I've suggested unicorn tears in the engine. What can you offer to change Lewis's luck?

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

"Nico Rosberg’s reaction to the events of qualifying was fascinating. Usually, when team-mate Lewis Hamilton hits trouble that stops them having a battle, Rosberg makes some appropriately sensitive remarks about what a shame it was for him. 

"Not this time. He was aware, of course, of what happened to his direct competition, but he didn’t see it, he said, as luck for him, but rather misfortune for his rivals. He said all the right things, too, about there being a long way to go. But is that perhaps the merest hint of an indication of a shift of mentality, the first giveaway that he realises this really could be his year?"

Image source, Getty Images

Kimi Raikkonen and Valtteri Bottas are being interviewed on the parade lap.

The interviewer points towards Turn Four, where the pair collided on the final lap last year.

What are your thoughts on that Kimi?

"Meh."

Classic Kimi.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

"If you want detail on Hamilton’s engine problems, you’ve got it. 

"Mercedes said: 'Our entire approach has been guided by ensuring we do not break the parc ferme regs so Lewis can start P10 rather than from the pit lane, to give him the best chance of a starting finish. 

"'We have re-fitted his original Melbourne engine - number one - which was here as a spare. It contains a new turbocharger and MGU-H, his third of the season, which were replaced after failure in China. We have also replaced the control electronics and energy store, to eliminate them as a potential source of the problem.

“'The complication was in ensuring that we replaced with parts of the same specification, as we introduced an upgrade here for all eight power units, but did not have spare components on site. So we had to fly out a fuel system on a chartered jet yesterday evening, arriving here in the early hours, and the spare engine was then kitted with these parts during the night (the spare engine is not covered by parc ferme rules). When the car came out of parc ferme this morning, the spare PU was fitted and has now fired up successfully in the garage.'”

Image source, Rex Features

So it's been a bit of a rough time for Lewis Hamilton, the poor love.

So what can you offer Lewis to help change his luck?

Do you have a lucky charm you can lend him, some technical wizardry for the car or a sage piece of advice?

I will be offering extremely rare unicorn tears to run through his engine, which should help with the smooth running of that naughty old power unit.

Use #bbcf1 to get involved.

Image source, Getty AP

So, has Lewis been unlucky?

Here's what has happened in the four race weekends so far this season:

Australia (second): Hamilton made a poor start off the grid and was then pushed wide by Rosberg at the first corner. Was the slow start his “fault”? Possibly not, as the new starting mechanisms have an element of randomness about them.

Bahrain (third): Made another bad start after a problem with the revs settling. Was not to blame for his crash with Valtteri Bottas.

China (seventh): Gearbox penalty and power unit failure. Plus a crash with Felipe Nasr. None of it his fault.

Russia (qualified 10th): Power unit. Also not his fault.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

"There is a small bit of good news for Lewis Hamilton today, which is that he will have no further grid penalty. Mercedes has replaced the engine he used on Saturday, and which suffered an MGU-H failure, with the engine he used in China, which has been repaired since it suffered the same problem, consigning him to the back of the grid in Shanghai. 

"The Mercedes engine has been fitted with a new fuel system this weekend, and the team have had to fly that into Sochi overnight and fit it to the new engine so it is replaced on a like-for-like basis, which is allowed under the parc ferme rules. Had he used the engine with the old fuel system, that would have meant a pit-lane start because of a change of specification."

And I'm just getting images through of that plane...

Image source, Hanna-Barbera

Image source, Rex Features

A rare piece of fortune for Lewis Hamilton, who will not be handed a grid penalty after his engine failure in yesterday's qualifying.

The turbocharger, MGU-H, control electronics and energy store have all been changed in Hamilton's power unit.

An F1 statement said there is no punishment "since all were within his season’s power unit allocation and replaced with permission of the FIA technical delegate".

Image source, Getty Images

And with that sobering thought in the forefront of our minds, we turn our attention to race day in Russia.

Nico Rosberg starts on pole as he looks to make it seven wins on the bounce. Sebastian Vettel is down in seventh after a grid penalty - so it's Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen in P2 and P3 respectively.

And what of Lewis Hamilton? Has he suffered a grid penalty? Well, I think we have some news...

Image source, Rex/Getty

Bow your head. Put your flags at half mast. Doff your cap.

It was 22 years ago today that Ayrton Senna tragically died doing what he loved.

The Brazilian three-time world champion was leading when his Williams went into a concrete wall at the 1994 San Marino GP.

Amazingly, today is the first time a grand prix has fallen on the anniversary of Senna's death.

He drove like an artist.

He is the greatest of all time.