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      F1 Turkish Grand Prix LIVE: Lewis Hamilton TAKES GRID PENALTY after engine change – FP2 latest updates

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      F1 returns this weekend and there has already been a big twist.Lewis Hamilton has taken a new combustion engine, exceeding his allocation of engine changes.
      And that means a ten-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race in Istanbul.
      Follow all the action with our live blog below…
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      RED BULL ADMIT ‘BALANCE MISH-MASH’
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner admits his team have their work cut out if they are to help Max Verstappen return top of the championship with victory in the Turkish GP.
      He said: “We’ve got a little bit of a balance mish-mash at the moment. The circuit is a lot grippier than it was last year and we’re just a little bit out of the window with Max on set-up.
      “It’s going to be a busy night tonight, burning the midnight oil with the engineers and no doubt back in the factory at Milton Keynes.
      “We know we’ve got a good car so it’s just a matter of getting into that window.”
      THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE GLOVE BOX
      SunSport’s Ben Hunt writes: Email has just landed in my inbox telling me that Hamilton, Vettel, Sainz, Ricciardo and Russell are all trialling a prototype glove.
      The new gloves have improved heat transmission protection. It comes after Romain Grosjean suffered bad burns to his hands following his fiery smash in Bahrain last year.
      Credit to the FIA for pushing though the new safety improvements.
      AND THE NEW
      Mercedes trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, says that Lewis Hamilton’s 10-place penalty for an engine change – rather than a completely new powertrain – is a calculated risk.
      He said: “We’re simulating all the races until the end of the year and obviously the thing you definitely don’t want to do is fail during a race and then have to take a penalty anyway.
      T”hen there’s also a performance element, because the power units do lose a bit of horsepower over their life.
      “The bit that most contributes to the reliability and the performance is the ICE itself – and it’s better to take 10 places than start at the back.”
      LEW BEAUTY
      Lewis Hamilton is hoping for a Turkish delight – despite being forced to take a 10-place penalty on Sunday.
      As SunSport reported earlier this week, the world champion risked being bumped to the back of the grid for taking a new powerunit in the back of his Mercedes.
      F1 rules allow drivers to use three engines, plus their components, during the course of a season. Any additional parts will incur grid penalties for the grands prix.
      However, Merc have only replaced the internal combustion engine (ICE) in his motor – keeping his penalties to a minimum so he can still fight Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
      Hamilton is now eyeing up clinching pole in qualifying on Saturday to start just outside of the top-10 before embarking on a major fightback through the field.
      He said: “I have a lot of work to do on Sunday. The other drivers are going to be hard to pass. They seem to be improving more and more throughout the year.
      “I need to be on pole to limit the loss and then understand the car to do the best I can and find the right balance.”
      GASSED
      Pierre Gasly was having trouble with understeer during his practice session.
      He finished ninth after the second practice.

      SECOND PRACTICE RESULTS
      What another impressive drive from Lewis Hamilton.

      FP2 IS DONE
      Advantage Hamilton, despite the penalty. Red Bull have work to do.
      And could Ferrari be in with a shout on Sunday?
      PROBLEM FOR OCON
      The session is over but the Frenchman is stuck on the grid. He’s stuck in neutral and cannot get moving again.

      FP2 IS DONE AND HAMILTON LEADS LECLERC
      Hamilton topped the morning session too and is looking good in Istanbul, despite having that 10-place grid penalty to contend with.
      Verstappen down in fifth while Perez improved to land fourth. This is not shaping up to be the weekend Red Bull were hoping for.
      GASLY NOW SPINS
      Maybe it was his short arms? Interestingly, there have been few spins or errors today. The track really has gripped up from 2020 when it was all sorts of a mess.

      X RATED FROM RAIKKONEN
      He’s swearing like a trooper over the team’s radio because his water bottle has been leaking.
      Put cleanly, he want’s to know why it is taking so long to fix the problem…
      GASLY COMPLAINS OF HAVING…ERR SHORT ARMS
      The AlphaTauri man is having a few issues down in eighth place. He’s just told his team he’s having a bit of trouble steering.
      He said: “I think my arms are too short to turn the wheel.”
      That’s a first.
      USUAL SERVICE RESUMED
      Hamilton is leading the way from Leclerc. Bottas in P3. Perez P4 and Verstappen down in fifth place.
      Red Bull certainly have their work cut out here, it seems.

