Currently reading: Motorsport weekend wrap: Bottas claims first F1 win

Your quick-hit results round-up: F1, WRC, WTCC and more

Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas claimed his first Formula 1 victory after holding off Sebastian Vettel in the Russian Grand Prix.

In just his fourth race for Mercedes, Bottas started third on the grid at Sochi, but jumped past the Ferraris of Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen at the start. He then resisted a late-race charge from Vettel to take his first win in his 81st race.

“I’ve always known I could do good results if everything goes right,” said Bottas. “I always trust in my ability but it’s nice to get confirmation that the results are possible, so definitely good to continue from here.”

Raikkonen finished third, with Lewis Hamilton taking a disappointing fourth after struggling for pace during the race. Vettel now leads Hamilton by 13 points.

The next race is the Spanish Grand Prix on May 14.

World Rally Championship

Ac evans argentina

Welshman Elfyn Evans was denied a maiden World Rally Championship victory by just 0.7 seconds on Rally Argentina last weekend.

Evans, driving a DMACK-backed Ford Fiesta RS WRC, led the bulk of the event, but entered the finial stage leading Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville by 0.6s. Neuville then completed the final test 1.3s quicker to snatch glory.

“It’s been a milestone event in my career,” said Evans. “We’re obviously disappointed at not sealing out first win, but this weekend has made me even more determined.”

Reigning champion Sebastien Ogier finished fourth and continues to lead the points. Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke retired from the event after crashing his Citroen C3 WRC.

Round-up

  • Tom Chilton led home fellow Briton Rob Huff in the first FIA World Touring Car Championship race at Monza. A broken driveshaft sidelined Chilton’s Citroen in race two, which was won by Volvo’s Thed Bjork. Huff was third.
  • Reigning IndyCar Series champion Simon Pagenaud claimed his first victory on an oval at Phoenix, leading home Penske team-mate Will Power by 9.1 seconds.
  • Brits Lando Norris and Callum Ilott both took Formula 3 race wins at Monza. Joel Eriksson, who won the other race at the Italian track, continues to lead the points.

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Peter Cavellini 2 May 2017

Congratulations......

Yes,well done,but,it only goes to show,if your not in the righ Car,no matter how brilliant you are,your not going to win a race,there are only three teams in the Championship,the other seventeen are mobile road blocks,no chance of winning,always strapped for cash because they don't win or finish in the top ten regularly enough,I'd like to see Bottas become champion,he deserves to he has been around for a while.