Sebastian Vettel didn't win the Russian Grand Prix but he does hold the day's winner in high esteem after an intense late stage battle with Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas.
Ferrari's choice of pitting the German late looked like a winning strategy when Vettel consistently ate into Bottas' lead.
But in the end, the scheme fell short, although was perhaps also a bit hindered by a lapped Felipe Massa.
"I obviously tried everything to catch Valtteri and maybe I thought there might be some opportunity on the back straight?" Vettel said on the podium.
"I was sure he (Massa) would lift around turn 3, it's flat out but then I just wasn't sure what he was going to do and I ended up losing a bit more than I was hoping for.
"But it doesn't matter, this is the man of the race today, big congrats to Valtteri on his first GP win, so it's his day."
Vettel admitted that his extended run strategy, in order to work, would have required a mistake from Bottas.
"I had fresher tyres in the end, there was a gap to Kimi behind so I think we just decided to try extend as much as possible to hope for VB running into trouble, us having a clear track.
"That was the plan so I think we tried everything but obviously we lost the race at the start which was a bit of a shame."
Indeed, the Bottas' Mercedes rocketed off the line and tucked in right behind the Ferrari, blwoing past on the approach to Turn 3.
"Our start was probably a match with Valtteri," Vettel said.
"Maybe he gained a bit of momentum in the beginning but then he had a massive tow. I defended the inside but by the time we approached braking he was already in front and able to shut the door on me.
"So well done, that's where he won the race. And then he did a superb first stint, I couldn't stay with him he was very very quick all the race, no mistakes. So as I said, the man of the race."
Gallery: All the action from Sunday in Sochi
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