      LECLERC IS NOW SETTING THE PACE
      Wile Norris, Perez and Hamilton are all very close to each other. This is shaping up to be fairly competitive.

      FP2 IS GO
      And the Haas cars are first out on track.

      ASTON MARTIN HAVE WORK TO DO
      Lance Stroll took pole in Turkey last year, in FP1 he was only 17th while Sebastian Vettel was in P13.

      ALMOST TIME FOR FP2
      Have Red Bull managed to make improvements to Verstappen’s car? Can he close that gap to Hamilton, who has that engine penalty looming on Sunday.
      HOW FP1 FINISHED
      A look at the lap times in Turkey.

      P1 IS DONE AND HAMILTON SETS THE BENCHMARK
      The world champion is almost half a second up on Verstappen.
      Leclerc, Bottas, Sainz, Ocon, Norris, Gasly, Alonso and Perez complete the top 10 in Istanbul.
      PEREZ IN P10
      Now, I know it is only P1 and we cannot read too much into it, but the Mexican being down in 10th is not where Red Bull would want him to be.Bottas is in P4, while the Ferrari duo of Leclerc and Sainz are P3 and P5 respectively.Perez needs to get up to speed in P2 or risk another poor weekend.
      HAMILTON ON TOP IN TURKEY
      He’s 0.425 seconds ahead of Verstappen, who sits in second place.
      That new engine might trigger a big penalty, but it looks well worth it, as he is clearly quicker than his nearest challenger.
      GLOVES ARE ON
      Email has just landed in my inbox telling me that Hamilton, Vettel, Sainz, Ricciardo and Russell are all trialling a prototype glove this morning.
      The new gloves have improved heat transmission protection. It comes after Romain Grosjean suffered bad burns to his hands following his fiery smash in Bahrain last year.
      Credit to the FIA for pushing though the new safety improvements.
      TRACK TIMES ARE TUMBLING
      Pirelli say a combination of their new rubber, better grip and conditions after resulting in new records being set in Turkey.
      To give you an idea of how much easier the conditions are this year (with softer tyres too) the fastest #FP1 time so far (from @LewisHamilton) is already more than 10 seconds quicker than the best #FP1 time from last year! #Fit4F1— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) October 8, 2021

      BREAKING NEWS: HAMILTON WILL GET A GRID PENALTY AFTER TAKING A NEW ENGINE FOR THIS RACE
      As it stands it will be a 10-place grid drop, but he could yet take more components that would add to his tally.
      He has used three power units, this internal combustion engine (ICE) is his fourth.
      He was coy about it yesterday during the press conference but this has made it very-much advantage Max Verstappen in Turkey.
      HAMILTON AND VERSTAPPEN BOTH ON TRACK
      The Mercedes man tops the lot after eight minutes while Ferrari are doing some serious aero testing on Carlos Sainz’s car.

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      Lewis Hamilton says he NEEDS pole position to have hope of winning Turkish GP after taking ten-place grid penalty

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      LEWIS HAMILTON is hoping for a Turkish delight – despite being forced to take a 10-place penalty on Sunday.As SunSport reported earlier this week, the world champion risked being bumped to the back of the grid for taking a new power unit in the back of his Mercedes.
      F1 Championship leader Lewis Hamilton believes he needs to start just outside the top 10 to keep alive his victory chances in IstanbulCredit: Alamy
      Brit Lewis Hamilton was fastest in practice but took a 10-place grid penaltyCredit: AFP
      F1 rules allow drivers to use three engines, plus their components, during the course of a season. Any additional parts will incur grid penalties for the grands prix.
      However, Merc have only replaced the internal combustion engine (ICE) in his motor – keeping his penalties to a minimum so he can still fight Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
      Hamilton is now eyeing up clinching pole in qualifying on Saturday to start just outside of the top-10 before embarking on a major fightback through the field.
      He said: “I have a lot of work to do on Sunday. The other drivers are going to be hard to pass. They seem to be improving more and more throughout the year.
      “I need to be on pole to limit the loss and then understand the car to do the best I can and find the right balance.”
      Mercedes trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, says that Hamilton’s 10-place penalty for an engine change – rather than a completely new powertrain – is a calculated risk.

