2021 Russian Grand Prix

2021 Russian Grand Prix
Race 15 of 22[1] in the 2021 Formula One World Championship
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Layout of Sochi Autodrom
Layout of Sochi Autodrom
Race details
Date 26 September 2021
Official name Formula 1 VTB Russian Grand Prix 2021
Location Sochi Autodrom, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 5.848 km (3.634 miles)
Distance 53 laps, 309.745 km (192.467 miles)
Weather Cloudy and rainy
Pole position
Driver McLaren-Mercedes
Time 1:41.993
Fastest lap
Driver United Kingdom Lando Norris McLaren-Mercedes
Time 1:37.423 on lap 39
Podium
First Mercedes
Second Red Bull Racing-Honda
Third Ferrari
Lap leaders

The 2021 Russian Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 VTB Russian Grand Prix 2021) was a Formula One motor race, held on 26 September 2021 at the Sochi Autodrom.[2] It was the 15th round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship.[3] It was the tenth running of the Russian Grand Prix, and the eighth and final held in Sochi.[4]

McLaren's Lando Norris took pole position in drying conditions. He would lead a majority of the race, but would lose the lead as he opted not to switch to intermediates amidst worsening conditions. The race would be won by Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who became the first driver to win 100 Grands Prix, ahead of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. Hamilton's victory allowed him to regain the championship lead over Verstappen.[5]

This would be the last Formula One race held at Sochi Autodrom and the last Russian Grand Prix, as of the 2024 season, due to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine that happened five months after the race was held.[6]

  1. ^ Smith, Luke (28 August 2021). "Formula 1 reveals updated 2021 calendar, drops to 22 races". Autosport. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  2. ^ "2021 Formula 1 - Russian Grand Prix". All Sports DB. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  3. ^ "F1 Schedule 2021". Formula 1. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Формула 1 в России" [Formula 1 in Russia]. Sochi Autodrom (in Russian). Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference F1 report was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Benson, Andrew. "Formula 1 terminates contract with Russian Grand Prix". BBC Sport. Formula One. Retrieved 3 March 2022.