long run from the grid to the Sochi track’s first braking point, Turn 2.  The distance from the line to the right-hander means Hamilton will be vulnerable to an immediate attack from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and teammate ... Keep reading

An unabashed fan of Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel admits to feeling conflicted as Lewis Hamilton is about to equal the German's F1 win record.

In a dramatic qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton secured his 96th career pole position - but that doesn't tell the whole story

Today's post-qualifying press conference with Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas.

Lewis Hamilton has plenty of work to do to equal Michael Schumacher's race win record this weekend.

With Max starting on the Medium tyre and the pole man starting on the Softs, we could see a very interesting battle at the front.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says Max Verstappen drove an "unbelievable lap" to qualify on the front row and split the Mercedes drivers ahead of the Russian Grand Prix

A challenging qualifying but it's good to be back, with both cars once again making it through to Q3.

As expected the tyres performed well during qualifying, but the session itself was certainly unpredictable!

It's great to get a car into Q3 and overall it was a good qualifying session.

Sometimes, it's the tracks where we perform well in practice, that prove to be the most difficult in Qualifying and the race. That happened today.

We're in good shape for tomorrow with both cars well inside the top ten. We'll be looking for a very good points haul and to continue our decent form in races.

We will have our work cut out tomorrow, but with the race pace we showed yesterday and a clean Sunday we can hope to make up some ground.

Mercedes has explained why it opted to qualify Lewis Hamilton on the less-favourable soft compound tyre for the Russian Grand Prix despite his plea to use mediums