Lewis Hamilton is now a seven-time world champion after a crazy effort to win the Turkish Grand Prix.
In slippery conditions in the resurfaced Istanbul Park, Hamilton struggled all weekend but found their way back to the front and took a massive win ahead of Sergio Perez of Racing Point and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari in third place.
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In an upside-down race where drivers completed all 58 laps, Hamilton held it together best.
But it was a horror day for his teammate Valtteri Bottas, who spun on the first lap and never tried to challenge the top 10.
Before the weekend, Bottas had to be within eight points of Hamilton by the end of the race, but Hamilton got in Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo, who was betting on his teammate Esteban Ocon, who was out of the race with Bottas.
He was never around. He was so far away that Hamilton lapped Bottas with 12 laps remaining and the Brit let him know.
“Valtteri has blue flags, someone might want to tell him to get out of the way,” said Karun Chandhok of Sky Sports, Hamilton reported on team radio.
But in the end it didn’t matter that Hamilton won by 31 seconds in a race he was never to be challenged in after admitting it was “terrifying.”
Hamilton cried over team radio after wrapping the title.
“Thank you guys,” he said. “For all the kids out there who dream of the impossible, you can too, man, I believe in you, man. Many thanks for your help.”
He was still struggling to hold back his emotions during the grid interview.
“I’m definitely a little speechless,” said Hamilton. “First of all, I have to thank all of our employees here and in our two factories. I wouldn’t be able to be here if I didn’t join this team and the journey we have been on has been monumental. I am so proud.”
It’s the scream! The moment he stayed in the car and wiped away a tear. It is the moment when Vettel falls on one knee to congratulate him.
Hamilton, keep your arguments, is the greatest F1 driver of all time.
What a race, what a man, what a team !!!
– Mujuni Raymond (@qataharraymond) November 15, 2020
Hamilton licks Bottas, that’s the status of GOAT, ai #TurkishGp
– Kwizera (@TherealKwizera) November 15, 2020
Hamilton puts a lap on Bottas. Great British performance here.
– Philip Duncan (@ PhilDuncanF1) November 15, 2020
Phenomenal race from Hamilton summarized here. https://t.co/DklObF4clt
– Ravi Hiranand (@ravi_hiranand) November 15, 2020
Lewis Hamilton is the greatest driver in F1 history.
– @anbetteridge ian ????) ð ???? º (@ianbetteridge) November 15, 2020
Sir Lewis Hamilton. It’s time. # F1 @ F1 # TurkishGP
– Kia Abdullah (@KiaAbdullah) November 15, 2020
Absolutely unbelievable! Lewis Hamilton makes history.
It corresponds to Michael Schumacher’s record of seven Formula 1 world championship titles with victory at the Turkish Grand Prix. What a legend! #Hamilton # TurkishGP # f1istanbul pic.twitter.com/H0aya8cqMy– Darshan Chandaria (@dchandaria) November 15, 2020
Hamilton said he “tried not to cry in front of the cameras” but doubled his comments with the great Aussie F1 star Mark Webber.
“I often know that it is beyond my wildest dreams … but I think I’ve secretly dreamed so high all my life. It felt so far fetched, ”he said.
“I remember watching Michael win the championship and just to get one, two or three – it’s so hard to get. Seven is simply unimaginable.
“What a day. There’s a lot to do.”
And in a sign that will scare the rest of the grid, he added, “I feel like I’m just beginning. I feel physically in good shape. This year was a challenge I couldn’t handle, but with the help of the people around me, I managed to keep my head above water and stay focused.
“I really hope for a better year next year and would like to stay. I have a feeling we have a lot to do here. We have only just begun to hold ourselves accountable. I want to help Formula 1, I want to help Mercedes on this journey. “
His team-mate Bottas was less happy during the race.
“Four more laps,” said his engineer.
“I wish it was less,” replied Bottas.
Bottas wasn’t the only driver who had a horror moment with the final podium, which was massively shaken from the start.
Polesitter Lance Stroll had a huge lead, but a defining moment came when the Canadian came off the lead.
Stroll came back in fourth but complained about the grain of his new intermediate tires.
A mistake led to Vettel overtaking and Stroll taking ninth place.
But his teammate Perez counted his lucky stars.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second on the final lap, but Perez and Vettel overtook to steal his position on the podium.