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      He added: “We’re simulating all the races until the end of the year and obviously the thing you definitely don’t want to do is fail during a race and then have to take a penalty anyway.
      “Then there’s also a performance element, because the power units do lose a bit of horsepower over their life.
      “The bit that most contributes to the reliability and the performance is the ICE itself – and it’s better to take 10 places than start at the back.”
      Hamilton got his Turkish GP off to a flying start by topping both practice sessions, finishing comfortably ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull.
      He added: “We started off with a really good set up and the first session was really strong and we made some changes which were OK and we have lots of good findings.
      “I don’t know how much more there is in the car, but we always find something.”
      Last out, the Dutchman started the Russian GP from the very back after he took a new ICE, plus turbo charger and extra parts.
      We’ve got a balance mish-mash… The circuit is a lot grippier than last year and we’re a bit out of the window with Max on set-up.Red Bull boss Christian Horner
      However, he still battled back to finish second, behind race-winner Hamilton.
      Yet Red Bull boss Christian Horner admits his team have their work cut out if they are to help Verstappen to victory which would return him to the top of the championship standings.
      He said: “We’ve got a little bit of a balance mish-mash at the moment.
      “The circuit is a lot grippier than it was last year and we’re just a little bit out of the window with Max on set-up.
      “It’s going to be a busy night tonight, burning the midnight oil with the engineers and no doubt back in the factory at Milton Keynes.
      “We know we’ve got a good car so it’s just a matter of getting into that window.”
      Red Bull chiefs expect Lewis Hamilton to be pushed to back of grid More

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      Lewis Hamilton hit by ten-place grid penalty for Turkish Grand Prix after engine change in huge blow to F1 title hopes

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has suffered a major blow to his F1 title hopes after being forced to change his engine with just SIX races left.The seven-time world champ, 36, has received a ten-place grid penalty for Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix after his fourth engine change of the season.
      Lewis Hamilton has received a ten-place grid penalty for the Turkish GPCredit: Alamy
      F1 drivers are only allowed to change their engine three times each year before incurring a penalty from the sport’s governing body.
      Mercedes star Hamilton has a narrow two-point lead over title rival and Red Bull ace Max Verstappen, 23, after his victory at the Russian GP.
      Drivers can earn up to 26 points each race, meaning Verstappen can regain the lead at the top of the Championship with a win at Istanbul Park.
      Mercedes were concerned about the reliability of Hamilton’s previous engine after it failed during practice at last month’s Dutch Grand Prix.
      With just half-a-dozen races left in the campaign, neither Hamilton nor Verstappen can afford a retirement or miss out on points.
      Red Bull decided to change Verstappen’s engine ahead of the Russian GP and he stormed from the back of the grid to finish second.

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      Speaking before the change was confirmed, Hamilton said: “At the moment, I still have engines numbers two and three.
      “I do not envisage us having to take the penalty at the moment but that could change.”
      Istanbul Park is a track that does encourage overtaking, allowing Hamilton to storm up the field and limit the damage to his title bid.
      The Brit, who is one of the best drivers in wet conditions, will also gain confidence from the dismal weather forecast for Sunday’s race.
      And Hamilton was half-a-second quicker than Verstappen during Thursday’s practice session.

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      Max Verstappen insists he ‘isn’t stressed’ about F1 title fight with Lewis Hamilton as duo prepare for Turkish GP

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      ICE COOL Max Verstappen is chilled out about his title fight with Lewis Hamilton.The Dutchman is locked in a two-way tussle for the title, with Hamilton having a slender two-point advantage with seven races remaining.
      The two crashed at the Italian GPCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Experienced Hamilton is going in search of his eighth world crown, which would move him clear of the joint-record he holds with Michael Schumacher while Verstappen is going in search of his maiden crown.
      The two have come to blows in Silverstone and Monza, but despite the flash-points and pressure, Verstappen, 23, says he is relaxed and adamant that NOT winning the title would not ‘change his life’ in any way.
      He said: “I always do my best and I know that the team is also doing the best they can.
      “If that’s going to be at the end of the year first, that’s of course an amazing achievement and that’s what we work for, right?
      “But even if we would finish second, I think we still would have had a great season. And at the end of the day, it’s not really going to change my life.
      “I enjoy what I’m doing and I think that’s also very important. So for me, there is not much to worry about, really.”

