Formula 1 - Season 2020

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Bottas doesn’t understand why he didn’t have the pace to beat Hamilton
Valtteri Bottas admits he “does not understand” why he lacked pace compared to team mate Lewis Hamilton after he was beaten by 25 seconds in the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Red Bull won’t replace Albon before end of season
Red Bull will not replace Alexander Albon in its line-up before the end of the year, despite his difficult season continuing in the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Norris says Stroll’s second turn one crash shows “he doesn’t learn from anything he does”
Lando Norris criticised Lance Stroll for the collision between the pair in the Portuguese Grand Prix, but apologised for swearing at him on his radio afterwards.

Perez collects second reprimand for another incident with Gasly
Sergio Perez has been given his second reprimand in as many days for an incident involving Pierre Gasly, and is at risk of a grid penalty if he collects a third.

Vettel trusts Ferrari gives him same car specification as Leclerc
Sebastian Vettel says he trusts Ferrari are giving him the same car specification as his team mate, despite the large gap between them throughout the season so far.

Racing Point will complain over second “harsh” reprimand for Perez
Racing Point are unhappy Sergio Perez has been given his second reprimand in as many days, and will raise the matter at a high-level F1 meeting tomorrow.

‘Dad would be proud of my rally skills’ says Sainz after taking lead at start
Carlos Sainz Jnr says that his World Rally Championship-winning father “would be proud” of his start on a slippery track at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Late-race leg cramp was “excruciating” – Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton says the cramp he reported in the closing stages of the Portuguese Grand Prix was painful enough to affect his driving.

F1 drivers told no changes to penalty points for track limits this year
Formula 1 drivers have been told they will continue to receive penalty points for track limits violations at least until the end of this season.

Hamilton’s recording-breaking Algarve win was ‘new-version Lewis at his best’
Lewis Hamilton’s victory in the Portuguese Grand Prix was a fitting way to break the record for most F1 wins because it demonstrated how he has improved as a driver, says Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin.

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Everyone knows Hamilton is quick but his strength is his consistency – Verstappen
Max Verstappen praised Lewis Hamilton’s consistency after the Mercedes driver set a new record for most wins in Formula 1 in the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Racing Point expect better performance from Stroll at Imola after troubled return
Racing Point CEO Otmar Szafnauer says Lance Stroll wasn’t at his peak form in last weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix on his return after contracting Covid-19.

McLaren keen to see if Ferrari’s “very impressive” pace was a one-off
Ferrari’s strong showing in the Portuguese Grand Prix has left its rivals wondering whether they have made a breakthrough with their previously troublesome SF1000.

Russell: Wolff has told me I’ll be on the grid next year
Mercedes junior driver George Russell is confident he will remain on the grid for the 2021 F1 season despite doubts over his future at Williams.

Norris: ‘Hamilton’s car should win every race, he only has to beat two drivers’
Lando Norris said Lewis Hamilton’s record-breaking achievement in the Portuguese Grand Prix was a matter of him “doing the job he has to do” in a superior car.

Norris apologises following Stroll and Hamilton comments
Lando Norris has apologised for comments made in recent interviews, following his widely publicised remarks about rival drivers including Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll.

Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Emilia Romagna GP:

Emilia Romagna GP
Saturday
Practice Session 1   14:00 To 15:30
Qualifying Session   18:00 To 19:00

Sunday
Race                 17:10 To 19:10

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Red Bull hopes ‘Balance of Performance’ plan will win rivals over to engine freeze
Red Bull hopes to gain support from rival teams for its engine freeze plan by proposing new ‘Balance of Performance’ rules.

Draft 2021 F1 calendar presented to teams with 23 races
A draft 2021 F1 calendar was presented to teams at yesterday’s meeting of the Formula 1 Commission, RaceFans understands.

Third rejection for F1’s reverse-grid qualifying race plan
Plans to introduce reverse-grid qualifying races at a limited number of rounds during the 2021 F1 season have fallen foul of a lack of support from teams.

Ex-Minardi boss says F1 return “wouldn’t be too difficult”
Former Formula 1 team principal Paul Stoddart says the sport’s coming budget cap and other rules changes could lure private teams back to the sport.

AlphaTauri confirm Gasly will drive for them again in 2021
AlphaTauri has confirmed one of its two drivers for the 2021 F1 season. Pierre Gasly will remain at the team next year.

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FIA and circuits realising error of removing gravel traps, says Sainz
Carlos Sainz Jnr believes the FIA and F1 circuit operators have started to realise replacing gravel traps with asphalt run-off areas was a mistake because it prevents track limits from being enforced.

Billionaire backing is a “stigma” for drivers like Stroll and Mazepin – Wolff
Formula 1 drivers from billionaire families should not be dismissed because of their wealthy backgrounds, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said.

Raikkonen and Giovinazzi expected to keep F1 seats as Alfa Romeo extends Sauber deal
Alfa Romeo has extended its deal to apply its branding to Sauber’s Formula 1 team for 2021. It is expected to confirm current drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi will remain with the team for a third season next year.

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Russell’s F1 coach self-isolating with possible Covid-19 symptoms
George Russell‘s Formula 1 performance coach Aleix Casanovas is self-isolating after exhibiting possible symptoms of Covid-19.

Official:
Raikkonen and Giovinazzi confirmed for third year at Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo has confirmed its current driver line-up of Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi will remain with the team for a third season.

