Photos: AA
From the first moment the first free practice session started on Friday, it was clear that the first Turkish Grand Prix after nine years would be an unusual one as all drivers were complaining about the slippery new surface of the circuit.
The track was resurfaced just four weeks before the Grand Prix, which meant that there would be no rubber on it and the grip levels would be significantly lower than before.
As most drivers said it was like "driving on ice" after the first two practice sessions, the strongest reaction came from Mercedes' champion driver Lewis Hamilton, who described the new surface as "shit with a capital s."
"This track is such a fantastic circuit and I really don't fully understand when they spend millions to resurface a track," he said, suggesting that it might be enough to just clean the track.
Ferrari team exploring the track on Friday.
The best lap time by Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the end of the second practice session, a 1:28.330, was more than 3.56s slower than the track record, a 1:24.770 set by Juan Pablo Montoya for McLaren in the first F1 race at İstanbul Park in 2005.
This was quite contrary to the expectations as today's cars are the fastest ones in the history of the sport.
The cars were also expected to take Turn 8, one of the most famous corners of F1, on full throttle with the great amount of downforce they produce, which didn't happen as well.
Max Verstappen with a Williams car at the background.
Mario Isola, the motorsport head of Pirelli, the tire-provider of F1, also said that it might not be necessary to renew the tarmac.
"I believe that they wanted to be ready with a circuit, with a new image, and everything is in good condition," he told reporters Friday. "The Tarmac was for sure, quite old ... But this doesn't mean that was not good for racing."
Isola added that they learned the renewal of the asphalt too late to bring softer tires to help the cars find more grip on the track.
No major racing events have been held at İstanbul Park since its removal from the F1 calendar after 2011.
Fatih Altaylı, a renowned journalist in Turkey, who was also one of the race stewards for the Turkish GP, said the Ministry of Transportation decided to resurface the track although it was told by an FIA investigation team that it was not necessary.
The ministry had "good intentions" but it was "officious" to renew the tarmac, according to Altaylı.
However, the CEO of the company that operates the circuit, Vural Ak, and Şadi Yazıcı, the mayor of Tuzla district, where the circuit is located, were not willing to admit that it was a mistake to resurface the track.
İstanbul Park was a "place for real men" and not a track for those with the fastest cars to "hit the gas and go away," said Ak.
Mayor Yazıcı, in response to Hamilton's comments, mentioned him on Twitter, saying, "Mind your own business, brother."
. @LewisHamilton bak işine kardeşim. https://t.co/YFgyWVQfTl
— Dr. Şadi Yazıcı (@drsadiyazici) November 14, 2020
Yet the organizers of the GP took an unusual step to improve the grip level on the track, sending out road cars to lay down some rubber on it Friday night.
Earlier, Haas driver Romain Grosjean, not too seriously, suggested that everyone should drive their rental cars on the track.
A video shared on Twitter by Lee Mathurin, a mechanic from the McLaren team, showed cars lapping around the circuit.
Slippery track? No problem...... #TurkishGP pic.twitter.com/kVoJaYDDkl
— LeeMathurin (@LeeMathurin1) November 13, 2020
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the start of the F1 season was postponed from March to July and the calendar was almost completely reshaped to have most of the races in Europe.
In August, İstanbul Park, along with some other circuits where there had been no F1 races for a long time, including Germany's Nürburgring and San Marino's Imola, was added to the new calendar.
The rain comes
The rain on Saturday and Sunday made the track surface even more slippery, with many drivers going off the track in the qualifying and the race.
Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen, 41, the most experienced driver on the grid, spun his car in the qualifying before turn 3 as several other drivers were seen to have difficulties even on a straight line.
Daniel Ricciardo from the Renault team explained after the session that the rear end of the car was losing balance when he was shifting to the sixth and seventh gears.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc spun his car under the rain.
Racing Point's Lance Stroll got the first pole position of his career in the qualifying that was stopped multiple times due to heavy rain and cars going off the track. He was followed by Red Bull's Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez.
Hamilton got the sixth spot on the grid while his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who had to get at least eight more points than him to prevent him from mathematically guaranteeing the championship, did the ninth fastest time.
Today's race also started on a wet track. Even though the rain was not as heavy as yesterday, 18 out of the 20 drivers had extreme wet tires on their cars.
While pole-sitter Stroll managed to hold on to the lead for 37 laps, the second part of his race was not as good as he only finished ninth.
On the lap when Stroll pitted, Hamilton managed to pass his teammate Perez and took the lead.
By choosing not to make a pit stop for new tires contrary to drivers following him, Hamilton got a comfortable win and became the world champion, equalling the legendary Michael Schumacher's record of seven world titles.
On his team radio, Hamilton was heard bursting into tears as he crossed the finish line.
On the podium, Hamilton was joined by Perez and Ferrari's four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, who was his main rival in 2017 and 2018.
Vettel congratulated Hamilton as soon as he got out of the car, telling him that "You have made history."
Photo: Ferrari/Twitter
"I know often I say 'it's beyond my wildest dreams' but I think my whole life, secretly, I probably have dreamt as high as this, you know, but it felt so far-fetched," he said after the race.
"I remember watching Michael winning those championships and you know we all here, all us drivers, are always doing the best job we can and just to get one, two or even three [titles], you know it's so hard to get.
The only two drivers in history to have won 7 #F1 world titles, in their own words... pic.twitter.com/UkPXnIt0oS
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 15, 2020
"Seven is kind of unimaginable. When you work with such a great group of people and you really communicate and trust one another and listen to one another, there was just no end to what we could do together, me and this team and I'm so proud of the work that was done and them trusting me today, you know. That comes with experience."
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Sky Sports after the podium ceremony that they were offered "Sprite" rather than champagne. He said they would drink "something else" when they arrived home. Race organizers did not make a statement about the issue. In some Muslim-majority countries where alcoholic drinks are banned, such as Abu Dhabi or Bahrain, soda is used in podium ceremonies rather than the traditional champagne.
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