Top five moments in the Lewis Hamilton vs Sebastian Vettel battle in 2018

#4 Hamilton's might at Russia

F1 Grand Prix of Russia

Even before Lewis Hamilton entered Sochi for his 2018 run, it was clear which way the fight to Sebastian Vettel was headed.

He had made significant headway before the race, winning brilliant Grands Prix at Hungaroring, Monza, and Singapore.

While his critics argue that the win at Russia was gifted to him due to team-orders enforced on Bottas, what one can't undermine is the move Hamilton pulled on Vettel in the middle stages.

On Lap 14, Vettel was the first to pit ahead of the Mercedes driver. He would emerge behind Bottas.

Within a minute, Hamilton was boxed, as Mercedes reacted to Ferrari's pit-stop. But in a move that seemed thwarted and inaccurate in its execution, Vettel passed Hamilton who had emerged fourth.

Surely, Mercedes' fans' hearts must have sunk seeing Vettel pass their hero.

But it's what happened thereafter that changed the construct of the race. Within a minute of Vettel passing the eventual Russian Grand Prix winner, Hamilton kept up the ante and dived into the outside of Vettel, to emerge ahead in the run-up to a slow right-hander, having all but passed him on Lap 16 itself.