Ricciardo suspects Algarve exposed Renault’s weakness
Daniel Ricciardo says Renault’s performance in the Portuguese Grand Prix may have exposed a remaining weakness in their otherwise improved RS20.

Alonso to test 2018 Renault in Bahrain next week
Fernando Alonso will conduct a two-day test for Renault in Bahrain next week in preparation for his comeback in the 2021 F1 season.

Mild weather expected for unusually late European race
Weather at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend should be mild, with low winds and mid air temperatures, however, cloud cover could cool track tarmac a lot on the Sunday.

“Nothing decided yet” on $30 million spending cap for driver salaries – Steiner
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner rejected claims teams have already agreed a cap on driver salaries will come into force in 2023.

Williams end speculation over Russell and confirm both drivers will remain for 2021
Williams have moved to end speculation over the future of their driver line-up by confirming George Russell and Nicholas Latifi will drive for them next year.

Raikkonen: Decision to extend F1 career wasn’t difficult
Kimi Raikkonen says it wasn’t a difficult decision to extend his Formula 1 career, which is already the longest for any driver, by another year.

Perez says Red Bull is an “option” for him in 2021
Sergio Perez has said a move to Red Bull for the 2021 F1 season is an “option” for him, amid speculation he could replace Alexander Albon at the team.

Racing Point confirms it had four other Covid-19 cases
Racing Point has confirmed it has had a total of seven positive cases of Covid-19 among its staff since the season began.

Gasly “surprised” Red Bull didn’t consider him for 2021 return
Pierre Gasly is surprised he wasn’t considered for a return to Red Bull next year after winning for AlphaTauri in Monza.

Norris sent Hamilton message to apologise for post-race comments
Lando Norris apologised directly to Lewis Hamilton in a message for his post-race comments following the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Alonso embedded in Renault’s race operation for Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Fernando Alonso is embedded within Renault’s race operation at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to familiarise himself with their procedures ahead of his return next year.

Verstappen says critics of his language “don’t need to make it bigger than it is”
Max Verstappen admitted his choice of words when following his collision with Lance Stroll in Portugal was “not correct” but says those who objected to it “don’t need to make it bigger than it is.”

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Hamilton: Memories of Senna “harsh” but also “heart-warming” on return to Imola
Lewis Hamilton said inspecting the Imola circuit today was a “harsh reminder” of Ayrton Senna’s death at the track in 1994.

Red Bull “made it very clear” to Gasly why he hasn’t been recalled for 2021
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner rejected Pierre Gasly’s claim they did not explain why he wasn’t considered worthy of a return to the team in 2021 despite his strong campaign this year.

Perez and Hulkenberg ‘both tough enough to go up against Verstappen’
Both Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg are tough enough to survive as team mate to Max Verstappen at Red Bull, according to Racing Point CEO Otmar Szafnauer.

Team bosses hope F1 can “bring positivity” with race in Saudi Arabia
Formula 1 team bosses say they hope the sport can be a force for good if it proceeds with controversial plans to hold its first race in Saudi Arabia.

Hamilton leads Verstappen in sole practice session at Imola
Lewis Hamilton led the only practice session for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as Max Verstappen split the Mercedes drivers at Imola.

Emilia Romagna GP
Practice Session 1
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap   Laps
 1  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:14.726   -     45
 2  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:15.023  0.297  38
 3  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:15.218  0.492  46
 4  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:15.633  0.907  46
 5  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:15.688  0.962  40
 6  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:15.839  1.113  32
 7  Esteban Ocon       Renault               1:15.945  1.219  43
 8  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:15.966  1.240  46
 9  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:16.061  1.335  40
10  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:16.082  1.356  41
11  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:16.109  1.383  41
12  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:16.167  1.441  40
13  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:16.550  1.824  41
14  Carlos Sainz Jnr   McLaren/Renault       1:16.560  1.834  41
15  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:16.564  1.838  32
16  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:16.671  1.945  44
17  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:16.684  1.958  42
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:16.780  2.054  42
19  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:17.060  2.334  45
20  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes     1:17.779  3.053  28

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Bottas takes Imola pole position from Hamilton on final lap
Valtteri Bottas took pole position away from Lewis Hamilton with his final lap of qualifying for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Emilia Romagna GP
Qualifying Session
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap
 1  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:13.609s  -
 2  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:13.706s 0.097s
 3  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:14.176s 0.567s
 4  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:14.502s 0.893s
 5  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:14.520s 0.911s
 6  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:14.572s 0.963s
 7  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:14.616s 1.007s
 8  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:14.695s 1.087s
 9  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:14.814s 1.205s
10  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:14.911s 1.302s
11  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:15.061s 1.452s
12  Esteban Ocon       Renault               1:15.201s 1.592s
13  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:15.323s 1.714s
14  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:15.385s 1.776s
15  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:15.494s 1.885s
16  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:15.909s 2.309s
17  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:15.939s 2.330s
18  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:15.953s 2.344s
19  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes     1:15.987s 2.378s
20  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:16.208s 2.599s

Hamilton: Imola is incredible but it’s not going to be a great race
Lewis Hamilton was impressed by his first experience of Imola in a Formula 1 car but says overtaking will be very difficult during tomorrow’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Red Bull didn’t gain information from AlphaTauri’s Imola test – Horner
Red Bull did not gain any information about the Imola circuit from sister team AlphaTauri’s filming day at the circuit earlier this year, team principal Christian Horner has insisted.

