12. 2020 Turkish GP: 'oil slick-surface' produces a thriller

November 15, Istanbul

One of the biggest factors of the Covid-inflicted schedule was F1 lost the ability to race where it wanted, when it wanted, leading to a huge calendar shuffle with some tracks doing double duty and other, more maligned venues getting new chances to host. Istanbul Park in Turkey was one such track, and the little-used facility did not disappoint, with a gripless surface and mixed conditions producing a thriller.

Having not hosted a GP since 2011, the track was hastily resurfaced two weeks before the race, which caught Pirelli out somewhat. The firm brought its three harder-compound tyres, but would have changed to softer ones, given more notice. Pirelli’s motorsport boss Mario Isola saying at the time: “the result is basically very little grip. It is not a drama, in my opinion, because it’s an additional challenge for the drivers and a bit of unpredictability for the engineer. When you have this kind of situation, sometimes you have even better racing.” He was bang on.

Lance Stroll became the first Canadian driver to secure a pole position since Jacques Villeneuve at the 1997 European GP, notably out-qualifying world championship leader Lewis Hamilton by nearly five seconds on Saturday.

When the field slithered away under heavy rain for the start, the oil-slick surface made for compelling viewing as the cars scrabbled for traction. Two cars spun at the first turn – including Valtteri Bottas, who would go on to suffer a further five rotations on what would become a dire day for the Finn.

In full wet, Stroll looked imperious, but as the track dried and the field switched to intermediates things got trickier. Hamilton stopped a handful of laps earlier and made good progress to tour onto the tail of Stroll and pass for the lead as the Racing Point struggled to turn the new tyres on. From there, Hamilton wore his inters basically down to slicks, even declining a suggested ‘safety stop’ from his Mercedes team for fear of slithering off entering the pitlane as he had done in China 2007. The result was hard-earned, and secured Hamilton his historic seventh world title, tying him with Michael Schumacher as the sport’s most decorated champion. RL

Results

1st Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 1hr 42min 19.313sec, 112.73mph
2nd Sergio Pérez (Racing Point-BWT Mercedes)
3rd Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Pole position Lance Stroll (Racing Point-BWT Mercedes), 1min 47.765sec, 110.80mph