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By Reuters 
21h ago
ISTANBUL – Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton on Friday called a recent renovation of the Turkish Grand Prix circuit a waste of money that had turned a previously thrilling lap into a “terrifying” experience.
The circuit is home to F1 for the first time since 2011 and drivers said the new asphalt and cold conditions had turned it into an ice rink.
“This track is such a fantastic circuit, and I really don’t quite understand when they spend millions to redo a surface,” said Hamilton, who was fourth-fastest in practice over a weekend to crown him champion by a record seventh. time.
“They probably could have cleaned it up, maybe, instead of wasting all the money,” added the Mercedes driver.
“The tires don’t work, and you see it. It’s like an ice rink. You don’t enjoy the lap as much as you normally would in Istanbul, and I don’t see that changing.
“It’s scary the whole way. It’s almost like there are wet spots everywhere …”
Hamilton won the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix and the track had a reputation as a driver’s favorite before it was abandoned.
“Older circuits … it’s a lot more open between all the stones so the tire works more, whereas this one is super tight and flat and shiny and I guess the oil seeps off the asphalt, or whatever. have left., “he said.
“It sucks with a capital S.”
And so we are done with Friday!
This is how the drivers ended up in our second session 👇#TurkishGP 🇹![CDATA[]]> 🇷 # F1 pic.twitter.com/zZCvzlkZas
– Formula 1 (@ F1) November 13, 2020
Racing promoter Vural Ak defended the work.
“Officials told us, they advised us not to allow any cars to go fast on the track so far. So the asphalt has its own additional slippery. They intentionally asked us to do this, so that drivers can determine their own lines. career, “he said. said.
“That is another challenge of this battlefield … we are listening to the radio talks. This made me very happy. Right now, my assessment of the first hours is this: we did our job well.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who was the fastest, joked that the tires would need studs if it rained.
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly said the lap felt more like a rallycross, but was fun, while Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas recalled winter rallies in Lapland and Red Bull’s Alex Albon talked about drifting.
Haas driver Romain Grosjean suggested another way to put on a bit of rubber to provide grip.
“I suggested to the team that everyone involved in Formula One should get their rental car and hit the track between the two sessions,” he said.
Reuters
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