Hamilton led the charge for Mercedes in Sochi, amassing a 73-point lead over teammate Valtteri Bottas with 130 points still up for grabs towards a sixth world title. The laurels were already within their grasp.
Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver, earned third place and couldn't capitalize on the visible dominance of the team during his fourth consecutive pole position.
"What a Herculean effort, boys," beamed Hamilton over the radio after seeing the checkered flag nine times in a row this season.
"What an incredible performance. Exactly what we need. We never give up."
Hamilton was immediately shoved back to third at the start by Sebastian Vettel, who took advantage of the wind shadow to overtake Leclerc, a shocking turn of events.
It was clear that the team agreements prior to the race stipulated that Vettel would yield and allow Leclerc to lead if it benefitted him. But four-time champion Vettel didn't buckle down and kept leading, with both men overtaking Hamilton as he languished on medium tires.
Under pressure, Vettel retorted, "I'll get him (Leclerc) no matter what."
Leclerc protested over the team radio, "You left me behind, I respect all the rules," he said, "We'll talk later."
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Despite Leclerc's suffering during the last race in Singapore as Vettel smothered him during the pit stop phases, all unspoken tensions within the Ferrari squad were brought to light, with the situation taking a downturn for the team.
Vettel continued racing with the old tires for a few rounds, allowing Leclerc to pass him after loop 22, until Leclerc switched to new tires similar to Hamilton's medium setting.
As Hamilton maintained his lead, Vettel was unable to match his pace due to a motor failure, prompting a virtual Safety Car (VSC) when the car was recovered. With the VSC in effect, Hamilton seized the opportunity to exchange his tires, putting Ferrari and Leclerc in a bind.
When George Russell had an accident, the Safety Car was deployed once more, thrusting Leclerc into the need for another tire change, placing him behind Bottas in third place.
As Hamilton made several attempts to overtake Bottas in the final 20 laps, he could only settle for third place, with both Mercedes cars firmly taking the lead in the later stages.
"It's great to be back on the podium. It's a shame we don't have the second car here," Leclerc lamented.
"I will always trust the team, but the strategy was to overtake Hamilton at the end of the straights, but I don't know ... I need to talk to the team to get more information."
Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished fourth in the Ferrari-Mercedes battle for the title, but had to concede third place to Leclerc.
The F1 season moves to the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in two weeks, with Hamilton and Mercedes already quickly closing in on the individual and Constructors' titles following the latest results.
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The team order dispute between Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc at the 2019 Russian Grand Prix was highly complex and filled with intricate strategies and maneuvers. Here are the essential details:
- Qualifying and Starting Positions:
- Charles Leclerc qualified on pole position for the fourth consecutive race, a feat achieved by no Ferrari driver since Michael Schumacher’s era.[2][3]
- Racing Strategy:
- During the race, Sebastian Vettel overtook Leclerc from third place and took the lead after the first couple of corners.[2][3]
- Ferrari had planned to have Leclerc tow Vettel to overtake Lewis Hamilton, who was in second place, but this maneuver was difficult due to Hamilton’s proximity.[2][3]
- Team Orders:
- Vettel was instructed to yield and allow Leclerc to pass, but the maneuver was not straightforward. Leclerc was instructed to close the gap to Vettel, but he struggled due to Hamilton’s proximity.[2][3]
- The team considered re-swapping the positions later in the race but it was too late, and the strategy did not work as planned.[2]
- Pit Stops and Safety Car:
- Leclerc pit before Vettel, ending up ahead after Vettel’s pit stop. However, Vettel’s MGU-K failed, prompting a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) that proved expensive for Leclerc.[2][3]
- During the VSC period, Leclerc lost the position to Valtteri Bottas’s Mercedes, finishing third.[2][3]
- Outcome:
- Despite Ferrari's best efforts, the team failed to secure the lead. The incident highlighted the ongoing tension and team order issues between Vettel and Leclerc during their first year together at Ferrari.[2][3]
This dispute showcases the intricate dynamics and strategic challenges faced by Ferrari during the 2019 season, particularly with the young and talented Leclerc pushing against the more experienced Vettel.
