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Lance Stroll made sure the Formula One pecking order was turned upside down as the young Canadian mastered the elements to take the poll for the Turkish Grand Prix. Despised by many, Stroll proved once again that he can put on an exceptional performance at times, and at Istanbul Park he did so to leave the sport’s most veteran statesmen in his wake.
Lewis Hamilton, trying to secure his seventh title, was sixth, crucially ahead of his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, who was ninth. His championship efforts are ongoing, but the British driver condemned the track surface as a “nightmare” and the session as one of the least enjoyable of his career.
With rain-ridden qualifying under the gray, frowning clouds hanging sullenly low over the circuit, a kind of surprise had always been on the cards and Mercedes’ undefeated record in the single-lap discipline was under real threat for the first time. time this season. The honor seemed to belong to Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver has been at the top of the difficult conditions on the circuit all weekend. The track was wet and was re-paved two weeks ago so it lacked a lot of grip.
However, as the clock ticked into Q3 and the lap times decreased, Stroll and Racing Point had their measure. The team, for which this is their first pole position, had risked sending their drivers on intermediate tires in their last races. It seemed risky at first, but it soon paid off, as his rivals had opened on completely wet tires.
His teammate Sergio Perez, who was third, quickly proved they were right by topping the timesheets and a tense final run ensued as the other teams switched to interest. But the Racing Point men already had more heat on their tires and a slight lead. Stroll made it all worth it, beating Verstappen in second place by nearly three-tenths, the Dutchman becoming uneasy as he was unable to light the intermediate tires in the final laps.
Stroll had to survive an investigation, in which the stewards judged that it had taken off correctly under the yellow flags. Thus, he became the first Canadian to take pole since Jacques Villeneuve did so in 1997 and he felt there was a sense of redemption in his efforts. He has not scored a point in five races and was heavily criticized when he failed to undergo a coronavirus test after feeling ill at the Eifel Grand Prix, after which he was diagnosed with Covid-19.
“It was such a crazy session, the wet conditions, it was so slippery right in qualifying,” he said. “It was about being on the right tire at the right time at the end, we decided to go to intermediate in Q3 and I had a lap to deliver at the end of qualifying. I felt like I had the confidence in the car and the consistency in my driving to do it. I really put together my lap very well, I didn’t make any mistakes. It is a special moment for me, especially after the last few months, it has been a difficult journey. “
Mercedes could not master the lack of grip and had not challenged for the top spots during qualifying, but Hamilton is still in all positions to close out his seventh world championship and match Michael Schumacher’s record. Having already surpassed Schumacher’s pole and win totals, he will ensure that he is the most successful driver in the history of the sport.
Hamilton leads Bottas by 85 points and if he is 78 ahead after this round, the title is assured. A victory would seal him as any final position would against the Finn. Bottas must finish eight points clear of Hamilton to extend the title fight.
However, this has not been an easy weekend for either team. The great anticipation upon returning to Istanbul Park, which has not hosted a race since 2011, turned to disappointment when the track suffered a lack of grip. The new asphalt is becoming very slippery, the oils used in the process have not yet dissipated. Tires do not reach their operating temperature window and many drivers have noted how treacherous the subsequent lack of grip is proving.
“The track feels terrible,” said Hamilton. “It’s like driving on ice. For whatever reason, some may make their tires perform better than us. This track, they ruined it with the resurfacing of the circuit, made it difficult for everyone. To be honest this whole weekend has been a nightmare, the grip on the track surface is the worst I have experienced in years of racing. Definitely one of the least enjoyable, if not the least enjoyable [qualifying] I’ve had.”
The day, however, belonged to Stroll, who has shown before in qualifying for Monza in 2017 that he has a good touch in the wet, but remains the subject of intense scrutiny and often criticism because his billionaire father funded him in the sport. , who owns the team. Perhaps he can silence his critics on Sunday when the real test begins. Verstappen will be sure that he will be faster than the Canadian in a dry race, while behind them Hamilton will have his eyes on one prize: beat Bottas and take the title.
Alexander Albon’s Red Bull came in fourth and Daniel Ricciardo’s Renault in fifth. Esteban Ocon was seventh and Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi in eighth and tenth.
Lando Norris was 11th for McLaren and teammate Carlos Sainz was 13th, but will receive a three-place grid penalty for obstructing Perez. Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc were 12th and 14th for Ferrari and Pierre Gasly 15th for AlphaTauri.
Kevin Magnussen’s Haas started in 16th and his teammate Romain Grosjean in 19th. Daniil Kvyat was 17th for AlphaTauri, with George Russell and Nicholas Latifi 18th and 20th for Williams, but Russell will start at the rear of the grid after pushing the engine parts beyond the allotted number.
