F1 Russian GP: Bottas stays on top in second practice as Giovinazzi crashes
Bottas, who has won at Sochi on two occasions in 2017 and 2020, po𒀰sted a best lap of 1m33.593s to set the benchmark during the qualify𝔉ing simulation runs.
Having trailed Bottas byᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ over two-tenths of a second in opening practice, championship contender Lewis Hamilton closed to within just 0.044s of his teammate’s pace in the second 60-minute session.
Hamilton knocked over his front jack man who was unharmed in a bizarre incident in the pits after the seven-time world champion slightly overshot his box as he returned to the garage. Th🥀e Briton reported over team radio that his “magic” brake bias altering setting was still on.
During the session, Red Bull confirmed that it had elected to install a new Hondꦑa engine in Max Verstappen’s car, meaning the championship leader will start Sunday’s race from the very back of the grid.
A grid penalty had been inevitable for Verstappeꦡn after the Dutchman lost a power unit from his 2021 pool in his hefty shunt at Silverstone following contact♋ with main title rival Hamilton.
Behind the Mercedes duo came Pierre Gasly, who produced an impressive lap to sit third for AlphaTauri. The Frenchman ended FP2 without a front wing afterꦬ launching over the Turn 2 kerbs in the final minutes of the session.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was hal♋f a second down in fifth, ahead of Alpine driver Esteban Ocon and Verstappen, who finished a full second off the pace.
Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc - who will join Verstappen on the back row for the Russian GP - completed the top 10 for Ferrari, Alpine and Aston M𒉰artin.
A crash for Antonio Giovinazzi punctuated the session and disrupted the high-fuel running when the Alfa Romeo driver hit the wall and brought out a re💞d flag in the clo♈sing stages.
The Italian, who is fighting to keep his seat for next year, took no further part in𒐪 FP2 after destroying the rear wing on his car after spinn🐲ing backwards into the Turn 8 barriers.
Haas’ rookie pairing were slowest of all as home favourite Nikita Mazepin once again got the better of teammate Mick Schu🌸macher.
Full second practice results for the 2021 Russian Grand Prix.
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