Turkish Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying result as Lewis Hamilton quickest and Valtteri Bottas on pole
Follow all the latest updates from qualifying at the Istanbul circuit
Formula One world championship leader Lewis Hamilton was fastest in qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix on Saturday but will start 11th due to a grid penalty with Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas on pole position.
Hamilton’s title rival Max Verstappen qualified third for Red Bull and will join Bottas on the front row at Istanbul Park on Sunday.
Follow qualifying live, below.
Hamilton worried about overtaking from 11th
Lewis Hamilton will no doubt have mixed feelings ahead of tomorrow’s race, having been comfortably the fastest man out there in qualifying but facing the prospect of starting 11th due to his engine penalty.
“The track is absolutely awesome with the grip level it’s giving us now,” the seven-time world champion explained to di Resta. “There were still some damp patches and getting the tyres into temperature wasn’t easy. Tomorrow is going to be difficult but I’ll give it everything.
“It’s going to be difficult to move up. Hopefully we can give the fans a good race.”
Bottas not focussed on helping Hamilton
Valtteri Bottas is next up in the post-race interviews, and says he will be concentrating on himself as he starts first tomorrow afternoon.
The Finn told Sky Sports: “Not easy conditions. Q1 was a bit on the edge with the damp. The last lap I missed a bit in the final sector with understeer. I’m on pole, and that should be good. I’ll focus on my own race tomorrow. I think that’s the way to go.”
Verstappen happy to start second in Turkey
Max Verstappen has been talking to Paul di Resta on Sky Sports and says third was his realistic best in Turkey this afternoon.
“It was quite tricky with the conditions,” the Dutchman explained. “Compared to yesterday we managed to turn it around quite well. The laps overall were quite good. A decent recovery. We’ll see what the weather will do overnight. Tyre wear seems quite high at this track, but it’s a lot of fun to drive.”
Full results from Q3
The full results from that final part of qualifying below, but bear in mind that Hamilton will drop to 11th and all other drivers will move up a position accordingly.
1. Hamilton
2. Bottas
3. Verstappen
4. Leclerc
5. Gasly
6. Alonso
7. Perez
8. Norris
9. Stroll
10. Tsunoda
Lewis Hamilton is fastest in Turkish qualifying!
Lewis Hamilton has dominated this qualifying session and deservedly wins out.
The Mercedes man will start 11th, of course, because of his engine penalty.
Hamilton goes fastest
Lewis Hamilton if the first man to start on the final runs of the session and he goes purple in the first two sectors to move two tenths ahead of Valtteri Bottas and set a new track record.
That will be a tough time for Bottas or Max Verstappen to beat.
Gasly impressive again
Pierre Gasly is currently splitting the Red Bulls in fourth, over two tenths faster than Sergio Perez in fifth.
Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll are well off the pace in ninth and tenth, around two seconds down on Hamilton.
Bottas fastest after first runs
Valtteri Bottas follows Lewis Hamilton around the track on Mercedes’ first runs and the Finn goes faster by just two hundredths of a second.
They’re both two tenths faster than Max Verstappen.
Bottas fastest after first runs
Valtteri Bottas follows Lewis Hamilton around the track on Mercedes’ first runs and the Finn goes faster by just two hundredths of a second.
They’re both almost half a second faster than Pierre Gasly in third.
Q3 underway
The top ten shoot is underway with Hamilton, Bottas and Verstappen all gunning for glory.
Sergio Perez is currently on an old set of soft tyres, as is Lance Stroll.
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