TURKISH GRAND PRIX RESULTS
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2. Sergio Perez (race point)
3. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. Carlos Sainz (McLaren)
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7. Alex Albon (Red Bull)
8. Lando Norris (McLaren)
9. Lance Stroll (Race Point)
10. Daniel Ricciardo (Renault)
Update
Andrew McMurtry
Valtteri Bottas has never been in this race but he suffered the ultimate outrage – being overtaken by his teammate.
Hamilton finished the race with almost 10 laps to go – 18 seconds ahead, but when he got to Bottas his teammate didn’t let him pass as he should.
And Hamilton let him know.
“Valtteri has blue flags, someone might want to tell him to get out of the way,” said Karun Chandhok of Sky Sports, Hamilton reported on team radio.
Andrew McMurtry
Lance Stroll was overtaken by Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel but fought back to regain fourth place.
But he went too hard and lost traction. Vettel and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc also overtook and dropped the former race director to sixth place.
Walk screwed it. Shame on him. Great for Seb !!!!
– Alexandra Phillips (@BrexitAlex) November 15, 2020
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After 42 laps, the walk is in eighth place. Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz also stop by.
Valtteri Bottas also gave up the championship limply, couldn’t reach the top 10 at all today and turned around several times.
Hamilton is about to lap him on lap 42.
Bottas would have to be within eight points of Hamilton to keep the title race alive.
Andrew McMurtry
During a pit stop at Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton was the first to return to his normal position.
He attacked Sergio Perez and took the lead.
Stroll, who has been in the lead from the start, is fourth but complains about the grain of his new intermediate tires.
Andrew McMurtry
Alex Albon has given up third place and brought Lewis Hamilton into third place.
Nobody was near Albon, but the track is still super slippery.
Andrew McMurtry
But it gets pretty interesting with the teams that want to put on slippery tires, but it’s still pretty wet.
Hamilton doesn’t believe there will be a transition and says, “I don’t think there will be a transition. It’s damn slippery out here.”
Andrew McMurtry
Max Verstappen seemed to be doing better than Sergio Perez, but in the end he turned around and dropped from third to eighth place after having flat spots on his tire.
Round 18/58
HUUUUGE moment for Max ????
He becomes erratic in Perez’s spray and spins, spotting his tires flat# TurkishGP ???????? # F1 pic.twitter.com/oIKvVJkofW
– Formula 1 (@ F1) November 15, 2020
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“It’s not the smartest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle.
It is the reminder that if you bite off more than you can chew, it will bite you.
Andrew McMurtry
Lewis Hamilton moved up from fifth to sixth after his brakes were locked.
He went into the team radio and said: “The brakes don’t work”.
Andrew McMurtry
The expected drama hasn’t necessarily happened so far, but the track is so wet that every corner is nerve-wracking.
Most of the drivers pitted after the rain to get intermediate tires.
Max Verstappen had the biggest problem with a 4 second pit stop which allowed him to come out of the pits with Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton right behind him rather than sixth when he got out.
But after 13 laps there is a virtual safety car after Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi had to retire, apparently with a mechanical problem.
It let the tires cool down and hopefully will make it interesting again.
Andrew McMurtry
The first lap – even the first corner – has already delivered.
Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo got stuck behind Racing Point’s Sergio Perez and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton got a better position than Riccardo.
Ricciardo pressed a bump from Hamilton against his teammate Esteban Ocon and turned him and Valtteri Bottas at the start.
Hamilton could barely fall by the wayside on the first lap as the cars slipped everywhere.
Lance Stroll 6 seconds ahead of Sergio Perez, nine seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in third place, who holds Red Bulls Max Verstappen back after four laps.
The fans were amazed at the drivers who were apparently unable to control their cars.
Torvill and Dean or # F1
Good sir
– Tim Verrall (@timverrall) November 15, 2020
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How about Sebastian Vettel! From 11th to 3rd in one round.# TurkishGP ???????? # F1
– Nick DeGroot (@ ndegroot89) November 15, 2020
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# F1 It’s like F1 on ice !! It’s brilliant ???? # TurkishGP
– Melissa Nathoo (@MelissaNathoo) November 15, 2020
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Best F1 race in years.# TurkishGP
– Sam Street (@samstreetwrites) November 15, 2020
Andrew McMurtry
The slide and slide has already started and Antonio Giovinazzi hits the barrier on his way to the starting grid.
There hasn’t been an anthem yet, but the Alfa Romeo has already landed in the gravel trap and broke its front wing.
Sergio Perez also went far but did not crash.
Williams’ George Russell also lost his front wing and ranted on team radio that “this is ridiculous”.
Buckle up – this is going to be wild.
.
