#RussianGP FP2: @ValtteriBottas leads @MercedesAMGF1 one-two. #F1

Valtteri Bottas ended the day as he started it, on top of the time-sheets in FP2 at the Russian GP ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton meanwhile former Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali has been named as new President and CEO for Formula 1 in January 2021

The Mercedes pairing lost time on their final flyers on the softer rubber, with Hamilton having to abort his lap after going off and almost hitting the barriers at the turn 13 run-off area.

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen was the leading driver for the Milton Keynes-based squad in seventh, but also suffered a spin while attempting another qualifying simulation run in the afternoon session.

After Haas F1 Team’s Romain Grosjean and McLaren’s Lando Norris set the early pace, Bottas and Hamilton then jumped to the top of the time-sheets posting a 1:36.065 and 1:34.890 on their initial FP2 laps on the C3 hards and C4 mediums respectively.

Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo moved ahead of Bottas on his first run using the mediums before the Mercedes pairing switched to the C5 softer rubber with over 20 minutes completed.

Bottas retook P1 with a 1:33.883, but team-mate Hamilton quickly dropped him back to second with his quick time of a 1:33.786.

The two leading the driver’s standings then re-emerged for their second qualifying simulation run on the softs, where both showed great pace but made big mistakes.

Hamilton set the quickest two sectors and was 0.7 seconds up on his best effort until he suffered a big lock-up at the right hand turn 13 at the end of the long acceleration zone in the mid-part of the lap – where Bottas and other rivals had a similar incident in the earlier session.

The Briton had to slow down intensely to avoid hitting the barriers and then returned to the pits.

Bottas then took the best times in the opening two sectors – which he remained holding until the end of FP2 – and was 0.7 seconds up on Hamilton’s benchmark before losing 0.5 seconds in the third sector – including a chunk of time as the Finn slid wide out of the last corner and crossed the grass bank leading onto the pit-straight.

Despite the scare, Bottas was able to better his effort and claim P1 with a 1:33.519, which he kept for the remainder of the session, and 0.267 ahead of his Mercedes team-mate.

The rest of the field then followed the Mercedes duo in completing their qualifying simulations, with Renault’s Ricciardo in third and 1.058 seconds adrift of Bottas’ Russian GP FP2 benchmark.

McLaren’s Carlos Sainz returned to the track after his crash in FP1 cost the Spaniard much of the day’s first session as he claimed fourth and in-front of team-mate Lando Norris and Racing Point’s Sergio Perez who was sixth.

The aforementioned Verstappen ended his day seventh, but went rapidly through the first two sectors on his second qualifying simulation flyer on the softs when he lost the rear of his RB16 racer at the turn 14 exit – the tighter left following the right-hand turn 13 – and the Dutchman swung around in a plume of tyre smoke before returning to the pits.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel were eighth and tenth respectively, with Renault’s Esteban Ocon splitting the pairing in ninth.

Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat were 11th and 13th respectively, as Red Bull’s Alexander Albon sandwiched the pairing in-between taking 12th.

Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen ended the day 14th and ahead of Williams Racing pairing Nicholas Latifi and George Russell.

BWT Racing Point’s Lance Stroll was a low 17th and in-front of Haas F1 Team’s Kevin Magnussen who took 18th.

The other Alfa Romeo C39 of Antonio Giovinazzi and Haas VF-20 of Romain Grosjean brought up the rear with the latter 3.339 seconds adrift of Bottas’ Russian GP FP2 benchmark.

After the qualifying simulation runs, the drivers returned to the track doing their traditional race simulation runs, where both Mercedes drivers encountered problems.

Hamilton once again locked up heavily at turn 13, running the mediums – and took to the run-off area, at a much slower speed and without the threat of hitting the barriers, before continuing on.

Bottas reported something sticking to his cockpit whilst running the harder compounds, possibly white tape sticking to the Finn’s left hand, which disrupted the Mercedes driver when he was turning right.

Bottas went into the pits and the team adjusted his cockpit before emerging to continue his long runs.

You can see the full Formula 1 VTB Russian Grand Prix Free Practice 2 Results Classification at the link: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2020/races/1054/russia/practice-2.html

Domenicali to become new President and F1 CEO

It was announced during Free Practice 2 that Stefano Domenicali will become President and CEO of F1 in January 21, with Chase Carey, current Chairman and CEO, moving to a non-executive Chairman role.

Domenicali is long remembered for his time at Ferrari from his time of joining the Maranello-marque in 1991 all the way until early 2014.

During that time he worked alongside current Formula 1 motorsport chief Ross Brawn as Team Manager, before taking the role of Sporting Director in 2002 and then Team Principal in 2008.

Most recently, Domenicali served as CEO for the famous Lamborghini, having joined parent-company Audi in 2014, while also serving as President of the FIA’s single seater commission.

 “I am thrilled to join the Formula 1 organization, a sport that has always been part of my life,” explained Domenicali. “I was born in Imola and live in Monza. I’ve remained connected to the sport through my work with the Single Seater Commission at the FIA and I look forward to connecting with the teams, promoters, sponsors and many partners in Formula 1 as we continue to drive the business ahead.”

 

“The past six years at Audi and then leading Lamborghini have given me broader perspective and experience that I will bring to Formula 1.” Domenicali concluded.

Liberty Media President and CEO, Greg Maffei, said he was excited to welcome Stefano Domenicali to F1, whilst also paying tribute to Carey, who he said would continue to play an important role.

Chase has done a phenomenal job leading F1,” Maffei explained. “He assembled a first-class commercial and sporting organization that has a long list of achievements, including broadening the appeal of the sport, growing its digital presence, establishing new technical regulations, securing a cost cap for the first time and reaching a new more equitable Concorde agreement with the teams.”

 

“His actions have reinforced F1 as the pinnacle of motorsport. As always, he has been a great partner and I look forward to his continued counsel in his new role as non-executive Chairman.”

 

“We are excited to welcome Stefano Domenicali as President and CEO of Formula 1,” he added. “Stefano brings a rich history of success in F1 at Ferrari and the broader auto industry at Audi and Lamborghini.” Maffei concluded.

 

Carey himself stated that it was “an honour to lead Formula 1, a truly global sport with a storied past over the last seventy years.”

 

“I’m proud of the team that’s not only navigated through an immensely challenging 2020 but returned with added purpose and determination in the areas of sustainability, diversity and inclusion,” Carey added.

 

“I’m confident that we’ve built the strong foundation for the business to grow over the long term. It’s been an adventure and I’ve enjoyed working with the teams, the FIA and all of our partners. I look forward to staying involved and supporting Stefano as he takes the wheel.” Carey concluded.

You can catch up on Free Practice 1 here: #RussianGP FP1 Report: @ValtteriBottas tops incident-filled session. #F1

Read this weekend’s Race Preview here at the link: #Formula1 VTB #RussianGrandPrix 2020 Race Preview. #F1 #RussianGP