Turkish Grand Prix LIVE updates as Lewis Hamilton wins seventh world championship
Latest reaction from Istanbul as Lewis Hamilton ties Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven Formula One titles
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Your support makes all the difference.Follow the latest updates live from today’s Turkish Grand Prix where Lewis Hamilton attempts to become a seven-time world champion, but will do so from the unfamiliar position of sixth on the grid after the most dramatic qualifying session of the 2020 season.
Hamilton could do nothing to stop the Racing Point of Lance Stroll power to pole position, the first of his Formula One career, with the Canadian pipping Max Verstappen to top spot in what proved a rain-delayed qualifying session. Stroll’s teammate Sergio Perez starts third, with Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo also starting in front of champion-elect Hamilton.
The championship leader only needs to finish ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas - who starts down in ninth - to win the seventh title, with the Finn needing to finish in the top six to have any chance of taking the championship fight to Bahrain in two weeks’ time. However, the tricky conditions in Istanbul is set to deliver a fascinating race this morning. Follow the live action below.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 55
Where are the battles? Hamilton has a pit-stop advantage over Perez should he need to pit in these final laps. Leclerc is three seconds behind Perez and Vettel only a further three seconds behind, while Verstappen is charging to try and catch Sainz for fifth. Norris is also right on the back of Stroll with his flying laps.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 54
Norris is flying out there and is running three seconds a lap faster than Hamilton, who is six seconds a lap faster than teammate Bottas who’s just pitted for new intermediates. Bottas is told there’s four laps left.
“I wish it was less.”
You’ve got to feel for Valtteri.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 53
Just six laps to go until Hamilton is crowned world champion, but this is far from over here. Vettel is told “heavy rain on the final lap”, and both Hamilton and Perez are on old inters that are practically slicks right now. This could still get interesting here.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 51
Albon and Verstappen come round to lap Raikkonen, and the Finn spins in front of them! Albon gets a wiggle on in response, and then Verstappen spins as well! What a nightmare.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 50 standings
1. Hamilton
2. Perez +19.0s
3. Leclerc +23.7s
4. Vettel +30.1s
5. Sainz +37.4s
6. Albon +42.4s
7. Verstappen +43.3s
8. Stroll +61.5s
9. Norris +74.9s
10. Ricciardo +81.6s
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 49
Vertsappen is teasing the prospect of switching for slicks, but other teams are fearful of rain returning in the final laps as Hamilton notes it’s got “very dark”. Ricciardo tries to dive beneath Norris to take ninth, but he loses control and spins at the end of the back straight.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 47
Hamilton complains that Bottas is ignoring the blue flags in front of him, and he finally laps his championship rival when Bottas goes off two corners in a row. What a miserable race he’s had today.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 45
Albon is also struggling in the sister Red Bull and Sainz gets past to take fifth in the McLaren at the end of the back straight, taking the fastest lap of the race int he process.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 44
Leclerc is absolutely flying out there and he catches Verstappen at an incredible rate, making light work of the Red Bull into Turn 12 to take third place. Verstappen pits at the end of the lap for new inters and that will end his chances of winning today.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 41
Vettel has nothing in the tank to stop Leclerc from sailing past him and up into fourth, and both Albon and Stroll get past the struggling Stroll, whose hopes of winning this race has gone up in smoke. Hamilton meanwhile is about to lap teammate Valtteri Bottas, with the world title well and truly in the bag at this rate.
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