Hamilton admits final qualifying lap was “pretty p***-poor”
Lewis Hamilton said his final lap in qualifying for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was “poor”, after losing pole position to team mate Valtteri Bottas.

Bottas “had the shakes” after pole-winning lap at Imola
Valtteri Bottas said he “had the shakes” after snatching pole position for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix away from his team mate with the final lap of qualifying.

Engine problem led to “messy” qualifying session – Verstappen
Max Verstappen says his power unit problem during qualifying for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix disrupted his session, though he doesn’t believe he had the pace to beat the Mercedes.

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Hamilton can clinch title at next race after out-running Bottas for Imola win
Lewis Hamilton fought back from third place to take his ninth win of the year in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Emilia Romagna GP
Race Results
Pos Driver             Car                   Time         Gap
 1  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:28:32.430s  -
 2  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:28:38.213s  5.783s
 3  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:28:46.750s 14.320s
 4  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:28:47.571s 15.141s
 5  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:28:51.541s 19.111s
 6  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:28:52.082s 19.652s
 7  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:28:52.660s 20.230s
 8  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:28:53.561s 21.131s
 9  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:28:54.654s 22.224s
10  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:28:58.828s 26.398s
11  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes     1:28:59.565s 27.135s
12  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:29:00.883s 28.453s
13  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:29:01.493s 29.163s
14  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:29:05.365s 32.935s
15  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:29:29.714s 57.284s
 -  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     Spun off
 -  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        Puncture
 -  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          Physical
 -  Esteban Ocon       Renault               Clutch
 -  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      Overheating

Here is the World Standings after the Emilia Romagna GP:

World Championships Standings
Drivers Standings
Pos Driver             Total
 1  Lewis Hamilton      282
 2  Valtteri Bottas     197
 3  Max Verstappen      162
 4  Daniel Ricciardo     95
 5  Charles Leclerc      85
 6  Sergio Perez         82
 7  Lando Norris         69
 8  Carlos Sainz Jnr     65
 9  Alexander Albon      64
10  Pierre Gasly         63
11  Lance Stroll         57
12  Esteban Ocon         40
13  Daniil Kvyat         26
14  Sebastian Vettel     18
15  Nico Hulkenberg      10
16  Kimi Raikkonen        4
16  Antonio Giovinazzi    4
18  Romain Grosjean       2
19  Kevin Magnussen       1
20  Nicholas Latifi       0
20  George Russell        0
Constructors Standings
Pos Team             Total
 1  Mercedes          479
 2  Red Bull          226
 3  Renault           135
 4  McLaren           134
 4  Racing Point      134
 6  Ferrari           103
 7  AlphaTauri         89
 8  Alfa Romeo          8
 9  Haas                3
10  Williams            0

Bottas says he couldn’t avoid hitting debris which damaged floor
Valtteri Bottas said he was not able to avoid hitting the debris which damaged the floor of his Mercedes during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Hamilton: “I don’t know if I’m going to be here next year”
Lewis Hamilton indicated he is not certain he will continue racing in Formula 1 next year when discussing team principal Toto Wolff’s future at the team.

Mercedes break Ferrari’s record with seventh consecutive constructors’ title win
Mercedes have won the constructors’ championship for the seventh year in a row, setting a new Formula 1 record.

Senna’s crash scene marked on Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix trophy
The scene of the crash which claimed the life of Ayrton Senna is marked on the trophies which will be awarded to the top finishers in today’s race at Imola.

“We need to come to more tracks like this”: Drivers thrilled by F1’s Imola return
Formula 1’s return to Imola for the first time since 2006 was widely praised by drivers following the first day of running at the circuit.

Don’t blame the track if passing isn’t possible at Imola – Grosjean
Formula 1 shouldn’t dismiss Imola as a poor circuit for overtaking if few passes occur in today’s grand prix, says Romain Grosjean.

Mongolia’s ambassador complains to FIA and Red Bull over Verstappen’s “racist language”
Max Verstappen’s use of a derogatory term relating to Mongolians has prompted a formal complaint to the FIA and Red Bull from the country’s ambassador.

Stroll frustrated at being “slow throughout qualifying”
Lance Stroll’s troubled return following his the Covid-19 infection which kept him out of the Eifel Grand Prix continued at Imola, where he posted his worst qualifying result of the season so far.

F1 can keep racing despite new Covid-19 lockdowns – Wolff
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is confident Formula 1 will be able to continue holding races despite a rising number of Europe countries announcing new lockdowns to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

Imola test was “no big advantage” for AlphaTauri despite best qualifying result of season
AlphaTauri’s drivers played down the role the team’s test at Imola earlier this year might have played in their best qualifying result of the season so far.

‘Just put gravel down’ says Albon after eight track limits violations in one day
Alexander Albon says the FIA should “just put gravel” down to define track limits after eight of his lap times were deleted for violations in the first day of running at Imola.

Red Bull can’t release as much energy on straights as rivals – Verstappen
Max Verstappen says Red Bull are losing more time to their rivals on the straights at some circuits.

