Hamilton could become the driver to have led the most Grands Prix in history, Mercedes look to defend a 116 year old winning streak and Grosjean is likely to overtake Brundle in the most win-less races list. Here are the records which are up for grabs over the 2019 Russian Grand Prix weekend!
THE NUMBERS AND MILESTONES
This will be the 1,013th Formula 1 race. It’ll be the eighth Russian Grand Prix since the event was first held in 1913, and the sixth time the event has been held as a round of the F1 championship. This will also be the sixth F1 race at the Sochi Autodrom.
The 36th lap of the 2019 Russian Grand Prix will be the 300th racing lap of the Sochi Autodrom since F1 first visited in 2014.
Haas will equal Dallara’s total of Grand Prix appearances this weekend.
This will be the 130th F1 race to have been held in the month of September.
THE RECORDS TO BEAT
Mercedes have won every running of the Russian Grand Prix since it joined the calendar. In fact, Benz won the two Russian Grands Prix held in 1913 and 1914, so technically Mercedes have never been beaten at a Grand Prix in the country. Any other team winning would therefore be the only other team than Mercedes to win the Russian Grand Prix.
If Valtteri Bottas sets the fastest lap of the race, he’ll extend his current record of Russian Grand Prix fastest laps to three. If Sebastian Vettel or Kimi Raikkonen set the fastest lap, they’ll equal Bottas’ current record of two.
Valtteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel could each equal Lewis Hamilton’s record tally of four podium finishes at the Russian Grand Prix this weekend. Meanwhile, Hamilton himself could extend the record to five top three finishes.
If Lewis Hamilton leads the Russian Grand Prix, he’ll become the driver to have led the most Grands Prix in Formula 1 history. He’s currently tied with Michael Schumacher on 142 races led.
If Valtteri Bottas takes pole, he’ll become the second driver to take back-to-back pole positions at the Sochi Autodrom.
Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg and Romain Grosjean currently lead the way as the drivers with the most DNFs at the Russian Grand Prix with two each. A DNF for any of them would see them set a new record for most DNFs at the circuit.
Should Daniil Kvyat reach the end of the race but finish outside of the points, he’ll equal Marcus Ericsson’s tally of four finishes outside of the points at the Russian Grand Prix.
If Sebastian Vettel wins this weekend, this would be the 22nd different event at which he’s won, equalling Michael Schumacher for second in the all-time list of most different Grands Prix at which a driver has won. It would also be the 22nd different circuit at which Vette has won, equalling Alain Prost for third in the all-time list
If he fails to win the Russian Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean will surpass Martin Brundle as the driver to have started the fifth-most Grands Prix without taking a victory.
