Exciting High-Speed Showcase Sees Markelov Extend Championship Lead

Qualifying:

Pos	#	Driver	Constructor	Q1	Q2	Diff.
1	6	Artem Markelov		1:12.247	1:12.325
2	39	Sho Tsuboi		1:12.401	1:12.631	+0.154
3	64	Dave Cassidy		1:12.844	1:12.700	+0.453
4	77	Valtteri Bottas		1:12.784	1:12.702	+0.455
5	47	Lando Norris		1:12.729	1:12.945	+0.263
6	37	Kazuki Nakajima		1:12.813	1:12.779	+0.532
7	23	Alexander Albon		1:12.832	1:12.781	+0.534
8	26	Robert Shwartzman		1:13.208	1:12.785	+0.538
9	29	Roger Ibe		1:12.824	1:12.930	+0.577
10	18	Sebastian Vettel		1:12.865	1:13.157	+0.618
11	70	Sérgio Sette Câmara		1:12.913	1:12.865	+0.618
12	33	Max Verstappen		1:13.104	1:12.873	+0.626
13	7	Charles Leclerc		1:13.165	1:13.002	+0.755
14	31	Esteban Ocon		1:13.364	1:13.066	+0.819
15	99	Antonio Giovinazzi		1:13.825	1:13.204	+0.957
16	13	Pastor Maldonado		1:13.362	1:13.412	+1.115
17	4	Robin Frijns		1:13.530	1:13.365	+1.118
18	84	Jack Aitken		1:13.574	1:13.779	+1.325
19	94	Pascal Wehrlein		1:13.951	1:13.651	+1.404
20	73	Daniel Melrose		1:13.652	1:13.766	+1.405
21	23	Jules Bianchi		1:14.196	1:13.656	+1.409
22	55	Carlos Sainz, Jr.		1:13.872	1:13.699	+1.452
23	57	Dean Stoneman		1:14.308	1:13.925	+1.678
24	98	Bradley Dagnall		1:14.162	1:14.207	+1.915

Report:

The Akrotiri Bay International Circuit is known for its extreme speed. F1 loves this track and the track loves F1, as it produced yet another noteworthy race full of thrills and overtaking. Every F1 fan got almost everything they want.

The only thing one could have asked for is an actual battle for the victory: Artem Markelov translated his pole into an efficient run to the flag with Cassidy’s distance of 2.859 seconds belying how much Artem was in control here.

Who cares about 15 points if Mr. Excitement is doing his thing. Overtakes left and right, including one crazy move where he passed two cars on the inside of turn 1, saw Roger Ibe score his first podium finish in F1, with more sure to come.

Good news for Toyota: Valtteri Bottas scored his first points of the season and added a FLAP. Bad news for Toyota: Kazuki Nakajima was involved in an accident with Sérgio Sette Câmara which injured the latter and cost the former points.

Race:

Pos	#	Driver	Constructor	Time/Retired	Points
1	6	Artem Markelov		42:58.774	15
2	64	Dave Cassidy		+2.859	12
3	29	Roger Ibe		+8.871	10
4	39	Sho Tsuboi		+12.198	8
5	33	Max Verstappen		+12.588	6
6	77	Valtteri Bottas		+18.133	5
7	18	Sebastian Vettel		+20.214	4
8	14	Esteban Ocon		+21.333	3
9	7	Charles Leclerc		+25.193	2
10	13	Pastor Maldonado		+30.650	1
11	55	Carlos Sainz, Jr.		+42.591	0
12	99	Antonio Giovinazzi		+44.061	0
13	73	Daniel Melrose		+44.752	0
14	85	Jack Aitken		+48.872	0
15	47	Lando Norris		+49.387	0
16	94	Pascal Wehrlein		+52.332	0
DNF	26	Robert Shwartzman		Transmission	0
DNF	98	Bradley Dagnall		Motor	0
DNF	23	Alexander Albon		Transmission	0
DNF	19	Robin Frijns		Accident	0
DNF	70	Sérgio Sette Câmara		Collision	0
DNF	37	Kazuki Nakajima		Collision	0
DNF	57	Dean Stoneman		Collision	0
DNF	23	Jules Bianchi		Collision	0

Fastest Lap:

Valtteri Bottas – 1:17.262

Infinite Improbability Drive Of The Race:

Dawson-Mercedes – took a lead in the war of the backmarkers, even if they did not score a point.

Reject Of The Race:

Precision-Mercedes – their motor is not awful enough to justify this horrible date.