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Albon’s engineer apologised for late call to pit under Safety Car
Alexander Albon’s race engineer apologised to the Red Bull driver after a late call to pit meant he missed a chance to change tyres during the Safety Car period.

Wolff doubts Hamilton will leave F1 at the end of the year
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff downplayed the possibility Lewis Hamilton could leave F1 at the end of the season, following comments made by his driver.

Red Bull suspect debris caused tyre failure which ended Verstappen’s race
Red Bull suspect debris caused the tyre failure which ended Max Verstappen’s race after he passed Valtteri Bottas for second place.

Crashing under Safety Car the ‘biggest mistake of my career’ – Russell
George Russell says his crash during the Safety Car period which took him out of a points-paying position at Imola was the “biggest mistake” of his career.

Kvyat says “very risky move” paid off for fourth place
Daniil Kvyat said he had to take risks at the restart to score his season-best result of fourth place in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Perez: Podium “was ours” before pit stop under Safety Car
A frustrated Sergio Perez says he believes a podium finish was “in the pocket” for Racing Point before the team’s decision to pit him during the late Safety Car.

Magnussen’s headache-inducing gearbox fault started in qualifying
Haas chose not to fix a gearbox fault on Kevin Magnussen’s car after qualifying because they would have incurred a penalty.

Hamilton: Senna diamond trophy for Imola win is a “definitely a keeper”
Lewis Hamilton said his trophy for winning the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, which features a commemoration of the place where his hero Ayrton Senna died, is one he will treasure.

“Very, very dangerous”: Vettel warned race control over near-miss with marshals
Sebastian Vettel warned race control the presence of marshals on the track during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was “very dangerous”.

Safety Car pit stop for Perez was ‘safest and most logical’ decision at the time
Racing Point were “incredibly nervous” about the chances of the Safety Car being deployed in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix because of the way they had set their car up.

Debris cost Bottas up to eight tenths of a second per lap
The debris Valtteri Bottas hit and collected on the second lap of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix cost him as much as eight tenths of a second per lap, according to Mercedes.

Hamilton: Bottas deserves more credit than he gets
Lewis Hamilton says his team mate Valtteri Bottas doesn’t get enough credit for how well he is driving.

Mongolian government urges UN to take action against Verstappen and Red Bull
The government of Mongolia has drawn the United Nations into its complaint against Max Verstappen, accusing the Red Bull driver of failing to publicly apologise for repeatedly using racist language.

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FIA “evaluating changes” after marshal near-miss Vettel and Grosjean called “dangerous”
The FIA says changes to Formula 1’s race procedures will be considered after footage showed several drivers passing close by a group of marshals during a Safety Car period at Imola on Sunday.

Tsunoda’s F1 chance depends on F2 performance, not Honda links – Tost
Yuki Tsunoda’s chance of making his Formula 1 debut with AlphaTauri next season depends entirely on his Formula 2 performance, according to team principal Franz Tost.

Hamilton wants GPDA to “work closely with F1” on driver salary cap
Lewis Hamilton says the possible introduction of a cap on drivers’ salaries is a matter the Grand Prix Drivers Association should raise with Formula 1.

Pirelli begins probe into Verstappen tyre failure
Formula 1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli is investigating whether other drivers were at risk of the same failure which ended Max Verstappen’s race.

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Russell writes letter of apology to Williams team for Safety Car crash
George Russell has sent an internal letter apologising to his Williams team after crashing out of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix behind the Safety Car.

Tsunoda stunned by F1 performance after damp Imola test
Leading Formula 2 rookie Yuki Tsunoda was astonished by his first run in a Formula 1 car in damp conditions at Imola.

DRS “will still be necessary” for F1 after 2022 rules changes
New rules for 2022 intended to aid overtaking will not be enough to end Formula 1’s dependence on the Drag Reduction System to aid passing, one team’s technical director believes.

Grosjean ‘regrets not checking the IndyCar calendar’
Romain Grosjean has confirmed IndyCar is “on the menu” for him after belatedly realising how few oval races are on the series’ 2020 schedule.

Official:
Saudi Arabia to hold first F1 race in 2021
Formula 1’s long-rumoured first race in Saudi Arabia has been officially confirmed.

F1 posts $104 million loss in Q3 despite rise in revenue
Liberty Media has published its financial results for the third quarter of 2020, showing an overall loss of $104 million for the period.

Social distancing will make Mercedes’ championship homecoming “strange”
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin says the team’s celebrations of its seventh consecutive constructors championship victory will be “strange” as staff numbers in their factory have been reduced again in response to the pandemic.

McLaren must seek “smallest gains” in qualifying to fight for third
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says the team must focus on maximising its qualifying pace to stand the best chance of beating their rivals to third place in the constructors championship.

Stroll suffered ‘physical and mental battering’ during five-race point-less run
Lance Stroll suffered a “battering” in and out of the car as he failed to score any points over the last five races, says Racing Point technical director Andrew Green.

Covid-19 cases lead to personnel changes at Williams for Turkish GP
Williams will bring some of its factory-based staff to next week’s Turkish Grand Prix in place of others who are isolating in response to positive Covid-19 tests.

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Bottas is not pushing Hamilton as hard as Rosberg did, says Button
Lewis Hamilton recently claimed his team mate Valtteri Bottas doesn’t get enough credit for how competitive a rival he is.

