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 40 standings
1. Hamilton
2. Perez +8.5s
3. Verstappen +19s
4. Leclerc +28.2s
5. Vettel +29.4s
6. Albon +35.1s
7. Stroll +36.9s
8. Sainz +37.9s
9. Ricciardo +56.4s
10. Norris +68.7s
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 40
Vettel slides past Stroll coming onto the back straight, and Stroll fights back into Turn 12 but goes way too deep in trying to take the place back. Vettel cuts back to take fourth, and behind him Leclerc gets past Albon and overtakes the recovering Stroll in the process. That’s a double win for Ferrari there.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 39
The battle for the lead has suddenly become the battle for fourth, with Stroll and Vettel joins by Albon and a rapidly closing Leclerc.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 38
Stroll is starting to panic as he reports the inters are graining already after just two laps out of the pits.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 37
Stroll attempted to overrule his team as he wanted to wait for slicks, but he has to come in to cover off those drivers behind him and Racing Point put him onto inters once again. Hamilton is all over Perez… and he gets him! Lewis Hamilton takes the lead!
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 36
Magnussen looks like he’s out of the race. He’s released from the box and stops immediately at the end of the pits, and it looks like his front right hasn’t been attached properly there. Stroll pits from the lead!
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 35
Albon pits from fourth, and that allows Verstappen back up into the top four in what is proving an excellent recovery drive. Hamilton tells Mercedes not to stop him as he’s now in clear air, while Perez is catching Stroll in the battle for the lead. It’s all going on!
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 34
Drama! Vettel pits from fourth and gets delayed with an issue on the right side, just as Albon spins his way out of third place. That moves Hamilton up into the podium positions and it seems stopping for inters is the only way to go right now.
Turkish Grand Prix: Lap 32
Sainz takes advantage of an error from Ricciardo and manages to shimmy his way up the inside of Turn 10 to take sixth, and Renault pit Ricciardo at the end of the lap to give him a new set of intermediates. That also elevates Verstappen up to seventh, as Leclerc sets the fastest lap of the race on his fresh set of tyres.
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