Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix practice one predictions and F1 betting tips

Free Formula 1 tips, best bets and analysis for the F1 Russian Grand Prix practice sessions at Sochi on Friday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports F1, 9.35am and 1pm, Friday

Best bet

Valtteri Bottas fastest in Practice One
1pt 10-3 bet365

Preview

Tensions are rising in Russia and that’s just at the Sochi Autodrom where the weather threatens to scupper another race weekend.

The Black Sea resort has seen a deluge of rain in the past week, leading to flooding in the Sochi paddocks and forecasters say more is on its way.

With memories of August’s farcical Belgium Grand Prix still fresh in the memory, forecasts of torrential downpours on Saturday and Sunday naturally have everyone on edge.

The wet weather threatens to dampen the fiery title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen with the heat having risen several notches after their collision in Italy.

Verstappen has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the incident, making his job of breaking Mercedes’ stranglehold on this Grand Prix very difficult.

While F1 fans haven’t taken to the Sochi Autodrom, Mercedes certainly have, winning all seven races since its introduction in 2014.

With Verstappen starting from down the grid, the stage seems set for Hamilton to bring up his century of F1 wins in Russia but he’ll need to be wary of teammate Valtteri Bottas.

Bottas, a two-time winner at Sochi, drove brilliantly in Italy following confirmation that he will lose his seat at Mercedes next year to George Russell, winning Saturday’s sprint race. He was then dropped to the back of the grid after a power unit change but recovered to take third.

The flying Finn was fastest in both Friday practice sessions in Russia last year and looks a fair price to top the timesheets again.

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