Valtteri Bottas wins maiden F1 GP in Russia

Valtteri Bottas has managed to win the first Formula 1 Grand Prix of his career, at the 2017 Formula 1 Russian GP. The Finnish Mercedes driver was joined on the podium by the two Ferrari rivals - Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. Meanwhile, the second Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in a distant fourth.

The Russian GP started with a Ferrari lockout at the front row of the grid. However, Bottas managed to get a good start and crossed the two Ferraris in turn 2 of lap 1. He led the race throughout, except during his sole pit stop on Lap 27. Bottas had extended his lead over Vettel's Ferrari to 5.3 seconds by lap 21. However, after Vettel went in to the pits on lap 34, he managed to make the most of his new set of tyres.

By lap 40, Vettel had cut Bottas' lead to just 1.5 seconds. However, Bottas managed to keep the car in shape and bring it home just 0.617 seconds ahead of Vettel's Ferrari. Kimi Raikkonen too showcased some neat driving this weekend to finish third.

Lewis Hamilton was suffering to keep the tyres in the right temperature window and was not able to pose a threat to any of the three race leaders. He was seen struggling with his car throughout the race. The fifth spot was occupied by Red Bull's Max Verstappen, while his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo had issues with his rear brake and thus did not finish. Force India's Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon took the sixth and seventh positions, clocking the team's 14th consecutive set of points. Renault's Nico Hulkenberg, Williams' Felipe Massa and Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz completed the top 10 drivers chart at the Sochi Auto Drome in Russia.

Fernando Alonso continued to struggle with his McLaren-Honda race car as the driver reported loss of power during the formation lap itself. Other drivers who did not finish the Russian GP were Renault's Jolyon Palmer and Haas' Roman Grosjean, who came together in the opening lap and crashed into the barriers.

The next race of the 2017 Formula 1 season is scheduled in Spain on May 14, 2017. Current World Driver's Championship standings are:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 86

2. Lewis Hamilton - 73

3. Valtteri Bottas - 63