Lewis Hamilton pipped Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in the final practice session before qualifying at the Russian Grand Prix.
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Rosberg, seeking his first world title, has taken full advantage of his teammate’s problems, winning all three races this season to open up a 36-point lead ahead of Hamilton in the championship.
With Hamilton 10th and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel dropped to seventh by a penalty, Sunday’s race is his to lose.
After taking the canopy off his Red Bull, Ricciardo placed sixth, splitting the Williams pair of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas. “I felt happier as the day continued, it’s true that for the race we are lacking a bit of information, but we will see tomorrow morning, when we have another practice session”.
A crestfallen Lewis Hamilton vowed Saturday to “never give up” in his world title defence after another engine failure wrecked his hopes in qualifying for Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix.
“I have all the confidence in the team to sort the issues we are having at the moment, so I just try to focus on the things I can influence – I want to get a good start [on Sunday] and try to stay ahead”.
“We had the great pace once again and this happens to us all unexpectedly”.
Under pressure after a troubled start to the season, two-time defending Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton got his Russian Grand Prix weekend off to the ideal start on Friday. “It’s not that Nico is doing an unbelievable job and Lewis is doing a awful job”.
Hamilton said he was aware that he can not allow Rosberg to pull further clear in the title race.
He was also given a reprimand following an investigation by the stewards for not rejoining the track in the correct manner after running wide at Turn Two in the first qualifying session.
Hamilton jumped to first position with 25 minutes to go, the Briton lapping in 1:38.217, despite not setting the best time in Sector 3.
Haas’ recent difficulties continued in qualifying in Sochi as Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez could only finish the session 15th and 16th. But while the German is in excellent shape to begin the F1 campaign with four straight victories, his teammate Lewis Hamilton has suffered another setback. Hamilton said. “It is all about their face and their hair”.
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“It’s never easy but the way the grid is does help me out a lot, for sure”.
