IIDOTR - Russia 2021 (POLL)

[Londoner]

1. Lando Norris. The moral victor today.

2. Kimi Raikkonen. 8th after an enforced layoff, and no-one knows how. May have just ended his team mate's F1 career with this performance.

[Aislabie]

Lando Norris has to get a nomination - he so nearly stuck the landing.

And Carlos Sainz was fantastic all weekend.

[Klon]

Cheeky Nando with the lads

Cheeky Lando with the lads, can't forget about him

[Shadaza]

1.Lando Norris - Should have had this one, perfectly run race ruined by the weather gamble.

2. Kimi Raikkonen - Points iced off a great race back from illness, left Giovanazzi well in the dust.

[Enforcer]

Max Verstappen Even in the era of Formula 1.5, last to 2nd is not to be scoffed at.

Most of the other candidates either binned it late on or got held up by stopping too early but Sainz is still worth a look.

[Fetzie]

Lando because his winning drive was infinitely improbable, as was his loss of the winning drive.

Bottas because nobody really expected that projected 5th to happen.

[RAK]

1) Max Verstappen - Almost entirely negated the engine penalty, at a track where he wasn't favoured, with Mercedes trying to write the narrative in their favour. Sure, Hamilton took the win and the championship lead again, but the latter was expected anyway.

2) Valterri Bottas - Not on pure pace, mind, where he was a potential candidate for ROTR, but securing the fifth place after being nowhere almost all race counts for something, in my mind.

Honourable Mentions: Pre-rain Lando Norris - pushed it too far, but was genuinely impressive up until then; George Russell - another high start which resulted in a valuable point for Williams.

[Nessafox]

Lando Norris might win driver of the race and reject of the race at the same time, his pace was impressive.

Kimi Raikkonen was actually on the pace the whole weekend and seized the opportunities for a change.

HB: Alonso for yet another strong race, Sainz for a strong weekend and Max for having good pace and good luck.

[IceG]

(1) Verstappen - last to 2nd in a race with no safety car was awesome

(2) Sochi itself - a great race and somehow there were no crashes or safety cars

[went]

Alonso somehow overtook Hamilton, Verstappen and Pérez, on track, and ran on podium positions for long stretches of the race. With an Alpine. While Ocon was struggling to score a single point. And, despite stopping late, managed to salvage a 6th place.

Bottas. His late recovery was half luck, half bravery, but his awful, awful race didn't deserve a 5th place.

Sainz, for running essentially the best race that could possibly be expected of him.

HM: Norris deserved the win but that "NOOOOOOOOOOO" when told to pit ruined his race.

HM2: Verstappen. If he wins the championship, that pit call would be one of the several key moments of the season, turning a worthy but mediocre race into an extraordinary performace.

[Aerond]

Going full nationalistic here;

1.- Sainz

2.- Alonso

Why not Norris? No prize, no party. His stubborness to stay out made him lose everything and was his own doing.

[Miguel98]

1. Kimi Raikkonen - Two weekends out with covid and then returns to put the final nail in Giovinazzi's career.

2. Lando Norris - Pain is forever but he did put a 10/10 drive until the final 2 laps. The gods were not with him today.

Honorable mention to Fernando Alonso and to Max Verstappen.

[Rob Dylan]

1. Kimi Raikkonen - Two weekends out with covid and then returns to put the final nail in Giovinazzi's career.

There are like 50 nails by now.

[eagleash]

Sainz

Alonso

Norris should be running off with this trophy but for the gamble that failed...

[dr-baker]

I'm going to say Norris, simply for the LOL of seeing him nominated for both IIDOTR and ROTR in the same race...

[rachel1990]

1- Kimi Raikkonen- two races out with Covid and he performs like that. Gio's hopes for F1 in 2022 are done.

2- Lando Norris- Sob....

HM- Lewis Hamilton's luck- It never ends.
HM- Max Verstappen's luck. Of course
HM Bottas letting Max by- Just for the hilarity for Merc.
Hm, Spanish F1 drivers- Both Sainz and Alonso were amazing
HM- Russell- points are the norm now- And held 3rd for longer than I expected!

[Hermann95]

Lando Norris, perfect race until the last 3 laps.

Max Verstappen, on road for an okay finish before the rain, but managed to keep the points gap to Lewis minimal in the end.

HM: Fernando Alonso, very good drive with nearly a podium finish if the slicks gamble paid off.
HM2: Carlos Sainz, a very solid weekend all around, crowned with a Podium at the end.

[Alextrax52]

Kimi Raikkonen: He contended for points all day and he made the right call with the rain to get them. Alfa’s best result for 2 years was the outcome. All this having had 2 races out with COVID.

Carlos Sainz: Let’s not forget he still had the old power unit in his Ferrari yet he wasn’t overhauled too much and got a 3rd podium of the season.

Lando Norris: The star performer of the race. Would have won had the race got it’s natural conclusion.

George Russell: I think he did well to hang on to a point considering the inferior pace and length of the lap. Guarantee that wouldn’t have happened if Williams were still pointless

[James1978]

Max for his P2. That could be SO important come Abu Dhabi.

[UncreativeUsername37]

Equal nominations to Norris for almost winning for McLaren and Alonso for being sixth for Alpine without any high up retirements.

[Batty]

Not gonna give it to Lando cause he has been one of the best drivers this season. Not really improbable anymore.

1. Carlos Sainz - Front row and drove a great race. Even led for a bit. Now is only like 8 points or so behind Checo in the standings.

2. Kimi Raikkonen - First race back. Head down and did a great job to finish 8th.

[Rob Dylan]

Poll is at the top of this thread!

Get voting, you have until 48 hours from now to determine the Infinite Improbability Drive winner from Sochi

[Londoner]

Find out who battled their way to IIDOTR in Sochi right here today!