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      While Verstappen and Hamilton have traded positions at the top of the table, their respective teams have also led the championship at one point.
      Merc have held the title since 2014 and while Red Bull are desperate to knock them off their perch, Verstappen says he is not getting overly bothered by the teams’ battle.
      Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Turkish GP, he added: “You shouldn’t really stress.

      “I know that my team does the best they can and they expect that from me and I always try to get the best out of that.
      “We are fully committed to try and make this a success together but you cannot force things.
      “You just have to work well and work hard together and then we will find out at the end of the season where that will put us. Is that first? Is that second? We don’t know.”
      Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen react to dangerous crash More

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      F1 Turkish GP practice: UK start time, live stream, TV channel and full schedule from Istanbul Park

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      AFTER a fortnight off, Formula One is back in style this weekend.With the season heading toward’s a dramatic conclusion, the drivers are in Turkey as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen renew their rivalry.

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      Mercedes know victory in Turkey will put them in pole position for the Driver’s ChampionshipCredit: AP
      Going into the race, the Mercedes star leads by just TWO points after a dramatic showdown in Sochi.
      When is the F1 Turkish GP?
      Set over three days in Istanbul, the Turkish GP begins with two practice sessions on Friday, October 8.
      Practice 1 will start at 9.30am BST, before Practice 2 at 1pm.
      On Saturday, third practice at 10am is followed by the all-important qualifying session at 1pm.
      And it’s lights out in Turkey on Sunday, October 10 also at 1pm BST.

      🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info
      Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
      You can catch all of the action live on Sky Sports F1.
      Coverage of every session will start 30 minutes before the drivers set out.
      To stream, grab the Sky Go app if you’re already a Sky customer.
      Non-subscribers can still watch by purchasing a NOW TV pass from £9.99.

      Full schedule
      Friday, October 8

      Practice 1 – 9.30am
      Practice 2 – 1pm

      Saturday, October 9

      Practice 3 – 10am
      Qualifying – 1pm

      Sunday, October 10

      Race – 1pm More

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      Lewis Hamilton wears ‘daring’ Burberry kilt ahead of Turkish GP and hopes to inspire others to ‘be who they want to be’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’S proving a dedicated follower of fashion and hopes his ‘daring’ outfits in the paddock help open up people’s minds.The Brit, 36, is no stranger to wearing bold clothes when he arrives at Grands Prix and is free from wearing team-branded gear.
      Lewis Hamilton wore a ‘daring’ blue kilt and matching jacket in Turkey as he aims to inspire others to be more tolerantCredit: Alamy
      Lewis Hamilton arrived at the Turkish GP in the Burberry ensemble – the latest in a long line of ‘daring’ outfitsCredit: Splash
      Lewis Hamilton is no stranger to wearing bold outfits, seen here arriving for the Italian GP in Monza in an oversized white jacket and chunky gold necklaceCredit: Splash
      Lewis Hamilton turned up to the Dutch GP in an entirely orange ensemble – in a nod to Holland’s national colourCredit: Reuters
      Ahead of the Turkish GP, Hamilton was dressed in a blue kilt, matching trousers and jacket.
      His outfits clearly split opinions but he is hoping the radical designs result in others being more tolerant of each other.
      When quizzed about his kilt, he said: “It’s quite daring. I really like what Burberry is doing, and I just love the outfit.
      “I go through all these different images online and find things that I like.
      “I did a shoot with GQ a couple years ago with a kilt, and it was one that we specially made with Tommy Hilfiger, which was again just gender neutral.
      “Anyone can wear whatever they want. There will be people that don’t understand it, but that’s OK.

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      “Hopefully they’ll eventually go through the opening of their mind phase and let people be who they want to be.”
      Hamilton has designed his own range of clothes in the past with Tommy Hilfiger, who also sponsors his Mercedes F1 team.
      And the Brit attended the Met Gala, buying a table to showcase young black fashion designers.
      He arrived in Istanbul after a trip to Paris Fashion Week and says he loves the contrast with his corporate F1 life, because the fashion keeps his mind fresh when he is away from the race track.
      He added: “It’s a much different world to F1. F1’s obviously not focused on that and it’s obviously very corporate. There is no fashion, actually, in F1.
      “I always felt like it was always a place where it wasn’t easy to be yourself.
      “And when I went to a fashion show, when you’re in a fashion week for example, you’re surrounded by people from all different walks of life, expressing themselves in different ways.
      “I love that environment where I’m able to be able to express myself. I now do that on the racetrack. And I feel free to be able to do so.
      “I love being able to separate from the sport, and the intensity of this whole season is difficult for everyone that’s at the track.
      “So to be able to have something else, another outlet, that you can focus on helps take the weight off it.
      “So when I come back, it always feels fresh when I come to a GP, because it’s not something I’ve been thinking about every single day.”
      Hamilton risks being sent to the back of the grid for Sunday’s race owing to a penalty for taking a new engine.
      Lewis Hamilton isn’t afraid of turning heads with his colourful outfitsCredit: AP

