Mercedes knew Lewis Hamilton was going to be in trouble with Formula 1 stewards when they saw where he was practising his starts for the Russian Grand Prix, according to engineering director Andrew Shovlin. The six-times world champion, on pole position at Sochi on Sunday, was handed two five-second penalties and ended up third in a race won by team mate Valtteri Bottas. The penalties put on hold his bid to equal Michael Schumacher's record 91 wins and trimmed his championship lead to 44 points. Hamilton had asked Mercedes on his way to the grid whether he could practise starts further out of the pit lane where there was less discarded rubber, and was told to proceed. 'We hadn't realised...
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