Grosjean: Russell only driver to message me after losing Haas seat
Haas driver Romain Grosjean has revealed George Russell sent him a message of sympathy after the team announced last month it would not retain either of its drivers for the 2021 F1 season.

Vietnam absent on draft 2021 F1 calendar but Interlagos and Catalunya expected to return
The Interlagos circuit has secured a place on the 2021 F1 calendar despite competition from a rival project in Rio de Janeiro, RaceFans understands.

F1 bosses say other sports show driver salary cap exploits can be prevented
Formula 1 team bosses believe other sports have shown it is possible to enforce a cap on how much drivers are paid.

F1 confirms record 23-race calendar for 2021 but no race in Vietnam
Formula 1 has revealed a draft calendar featuring a record-breaking 23 races for next year’s championship, but the venue for one of the events has not been confirmed.

Here is the Timing Schedule for this weekend's Turkish GP:

Turkish GP
Friday
Practice Session 1   13:00 To 14:30
Practice Session 2   17:00 To 18:30

Saturday
Practice Session 3   14:00 To 15:30
Qualifying Session   17:00 To 18:00

Sunday
Race                 15:10 To 17:10

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‘Everything was incredibly secretive 10 years ago – it’d be nice to get back to that’
Following the controversy around Racing Point’s RP20, and its obvious similarity to last year’s Mercedes, the FIA has introduced new rules for the 2021 F1 season which are intended to stamp out so-called ‘reverse engineering’.

No simulator runs mean Kvyat is “starting from zero” at Istanbul
Daniil Kvyat expects to go into this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix at a disadvantage as he has no knowledge of the Istanbul Park circuit.

Williams acting team principal Roberts to miss Turkish GP after positive test for Covid-19
Williams acting team principal Simon Roberts has tested positive for Covid-19 and will not travel to this weekend’s race in Turkey.

Dry but overcast weather for Istanbul Park return
Formula 1 looks set for a dry end to the season with no rain expected in Turkey, followed by three races at desert venues.

F1 reveals progress towards new engine rules and ‘net-zero carbon’ goal
Formula 1 has announced details of the progress it has made towards its aim of becoming a “net zero” producer of carbon emissions.

Triple-headers “not ideal” but essential for 23-race calendar, says Steiner
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says teams will have to live with the two triple-headers which have been scheduled on the 2021 F1 calendar in order to accommodate the increased number of races next year.

Russell explains letter to team apologising for “unacceptable” Imola Safety Car crash
George Russell says the letter he sent his Williams team apologising for his crash behind the Safety Car in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix wasn’t the first time he’s written to them in this way.

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Stroll says his reaction to Imola marshals on track was “as safe as it could be”
Lance Stroll said he drove as safely as possible when he encountered a group of marshals on track during a Safety Car period in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Perez: Late Red Bull decision means a sabbatical is an option
Sergio Perez has admitted he may have to take a sabbatical from driving during the 2021 F1 season as Red Bull have not yet decided whether they want him to drive for them next year.

F1 drivers braced for punishment from Istanbul’s “killer” turn eight
Formula 1 drivers expect Istanbul Park’s famed turn eight will put their necks under serious strain this weekend.

Vettel: “Embarrassing” F1 software shortcoming creates risky unlapping situations
Sebastian Vettel believes Formula 1 can avoid potentially dangerous situations when drivers un-lap themselves during Safety Car periods by addressing a shortcoming in race control’s software.

Hamilton: Mercedes took a while to convince me to join them
Lewis Hamilton admitted he wasn’t initially convinced by the idea of moving to Mercedes when the team first approached him in 2012.

Gasly says potential lost podium at Imola was his most painful retirement yet
Pierre Gasly says his retirement from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was hard to take as he believes he could have finished on the podium.

Verstappen: F1 should drop some tracks to make way for “old-school” circuits
Max Verstappen says Formula 1 should remove some of the current rounds on the calendar to make way for more “old-school” tracks like those which were added this year.

Grosjean would “put his fear aside” to race in Indianapolis 500
Romain Grosjean says he is willing to accept the dangers of racing on ovals to compete in the IndyCar series, partly as the championship now has so few of them.

Beating Ferrari to sixth place “becoming more difficult” for AlphaTauri
AlphaTauri’s hopes of beating Ferrari to sixth place in the constructors championship are fading, its drivers admit, despite the gap between the two teams narrowing at the last race.

Drivers concerned Istanbul’s new surface will be as gripless as Algarve’s
Formula 1 drivers expect they will have to contend with a slippery track surface for the second time in three races this weekend.

Interlagos closing on new five-year F1 race deal
The Brazilian Grand Prix could remain at Interlagos for the foreseeable future as the circuit is closing on a new, five-year deal to host the race.

F1 drivers pleased to share race weekends with “underrated” W Series in 2021
Formula 1 drivers have said W Series joining grand prix weekends is a positive move to promote women’s motorsport.

Russell to get grid penalty for power unit change
George Russell is set to take a grid penalty for this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix after Williams fitted a fourth power unit to his car.

McLaren’s new wind tunnel plans unaffected by possible 2030 ban – Seidl
McLaren’s plans to renovate its wind tunnel will not be affected by discussions around a possible ban on their future use in Formula 1.

Verstappen quickest but very slippery track slows lap times by 10 seconds
Formula 1 drivers lapped over 10 seconds off track record pace in the the first session at a newly-resurfaced and very slippery Istanbul Park.

