Rate the Race - Russian GP

[Doc Austin]

Botas could be just the guy who pulls Williams back into the fight for a championship, but they still have a long way to go. I hope I am wrong, but I think Massa just might be past it and Williams needs a second driver who is faster.

It was interesting (and disturbing) to see how badly Red Bull sucked today. Oh, as the saying goes, how the mighty have fallen. Adrian Newey, and his legacy, would have been a lot better off leaving at the end of last year. Of course, we're talking about a team that has won three Grands Prix and are the only one to beat Mercedes this year, but that's the high standard you set when you win four straight titles. You win only three races and people think you suck. Marussia and Caterham would love to suck like that.

Did I mention how disappointing Vettel has been this year? Careful with that finger, Sebastian. You don't know where that's been. What's wrong with this guy? He didn't get to be a four time champion by stinking it up like he has this year. I like Vettel, admire him even, but something is not right here.

Ricciardo gets the benefit of doubt because this is the first race all year that he has been less than brilliant. Either that, or Sebastian sucks so bad that it makes Daniel look like a god.

It also looks like Ferrari has just given up. Kimmi: "Leave me alone. I don't know what I am doing." Alonso: "Why the hell am I still here?" Montezemolo: "They will ask me back in a couple of months because they will suck once I am gone." Brawn: "The number you have reached is not in service at this time, especially when the incoming calls are from Italy."

Rosberg pitting early killed any suspense the race had, because Mercedes is so far ahead that the battle between teammates is all that's left. He ran all but one lap on a set of tires and still finished second. That's how lost everyone else is.

Rosberg has got to be getting a bit disillusioned by now. Lately, every time he tries to race Hamilton (Spa, Monza, Russia) he makes a mistake and either gives the race away, ruins his tires or punts his teammate (which he can't afford to do again under any circumstances). After three of those out of the last four races, the Singapore DNF was just an additional insult. It is not going Nico's way at all right now, and he went from having an unassailable lead after Spa, to being behind on points to a guy he can't beat in a straight fight. It's got to be playing with his mind.

To be honest, I watched most of the race in fast forward because it just wasn't that interesting. Maybe the track was fun to drive, but on TV it looked flat, featureless and uninteresting. As such, since I really didn't pay too much attention to it, I don't think it's fair for me to give it a rating because it would be real low.