LEWIS HAMILTON is closing in on his seventh world title as F1 rolls on with the Turkish Grand Prix this week.
Hamilton will secure the title in Istanbul on Sunday if team-mate Valtteri Bottas does not outscore him by more than seven points.
Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
FP2 IS DONE
Verstappen leads the way for Red Bull, Leclerc keeps Ferrari’s hopes of a revival alive with a solid second. Bottas in P3 and Hamilton in P4.
13 MINS TO GO
The teams are now nearing the end of their programmes. No major issues for anyone mechanically in this session, but tyres still proving difficult.
MERC IMPROVING
It has been a scrappy session but you can slowly see Mercedes getting on top of this track.
It is dirty and dusty and very slippery but after a difficult FP1, they are slowly climbing up the timesheets in FP2.
Bottas is in third and Hamilton in fourth place.
ANOTHER SPIN FOR RUSSELL
The Williams man loses control and slides into a spin. There is comparatively little downforce on that car, so no wonder he is struggling more than others.
VETTEL LOCKS UP
And his tyres are instantly destroyed. This is proving to be extremely tricky out there.
It is Leclerc, Verstappen, Albon, Hamilton, Gasly, Vettel, Norris, Bottas in the pecking order.
FERRARI GOING WELL
Now this is a surprise as we have a Ferrari in P1 and P2. They seem to be fairing better on the low-grip surface than the Mercedes due.
Hamilton in P4 and Bottas in P6.
Early days yet, though…
ONE HOUR TO GO
Albon is again looking quick in P1.
The Red Bull man desperately needs a good weekend here. And so far things are going smoothly enough.
TYRES ARE PROVING A PROBLEM HERE
This morning it was all too slippery, not the tyres are not lasting as long as these should.
Worth remembering that when Red Bull last won here, Vettel did FIVE pitstops.
Could we see more stops on Sunday? Hope so.
FP2 IS GO
And there is plenty of action on track. Bottas is top of the time sheets.
Hamilton is in P2 having recovered from this morning lack of running.
FP1 IS DONE – VERSTAPPEN TOPS THE SESSION
It is a Red Bull 1-2 as Verstappen leads Albon. It is the Milton Keynes-based team’s 300th F1 GP this weekend.
Leclerc a surprise in P3 and Gasly P4.
Hamilton was only 15th quickest.
TWO MINS TO GO
Alex Albon is the quickest man on track, followed by Leclerc and then Vettel.
A WORD ON THE CHAMPION
He has spent the majority of this session in the team’s garage but Lewis Hamilton is now out on the track.
He’s comfortably inside the top 10 having done half the number of laps as everyone else. He’s left it late in the hope that the track improves.
SO THAT SMALL FAULT…
Sainz now stops on track.
Perhaps that small fault was not as small as McLaren first thought.
His car is being pushed backwards by the marshals to the escape road – although now it appears stuck.
UPDATE ON SAINZ
McLaren say he has a small electrical issue on his car. Nothing major to worry about.
A LITTLE OVER 35 MINUTES TO RUN
And Bottas is topping the session. The Finn needs to outscore Hamilton by eight points this weekend to take the title fight to Bahrain.
That’s a big ask…
Verstappen in P2, Leclerc P3 and Vettel in P4.
Where is Hamilton?
He is currently bottom of the timesheets as he has not set a time yet. He’s waiting for the track to clean up.
SAINZ TOLD TO PIT
Problem for the McLaren man as his engineer sounds panicked: “Scenario One. We have some things to check on the engine.”
WE KNOW THIS NOW, BUT…
Why does F1 not put on some support races, especially with these tracks that have not been used for years?
We are 30 minutes into the session and only now can you see the racing line being marked as the rubber is laid down.
Surely a local racing event would help clean things up quicker.
LOTS OF SLIDING
Just two drivers have been able to put in timed laps – Bottas and Vettel. The rest are still tip-toeing around the circuit looking for grip.
SESSION RESTARTED
But it is all too difficult to keep the cars on on the track. This is going to be a fun session.
Bottas is the latest driver to slide off track.
RED FLAG
We have a cone down and the session has been stopped.
FP1 IS GO
And birthday boy Lando Norris is first out.
Max Verstappen also hits the track. He laughs over the radio and says “It is like driving on ice”.
That will be the dirty track I was mentioning.
And if Max says it is difficult, then you can be sure it is.
FP1 IS ALL SET
Beautiful day here in Turkey. It is sunny and a little crisp, just 14 degrees but should be warming up nicely later.
This track is looking in excellent state, yes a little dirty given F1 has not been here since 2011, plus it has recently been resurfaced, the the surface will need some scrubbing up.
Can Hamilton seal his seventh world title this weekend in Turkey?
RACE SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEKEND
Today
- Practice 1 – 8am
- Practice 2 – midday
Tomorrow
- Practice 3 – 9am
- Qualifying – midday
Sunday
- Race – 10.10am
LEW BEAUTY
Lewis Hamilton 35, is vying to win his SEVENTH F1 world title this weekend – equalling German legend Michael Schumacher.
Hamilton currently has a lead of 78 points over Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas – needing to extend that to 85 to clinch the crown after another dominant season.
The Mercedes man has already eclipsed Schumacher’s win record – having now sealed his 93rd Grand Prix victory.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