Turkish GP
Practice Session 1
Pos Driver             Team                  Time      Gap
 1  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:35.077s  -
 2  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:35.318s  0.241s
 3  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:35.507s  0.430s
 4  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:35.543s  0.466s
 5  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:35.620s  0.543s
 6  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:36.738s  1.661s
 7  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:37.116s  2.139s
 8  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:37.503s  2.426s
 9  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:37.627s  2.552s
10  Esteban Ocon       Renault               1:38.428s  3.351s
11  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes     1:38.508s  3.431s
12  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:38.612s  3.535s
13  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:39.484s  4.407s
14  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:40.025s  4.948s
15  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:40.225s  5.148s
16  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:41.035s  5.958s
17  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:41.854s  6.777s
18  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:45.156s 10.079s
19  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:46.462s 11.385s
20  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:49.256s 14.179s

[genius83]

Hamilton’s 2016 title defeat only “annoyed” him, didn’t change him – Wolff
Lewis Hamilton’s relentless pursuit of self-improvement is what sets him apart from other drivers, his Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said.

Alonso told Renault to have 2022 car in its wind tunnel on January 1st
Fernando Alonso has told Renault to have its design for the 2022 F1 season in the wind tunnel on the first day of next year – the earliest date allowed by the regulations.

Saudi Arabian GP promoter appoints Tilke to design “exciting” Jeddah street circuit
The promoters of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix have appointed long-time F1 track architect Hermann Tilke to design the track which will hold their race next year.

Saudi Arabia eager for W Series support event at its 2021 F1 race
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix promoter says it “would love” to include all-women’s championship W Series as a support event at its inaugural Formula 1 race next year.

Verstappen stays ahead as lap times tumble in second practice
Max Verstappen stayed on top of the times in the second Friday practice session at Istanbul Park, as the slippery track surface began to yield more grip.

Turkish GP
Practice Session 2
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap
 1  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:28.330s  -
 2  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:28.731s 0.401s
 3  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:28.905s 0.575s
 4  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:29.180s 0.850s
 5  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:29.363s 1.033s
 6  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:29.689s 1.359s
 7  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:29.944s 1.614s
 8  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:30.022s 1.692s
 9  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:30.297s 1.967s
10  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:30.907s 2.577s
11  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:31.104s 2.774s
12  Esteban Ocon       Renault               1:31.380s 3.050s
13  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:31.493s 3.163s
14  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:31.498s 3.168s
15  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:31.660s 3.330s
16  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:31.932s 3.602s
17  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1:32.202s 3.972s
18  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          1:32.570s 4.240s
19  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:32.807s 4.477s
20  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes     1:33.488s 5.158s

[genius83]

Verstappen makes it three out of three in treacherous, rain-hit session
Max Verstappen completed a sweep of all three practice sessions for the Turkish Grand Prix as rain made the slippery track surface even more treacherous.

Turkish GP
Practice Session 3
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap
 1  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:48.485s  -
 2  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:49.430s  0.945s
 3  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:50.059s  1.574s
 4  Esteban Ocon       Renault               1:53.897s  5.412s
 5  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:53.995s  5.510s
 6  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:54.490s  6.005s
 7  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:55.577s  7.092s
 8  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:55.666s  7.181s
 9  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          1:55.878s  7.393s
10  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:56.824s  8.339s
11  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:58.475s  9.990s
12  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:59.548s 11.063s
13  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    2:02.325s 13.840s
14  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      2:02.473s 13.988s
15  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          2:04.748s 16.263s
16  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    2:06.351s 17.866s
17  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      2:09.368s 20.883s
18  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes      -         -
19  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes      -         -
20  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes               -         -

Damage to Verstappen’s tyre caused Imola failure – Pirelli
Pirelli believe damage caused Max Verstappen’s tyre blow-out at Imola, and are also investigating the cause of a vibration Lewis Hamilton experienced during the same race.

Red Bull could decide on Albon’s future after last race of season
Red Bull may postpone its decision on who will be Max Verstappen’s team mate next year until after the season finale at Yas Marina in December.

Lack of any support races contributing to poor grip, drivers say
Formula 1 drivers say the lack of any support races at this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix is contributing to the poor grip levels at the circuit.

We should be five seconds quicker says Verstappen after leading practice
Max Verstappen was quickest in Friday practice at Istanbul Park but said poor grip levels at the track meant lap times were much slower than they should have been.

“S*** with a capital ‘S'”: Hamilton says new surface has spoiled “fantastic” Istanbul
Lewis Hamilton criticised the new surface which has been laid at Istanbul Park, saying it has spoiled an otherwise “fantastic” circuit.

[genius83]

Shock pole for Stroll in rain-hit Istanbul qualifying
Lance Stroll took a shock pole position in a qualifying session which was disrupted by rain at Istanbul.

