How extensive is Mercedes’ dominance at the Sochi Autodrom? Which grid slots have never resulted in points-scoring finishes at the Russian Grand Prix? And which team have scored the fewest points in Sochi? Here’s the Russian Grand Prix in Numbers!
0
No races at Sochi Autodrom have been won by a driver starting further back than third on the grid, while no podium finishes have been recorded from outside the top ten on the grid.
1
There has been only one occasion on which pole position has been decided by less than a tenth of a second at Sochi Autodrom. That was in 2017, when Sebastian Vettel took pole by 0.059 seconds. It’s only one of two occasions on which Mercedes have not taken pole at the Russian Grand Prix. Ferrari also set the fastest qualifying time in 2019, with Charles Leclerc.
2
Only two grid slots at Sochi have yet to lead to a points-scoring race. Drivers starting from 16th or 20th on the grid have never scored a point in any of the seven races held at the track so far. Both of those grid slots have a best finishing position of 14th.
While no Drivers’ Champions have been crowned in Sochi, the Constructors’ Championship has been decided here twice. Mercedes won the title here in both 2014 and 2015.
3
Two drivers share the record for most DNFs at the Russian Grand Prix. Daniel Ricciardo and Romain Grosjean have each failed to finish the race here on three occasions.
5
A German driver has appeared on the podium at five of the seven Russian Grands Prix held since 2014. Sebastian Vettel has had three podium finishes at the track, while Nico Rosberg finished in the top three twice, including a win in 2016.
8
Eight different drivers have finished on the podium at the Russian Grand Prix since 2014. Nico Rosberg is the only previous podium finisher to not be on the 2021 grid.
8
The Red Bull junior team have scored the fewest points at the Russian Grand Prix of any team on the current grid. In the first six races at the venue, Toro Rosso picked up just two points, with two tenth place finishes. Things picked up for the team under their new AlphaTauri guise in 2020, with Daniil Kvyat finishing eighth and Pierre Gasly ninth.
22
If Sebastian Vettel won this weekend, it would be the 22nd different circuit where he’s taken victory. That would see him equal Alain Prost for third on the list of most circuits at which a driver has won. Only Lewis Hamilton (29) and Michael Schumacher (23) are ahead of Prost on the list.
61
Of the 370 racing laps held so far at Sochi Autodrom, only 61 haven’t been led by a Mercedes-powered car. Ferrari-powered cars have led 37 laps, while Red Bull’s TAG Heuer badged Renault engines led 24 laps in 2018.
71
When it joined the calendar in 2014, Sochi Autodrom became the 71st different circuit which Formula 1 had raced at in its history. Baku, Mugello and Portimao have been the other new additions since the Russian Grand Prix first joined the calendar in 2014.
100%
Mercedes have a 100% win rate at the Russian Grand Prix. Not only have they won every race since 2014, the Benz team also won the pre-F1 Russian races in 1913 and 1914!
370
Since the Russian Grand Prix was first held as a round of the World Championship in 2014, 370 racing laps have been completed at Sochi Autodrom. Lewis Hamilton is the only driver to have completed every lap raced so far at the circuit.
840
Russia had to wait until the 840th World Championship race before one of its own drivers stood on the podium in Formula 1. That honour went to Vitaly Petrov, who finished third in the 2011 Australian Grand Prix. Petrov didn’t grace the podium again in Formula 1, but compatriot Daniil Kvyat has since scored three podiums, two for Red Bull and one for Toro Rosso.