It was an action packed weekend in motorsport, with the world’s biggest series all in action. So, without much ado, we get into the action from the second ever Russian Formula 1 GP held in Sochi.
1. Formula 1: Rosberg does everything right, car fails him once again
You must feel for Nico Rosberg, even if you are a Hamilton fan. He was undoubtedly the faster driver all weekend, blitzing his team mate off the start line too to take the lead, but within the first ten laps, Rosberg reported that his throttle pedal was damaged. Of all the issues that could go wrong too. Nevertheless, this issue meant that the German couldn’t control the Mercedes’ acceleration. He retired and ultimately let Hamilton through to win.
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Vettel finished in second, while outlasting Sergio Perez finished third on thoroughly warn out tyres.
2. Formula 1: Sainz, Grosjean walk away from scary crashes
Carlos Sainz was involved in the scariest moment of the weekend, when his car failed going into turn 12 and ploughed into the barriers at 204km/h. Practice 3 was called off with 20 minutes left on the clock, but somehow the Spaniard was able to race on Sunday having missed qualifying.
Grosjean on the otherhand, crashed into the long turn three, looping around the Medals Plaza. He smashed the barriers hard after losing the back end, but managed to get out of the car unaided.
3. Formula 1: Mercedes wins second Constructors’ Championship in a row
Mercedes clinched the Formula 1 Constructors’ crown yet again, with Hamilton winning the race and Raikkonen dropping down to eighth after a penalty, the German company based in Brackley, UK, took home the silverware. And deservedly so.
4. NASCAR Sprint Cup: Logano owns Charlotte
Joey Logano has shown the world why you shouldn’t write him off after clinching the first win of the next leg of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He led 227 of the 334 laps, in a dominant display. Although Kevin Harvick offered up a late charge, he ultimately faded to second, with Martin Truex, Jr. finishing in third.
5. MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa wins 50th GP at wet Motegi
After nearly retiring due to a recurring arm issue, Dani Pedrosa is probably glad that he didn’t, especially since he won at the famed Motegi circuit. Valentino Rossi finished where he started the race in second, while pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo faded to third as the wet track began to try. Marc Marquez finished fourth.
6. MotoGP: Alex de Angelis in critical condition after crash during practice
In more devastating news, Alex de Angelis is in a medically induced coma after crashing heavily in MotoGP practice for the Japanese GP. There’s no footage of the crash, but it is believed that the Italian rider lost control of his bike leaving turn nine, and colliding with the metal barrier on the inside of the circuit. He sustained “a lung contusion plus multiple fractures to ribs and vertebrae,” Autosport reports, along with intercranial bleeding.
He remains in a critical condition in Motegi’s Dokkyo Hospital.
7. V8 Supercars, Bathurst 1000: Craig Lowndes makes it six wins at Mount Panorama
Craig Lowndes, alongside Steven Richards, has won his sixth Bathurst 1000, in usually dramatic and highly enjoyable fashion. After a dry, wet, dry weather pattern, Lowndes shot to the lead from 22nd and never looked like giving that place up. Jamie Whincup might’ve pulled off a late challenge, but was deemed to pass a safety car illegally in the late stages, pushing him outside the top ten.
8. GP2: Stoffel Vandoorne wins GP2 title
Well, this is a bit obvious.
The Lewis Hamilton of GP2 this year, Stoffel Vandoorne has been crowned GP2 champion after driving the skin off his car all year. He led from race one, and never once dropped the Championship lead.
9. GP3: Esteban Ocon pulls off pass of the season
Well, this is one of the best passes you’ll probably ever see. Esteban Ocon is a Mercedes development driver, but clearly he felt that he was driving one in this particular race. Have a look at this passing masterclass below.
10. WEC: Porsche invoke team orders to change 1-2 win
Formula 1 fans hate team orders, but it’s part and parcel of the rules. As they are in the World Endurance Championship.
Porsche, although leading one-two going into the final stages of the Fuji Six Hours, let the Porsche of Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard through to take their third victory of the season. They passed Neel Jani, Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb, who were leading the race by 30 seconds, to improve Porsche’s shot at the Drivers’ Championship.
Webber rather eloquently, after enduring his fair share of team orders in Formula 1, put it:
It was #18’s [Porsche of Neel Jani, Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb] day today and they deserved the win, but it was decided to flip the position around at the end, so we owe them one in the future.