Turkish GP
Qualifying Session
Pos Driver             Car                   Time      Gap
 1  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:47.765s  -
 2  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:48.055s  0.290s
 3  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:49.321s  1.556s
 4  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:50.448s  2.683s
 5  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:51.595s  3.830s
 6  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:52.560s  4.795s
 7  Esteban Ocon       Renault               1:52.622s  4.857s
 8  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:52.745s  4.980s
 9  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1:53.258s  5.493s
10  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1:57.226s  9.461s
11  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:55.169s  7.404s
12  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:56.696s  8.931s
13  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      1:58.556s 10.791s
14  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          2:08.007s 20.242s
15  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:55.410s  7.645s
16  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:54.945s  7.180s
17  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      2:09.070s 21.305s
18  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          2:12.909s 25.144s
19  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes     2:21.611s 33.846s
20  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     2:10.017s 22.252s

Istanbul Park resurfacing may have been unnecessary
The late decision to resurface Istanbul Park before this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix, where drivers have complained about very poor grip levels, may not have been necessary.

Verstappen “upset” to miss pole after leading every session before Q3
Max Verstappen admitted he was “upset” to miss pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix having been quickest in every session until the end of qualifying.

Stroll “shocked” by first career pole position
Lance Stroll described taking his first career pole position at the Turkish Grand Prix as a “special moment” and one of the “biggest highlights of my career”.

Hamilton “happy I did everything I could” after qualifying sixth
Lewis Hamilton said there was little more he could have done after qualifying sixth for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Stroll’s pole position under threat from stewards’ investigation
Lance Stroll could lose his pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix as he is under investigation for failing to slow sufficiently for yellow flags during qualifying.

Perez says Giovinazzi ruined his final qualifying lap
Sergio Perez says he “lost his lap” during the final moments of qualifying after he was caught behind Antonio Giovinazzi’s Alfa Romeo.

Sainz given three-place grid drop
Carlos Sainz Jnr has been given a three-place grid penalty for impeding Sergio Perez.

Official:
Stroll keeps first-ever pole position after stewards investigation
Lance Stroll has secured the first pole position of his career after the stewards cleared him of failing to slow sufficiently for yellow flags during qualifying.

Norris handed five-place grid penalty for yellow flag infringement
Lando Norris has been moved back five place on the grid after the stewards ruled he failed to slow down sufficiently for yellow flags.

“Polar” conditions contributed to Mercedes’ seven-year low in qualifying
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said cold conditions at Istanbul Park partly explained why the team failed to qualify in the top five for the first time in seven years.

Albon criticises “silly” decision to start Q2 with crane on track
Alexander Albon says he does not understand why race control allowed Q2 to start while Nicholas Latifi’s car was still being recovered by a crane and marshals.

Russell also given five-place grid penalty for yellow flag breach
George Russell has become the second driver to receive a five-place grid penalty for failing to reduce his speed sufficiently for yellow flags.

FIA: Q2 starting with a crane on track was “not a scenario we want to see”
The decision to start the second stage of qualifying while a recovery vehicle was still on track will be reviewed by the FIA.

Stroll’s pole ‘wasn’t luck, it was well-judged’ – Szafnauer
Lance Stroll’s first Formula 1 pole position came about because of his “well-judged” call to switch to intermediate tyres, his team principal Otmar Szafnauer has said.

[genius83]

Hamilton produces wet weather masterclass to clinch seventh title
Lewis Hamilton has become world champion for the seventh time in his career with a stunning drive to victory in a rain-hit Turkish Grand Prix.

Turkish GP
Race Results
Pos Driver             Car                   Time         Gap
 1  Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes              1:42:19.313s  -
 2  Sergio Perez       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:42:50.946s   31.633s
 3  Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari               1:42:51.273s   31.960s
 4  Charles Leclerc    Ferrari               1:42:53.171s   33.858s
 5  Carlos Sainz Jr.   McLaren/Renault       1:42:53.676s   34.363s
 6  Max Verstappen     Red Bull/Honda        1:43:04.186s   44.873s
 7  Alexander Albon    Red Bull/Honda        1:43:05.797s   46.484s
 8  Lando Norris       McLaren/Renault       1:43:20.572s 1:01.259s
 9  Lance Stroll       Racing Point/Mercedes 1:43:31.666s 1:12.353s
10  Daniel Ricciardo   Renault               1:43:54.773s 1:35.460s
11  Esteban Ocon       Renault               1 Lap
12  Daniil Kvyat       AlphaTauri/Honda      1 Lap
13  Pierre Gasly       AlphaTauri/Honda      1 Lap
14  Valtteri Bottas    Mercedes              1 Lap
15  Kimi Raikkonen     Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    1 Lap
16  George Russell     Williams/Mercedes     1 Lap
17  Kevin Magnussen    Haas/Ferrari          Not running
 -  Romain Grosjean    Haas/Ferrari          Retirement
 -  Nicholas Latifi    Williams/Mercedes     Retirement
 -  Antonio Giovinazzi Alfa Romeo/Ferrari    Retirement

Here is the World Standings after the Turkish GP:

World Championships Standings
Driver Standings
Pos Driver              Total
 1  Lewis Hamilton       307
 2  Valtteri Bottas      197
 3  Max Verstappen       170
 4  Sergio Perez         100
 5  Charles Leclerc       97
 6  Daniel Ricciardo      96
 7  Carlos Sainz Jnr      75
 8  Lando Norris          74
 9  Alexander Albon       70
10  Pierre Gasly          63
11  Lance Stroll          59
12  Esteban Ocon          40
13  Sebastian Vettel      33
14  Daniil Kvyat          26
15  Nico Hulkenberg       10
16  Kimi Raikkonen         4
16  Antonio Giovinazzi     4
18  Romain Grosjean        2
19  Kevin Magnussen        1
20  Nicholas Latifi        0
20  George Russell         0
Constructor Standings
Pos Team            Total
 1  Mercedes         504
 2  Red Bull         240
 3  Racing Point     154
 4  McLaren          149
 5  Renault          136
 6  Ferrari          130
 7  AlphaTauri        89
 8  Alfa Romeo         8
 9  Haas               3
10  Williams           0

“I’d be surprised if Max isn’t leading by the end of lap one”
Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and the two Mercedes are likely to be the cars to beat in the Turkish Grand Prix despite yesterday’s eventful qualifying session, Renault’s sporting director Alan Permane believes.

