Formula 1: 2021 Sochi qualifying – Full starting lineup, odds
By Asher Fair
The starting lineup for this Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix, the 15th of 22 races on the 2021 Formula 1 schedule, is set following Saturday’s qualifying session.
After a week off, Formula 1 is back in action this weekend for the 15th of 22 races on the schedule, the Russian Grand Prix.
Unlike a number of the races that have been contested so far this season, including one in the recent tripleheader, this race was actually contested last year; it was not canceled as a result of COVID-19-related restrictions like many others were.
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Where is the Russian Grand Prix?
The Russian Grand Prix is a 53-lap race around the 18-turn, 3.634-mile (5.848-kilometer) Sochi Autodrom road course in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia.
Sochi broadcast information
The Russian Grand Prix is set to be broadcast live on ESPN from Sochi Autodrom beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET today. If you have not begun your free trial of FuboTV, this would be a great time to do so!
Who is on pole at Sochi?
In a surprising session, McLaren’s Lando Norris took his first career pole position for this race by recording a top lap time of 101.993 seconds (128.268 miles per hour) in the third and final round of qualifying.
Set to start alongside Norris on the front row in second place is Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. Williams’ George Russell qualified in third and is set to start alongside Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in fourth.
Championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull had been set to take a three-place grid penalty as a result of the incident between himself and Hamilton in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza two Sundays ago. As a result, the team decided to change the power unit in his car, relegating him to a 20th (last) place starting spot. So he did not make a qualifying attempt.
Here is the full starting lineup for the 2021 Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom.
Starting Lineup
1st – Lando Norris
2nd – Carlos Sainz Jr.
3rd – George Russell
4th – Lewis Hamilton
5th – Daniel Ricciardo
6th – Fernando Alonso
7th – Valtteri Bottas
8th – Lance Stroll
9th – Sergio Perez
10th – Esteban Ocon
11th – Sebastian Vettel
12th – Pierre Gasly
13th – Yuki Tsunoda
14th – Nicholas Latifi
15th – Charles Leclerc
16th – Kimi Raikkonen
17th – Mick Schumacher
18th – Antonio Giovinazzi
19th – Nikita Mazepin
20th – Max Verstappen
Sochi betting odds
Take a look at the top nine in betting odds for this Sunday’s race, courtesy of WynnBET.
- Lewis Hamilton: -110
- Lando Norris: +300
- Valtteri Bottas: +800
- Max Verstappen: +1000
- Carlos Sainz Jr.: +1100
- Sergio Perez: +2200
- Daniel Ricciardo: +2500
- George Russell: +4000
- Fernando Alonso: +5000
Sochi betting prediction
Despite not qualifying inside the top three, Hamilton is still the favorite for this race, but not nearly as heavily as many expected, given the fact that this is a track where Mercedes are seven for seven.
And let’s face it; even if it had been a Bottas-Hamilton 1-2 as opposed to a Hamilton-Bottas 1-2, we know for a fact what radio message would ensue (so don’t bet on Bottas…).
Verstappen in any other race would be an easy pick at +1000 (even at a Mercedes stronghold, quite frankly), but not at a track where Red Bull are winless and where he is slated to start behind each of the 19 other competitors.
Naturally, Norris at +300, Sainz at +1100 and Russell at +4000 are all worth considering. Norris will be hungry for his first win after watching teammate Daniel Ricciardo deliver McLaren their first win in nine years two weeks ago, and Sainz himself will be hungry to show that his move from McLaren to Ferrari has truly paid off.
As for Russell, the Williams car doesn’t seem to have the race pace of the other frontrunners, but he will be eager to show he has what it takes to compete at the front after not getting the opportunity to start on the front row like he was supposed to have done in the Belgian Grand Prix.
His recent points finishes show that he should at least be a contender to run toward the front consistently throughout the race in a car that is probably only the eighth best on the grid.
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Make your pick now on WynnBET.