      However, he was staying tight-lipped about the grid drop as he looked to protect his two-point lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
      He said: “At the moment, I still have [engine] No2 and No3. I don’t envision us having to take one at the moment, but that could change.”
      Meanwhile, ice cool Verstappen is chilled out about his title fight – despite the flash-points and pressure from Hamilton.
      He said: “I always do my best and I know that the team is also doing the best they can.
      “If that’s going to be at the end of the year first, that’s of course an amazing achievement and that’s what we work for, right?
      “But even if we would finish second, I think we still would have had a great season. And at the end of the day, it’s not really going to change my life.
      “I enjoy what I’m doing and I think that’s also very important. So for me, there is not much to worry about, really.”
      Red Bull chiefs expect Lewis Hamilton to be pushed to back of grid More

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      F1 forced to replace medical car crew for Turkish GP in last-minute change after both test positive for coronavirus

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      FORMULA ONE have been forced to replace the medical car crew for this weekend’s Turkish GP after both tested positive for coronavirus.The dynamic duo of driver Alan van der Merwe and doctor Ian Roberts have been stalwarts in the role and famously helped save Romain Grosjean from his fiery crash in Bahrain.
      Williams driver Nicholas Latifi (middle) walks the track with two members of his team
      Both failed a pre-event test ahead of the race in Istanbul and the FIA have confirmed they will sit out this weekend’s GP.
      An FIA spokesman said: “[Both] tested positive for COVID-19 prior to travelling and are therefore self-isolating and will not attend the 2021 FIA Formula Turkish Grand Prix.
      “They will be replaced at this event by FIA Formula E World Championship Safety Car Driver, Bruno Correia, and Medical Delegate, Dr Bruno Franceschini, respectively.”
      F1 has mostly escaped the effects of Covid-19 this season though some drivers have caught the virus.
      Lewis Hamilton is one such driver, and he has spoken openly about the impact long Covid has had on his body.
      But ahead of the Turkish Grand Prix he is raring to go according to team manager Toto Wolff.

      The Mercedes chief is prepared to battle Red Bull and Max Verstappen and fight for every available point.
      But Hamilton faces an uphill struggle as he is set to start in last place on the grid after taking on a new engine.
      The Brit currently leads his rival by two points in the overall standings. More

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      Red Bull reveal new one-off livery for Turkish GP with special ‘thank you’ message to outgoing engine partner Honda

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      RED BULL have unveiled a new one-off livery for the Turkish Grand Prix as a departing gift for Honda.Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will drive around the circuit in a white Red Bull car, not their traditional blue and yellow.
      Red Bull have paid tribute to Honda with the new white livery
      Honda will end a seven-year spell in F1 at the end of the season
      Red Bull’s message to Honda reads ‘Arigato’ – ‘Thank you’
      The look resembles the Japan flag
      Those colours still feature on the unique design but its striking white base colour pays homage to the Honda cars of previous F1 seasons.
      Driver numbers are also placed on red circle backdrops – a reference to the flag of Japan.
      And the body also features the word ‘Arigato’ – Japenese for ‘Thank you’.
      Sister team AlphaTauri is also set to run with the message on its cars, having served as Honda’s partner since 2019.
      F1 bids farewell to Honda at the end of the current season after a seven year spell.
      The Japanese manufacturer worked as a power unit supplier for several different teams – first teaming up with McLaren between 2015-2017.

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      Toro Rosso were next to partner with Honda before Red Bull took them on in 2019, and have had a lot of success since.
      Red Bull will hope to send Honda out with a bang by securing the F1 championship with Verstappen.
      It would also be fitting to see the new white car claim victory in the Turkish GP on Sunday.
      And with Lewis Hamilton set to start at the back of the grid after incurring a penalty, that is certainly a reality. More