Russian Grand Prix Predictions

Russian Grand Prix Predictions are now open for you to play along with the F1 community. Below find the official Cranky Yankee Motorsport predictions posted to the F1 Predictions League Forum.

Verstappen’s efforts are strong but they won’t be enough for one of the most dominant power unit/chassis integrations the sport has ever seen. His front row start won’t scare pole man Lewis quite as much as one might think given his C4 start vs Hamilton being forced to start on C5 thanks to Vettel’s qualifying shunt nearly catching the 6x champ out with a Q2 red flag. The slip stream will also be a threat to Hamilton from the sister car of Bottas who has always run strong here – though he still should be able to narrowly fend him off given the tyre advantage.

All that changes though if Bottas gets away well and pulls one of his legendary “0.02” reaction starts. I’d watch for a jump start from Valtteri – this race has all the makings of drama at T2. Valtteri may not pull it off the first go, but I would expect him to get by Hamilton before DRS kicks in. Surely there will be early contact, though. The confidence I have that a safety car will reveal itself is nothing sure of “a sure thing”. Bottas may need to bank on Max and Hamilton making slight contact OR a penalty to which Lewis has been guilty of a few lately. Either way, Valtteri will emerge victor as he should have in 2018 making it 2/4 wins in Sochi. 

Once again Max will be left to fight the Merc’s alone but it’ll be close. In a fighting end to what was in 2018 a shambly affair (IMO) of team orders, Valtteri won’t be playing ball this round. Max won’t feel the full brunt of the teamwork from the arrows despite Netflix being in their business shooting for Drive to Survive season 3. So long as the temps stay down, the Arrows will stay up and out front. Max will have a comfortable podium under his belt – that is so long as Honda sorted things out electrically on the car.

MIDFIELD BATTLE WILL BE ELECTRIC

Ricciardo’s best start ever at P5 is likely as good as it’ll get best case scenario barring any touching/incidents. His odd side of the track should be good enough to get him through if it wasn’t the Racing Point of Checo standing in his way. Any other driver/car and Ricciardo would likely secure a P4. His fight with Checo will be long and will give Max breathing room while overheating Ricciardo’s car. Albon will fight his way through with an overcut. He had a mighty race recovering from his shunt last year on Saturday as well.

The Russian will snatch a P7 from Leclerc who starts P11 and with choice of tyres. His pace was stifled by a team mistake on timing that I think left him a bit caught out. The aero upgrades will give him more tools but I am a big believer in the hometown advantage – an emotional hedge if you will.

Rounding out the top 10 are Ocon and Sainz in 9th and 10th, respectively. A storyline that hasn’t gotten much airplay is the struggle McLaren have on softer rubber. That will show itself tomorrow in the latter stages of the race. I’m not all that convinved of Sainz’s tyre management so at a track like Sochi where it’s going to be critical, I expect him to slide from his P6 start and the Frenchman take a few much needed points.

Below are my top 3 as outlined above. You can access the rest by clicking the button underneath that and hope to see you tomorrow in the forum!

Russian Grand Prix Predictions Forums

Head on over to the F1 Predictions League Forum to see the F1 Community’s thoughts as well as enter your guesses.