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 grid
1 Lance Stroll (Can) Racing Point 1min 47.765secs
2 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:48.055
3 Sergio Perez (Mex) Racing Point 1:49.321
4 Alexander Albon (Tha) Red Bull 1:50.448
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:51.595
6 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:52.560
7 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Renault 1:52.622
8 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:52.745
9 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:53.258
10 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:57.226
11 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:55.169
12 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:56.696
13 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 2:08.007
14 Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:54.945 + three-place grid penalty
15 Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:55.410 + five-place grid penalty
16 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia AlphaTauri 2:09.070
17 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 2:12.909
18 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:58.556 + back-of-the-grid penalty
19 Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 2:21.611 + pit lane start
20 George Russell (Gbr) Williams 2:10.017 + pit-lane start
Turkish Grand Prix
The formation lap is under way!
We’re having a full start and it’s going to be a tough ask for all 20 drivers just to get round this parade lap without drama. Strap yourselves in, it’s going to be a dramatic one…
Turkish Grand Prix
The entire grid jumps out of their skin when a Typhoon Eurofighter soars over the grid, with the drivers all shocked by the roaring jet engines to the point that Max Verstappen actually grabs his chest in surprise. Having been at the front of the grid together for the national anthem, they all have a laugh together at the comical moment, before returning to their cars to continue preparations.
A light-hearted moment ahead of the serious business.
Turkish Grand Prix
Alfa Romeo has confirmed that all repairs to Giovinazzi’s car have been completed in time for the Italian to take the start. He starts inside the top 10 for the first time in his career.
Turkish Grand Prix
Breaking news: Both Williams drivers George Russell and Nicholas Latifi to start from the pit lane. Russell went off on his way back to the grid and needs some front wing repairs, while Latifi will start alongside his teammate in an effort to avoid what is sure to be a Turn One melee and also keep their tyres in the heated blankets for as long as possible.
Turkish Grand Prix
It’s all going on now. George Russell has crashed int he pit lane and taken the front wing off the front of his Williams, while Giovinazzi has been rescued from the gravel trap, fired up the car using the battery pack and is on his way to the grid to have his front wing repaired.
Thankfully, we still have all 20 cars in the race - although it still hasn’t even started! It’s going to be treacherous out there today.
Turkish Grand Prix
More developments ahead of the race as the stewards have slapped Pierre Gasly with a penalty that will see the AlphaTauri driver start from the back of the grid.
The team reported a problem post-qualifying that required the car to be stripped down, only to then change their minds and ask to put it back together again without penalty. The FIA has taken exception to that as they have deemed the move to be tactical rather than necessary, and with the car taken apart to a point that they can not prove whether it is identical to the one that competed in qualifying, he will have to start from the back of the field.
Turkish Grand Prix
Drama! Antonio Giovinazzi has gone off on his way to the grid! The Alfa Romeo driver has beached his car in the gravel and touched the barrier to damage his front wing for good measure, with the Italian pushing it too hard in the wet conditions. After his best ever qualifying display, that’s the last thing he wanted.
Turkish Grand Prix: Pits open
The green light switches on at the end of pit lane and the field heads out to get a taste of the Istanbul Park track today, and it’s soaking!
The rain has eased somewhat, but the track is still saturated and every driver is heading out on full wets for a few reconnaissance laps before heading to the grid.
Interestingly, much of the attention has been on the dirty side of the grid as it was expected to be a nightmare to get away from with absolutely no running on it whatsoever, but it actually seems to be the side that is drying out much quicker than the racing line.
Turkish Grand Prix
We could be on the cusp of a record-equalling day for Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver is 85 points clear of his nearest and only championship competitor in Valtteri Bottas, and if the Finn cannot outscore Hamilton by eight points this morning, the title fight will be done and dusted.
That would see Hamilton emulate Michael Schumacher’s achievement of seven F1 world titles, becoming only the second driver to achieve such a feat, and here’s the 13 different permutations that can end up with Hamilton winning the title today.
How can Lewis Hamilton win a seventh F1 championship today?
There are 13 different permutations this weekend that could see Hamilton become a seven-time world champion
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