Lewis Hamilton mystified as form plummets

A dejected Lewis Hamilton admitted on Sunday night that he needs to rediscover his speed after an abject display in Russia saw him fall further behind rival Sebastian Vettel in the championship race.

As Hamilton toiled to only fourth, his new Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas clinched the first victory of his Formula One career at the 81st attempt as he became the third winner in just four races of this unpredictable season.

Bottas held his nerve in a nail-biting ending at the Sochi Autodrome - with Vettel crossing the line just 0.6 seconds behind the Finnish driver - to move to within 10 points of Hamilton, and in doing so, firmly throw his crash helmet into the championship ring.