Giovinazzi and Russell crash while driving to the grid
Antonio Giovinazzi and George Russell have crashed while driving to the grid before the start of today’s Turkish Grand Prix.

Gasly to start from the back of the grid
Pierre Gasly will start the Turkish Grand Prix from the back of the grid after AlphaTauri advised the FIA they intended to change his power unit.

“Ridiculous”: Early leader Stroll frustrated after pit stop leaves him ninth
Lance Stroll said he was frustrated at finishing ninth having led the early stages of the Turkish Grand Prix.

Bottas spun six times after first-lap damage left him ‘struggling to stay on track’
Valtteri Bottas said his steering was damaged in a collision at the start of the Turkish Grand Prix, which left him struggling to stay on track.

[zia1288]

I am not a Hamilton fan but yesterday's drive + Mercedes strategy proved that why they are worthy of such a dominance. Drive of Ferrari's was one to watch.

[genius83]

Hamilton intends to stay in F1 and “not ignore human rights issues in countries we go to”
Lewis Hamilton says he is motivated to keep racing in Formula 1 because of the difference he can make to the world.

Vettel has “zero tolerance” for decision to start Q2 with crane on-track
Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc criticised race control’s decision to leave a crane on the circuit when Q2 began at Istanbul Park yesterday.

Verstappen hopes he never experiences “super-frustrating” Turkish GP conditions again
Max Verstappen described the conditions in the Turkish Grand Prix as “super-frustrating” after he fell from a race-leading position to finish sixth.

‘One more lap and my tyres would’ve exploded’ – Perez
Sergio Perez feared the tyres he finished the Turkish Grand Prix on wouldn’t have lasted another lap.

Racing Point: Pitting Stroll from the lead was the “right call”
Racing Point insist they made the right decision by pitting Lance Stroll from the lead during the Turkish Grand Prix, despite him subsequent slump to ninth place at the finish.

Unhappy Gasly calls AlphaTauri’s performance “embarrassing”
An unhappy Pierre Gasly told his team they had been ‘sleeping since Saturday’ after finishing 13th in the Turkish Grand Prix.

Vettel surprised by first podium for more than a year
Sebastian Vettel was surprised to claim his first podium finish for over a year with a last-lap pass on his team mate in the Turkish Grand Prix.

Hamilton was “impeccable” in “not the best car” – Wolff
Lewis Hamilton produced a flawless performance in a car which was not the quickest on the day to win the Turkish Grand Prix, says his team principal Toto Wolff.

Masi was “more than comfortable” with timing of decision to start Q2
Formula 1 race director Michael Masi has defended his decision to begin the second part of qualifying yesterday while a recovery crane was still on the circuit.

Hamilton wants more difficult weekends to prove his success “is not a car thing”
Lewis Hamilton says he wants more challenging races like today’s Turkish Grand Prix so he can demonstrate his success isn’t solely due to the competitiveness of his Mercedes.

Turkish GP was ‘one of my most difficult races’ – Bottas
Valtteri Bottas admitted the Turkish Grand Prix was one of his toughest races in Formula 1 so far, after damaging his car on the first lap and spinning six times.

‘Greatest of our era’, ‘statistically the best’: Hamilton’s rivals hail his seventh title
Several of Lewis Hamilton’s rivals praised his achievements after he equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of winning seven world championships.

Racing Point believe front wing damage caused Stroll’s tyre trouble
Racing Point have discovered damage to Lance Stroll’s front wing which they believe caused the severe graining on his second set of tyres which cost him the lead of the Turkish Grand Prix.

@zia1288
I don't think Hamilton has a good day yesterday, as he struggles early in the race when Stroll, Perez and Vettel were brilliant on wet tyres. And then he was lucky that the track don't get hit with another shower or he would need to pit for the new inters or wet.

And if the track was not wet and have the same conditions like Friday practice sessions, then mercedes was going to struggle for grip. So, Hamilton was lucky that Stroll was suffering with serious tyre wear because of front wing damage, Racing Point was afraid that Perez could also suffer the same if called in for new inters, Vettel have another bad Ferrari pitstop to allow Hamilton the amount of lead that he has at the end.

Mercedes wanted him to stop for new inters which he denied, while FIA allows DRS in the wet/inters condition otherwise those overtakes were not possible.

Overall, one of the best races of this era and a contender for the best race this season alongside Monza, Mugello, Austria and Silverstone 2. Especially, those concerns that were shown on Friday and Saturday because of newly laid tarmac that it would not allow drivers to show their skills and we may have more then half the grid retired and a lot of stoppages or safety car interventions were not materialized apart from 2 or 3 incidents and about 10 or so spins including Bottas alone involved in 6 of them.