Despite horrid conditions throughout the race, Lewis Hamilton has flexed on the rest of the grid in a history performance with drama to the end.
Lewis Hamilton is now a seven-time World Champion after a freakish performance to win the Turkish Grand Prix.
In slippery conditions at the resurfaced Istanbul Park, Hamilton had struggled all weekend but once again found his way to the front and went claimed a massive victory ahead of Racing Point's Sergio Perez and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in third.
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In a topsy-turvy race with drivers spinning out through all 58 laps, Hamilton held it together best.
But it was a horror day for his teammate Valtteri Bottas who spun out on the first lap and never looked to challenge the top 10.
Before the weekend, Bottas needed to be within eight points of Hamilton by the end of the race but Hamilton getting inside of Renault's Daniel Ricciardo, who tapped his teammate Esteban Ocon, who spun out with Bottas also being spun out.
He was never close.He was so far away, Hamilton lapped Bottas with 12 laps remaining, and the Brit let him know.
"Valtteri has blue flags, someone might want to tell him to get out of the way," Sky Sports' Karun Chandhok reported Hamilton said over the team radio.
But it didn't matter in the end with Hamilton winning by 31 seconds in a race he was never expected to challenge in after admitting it was "terrifying".
Hamilton was crying over team radio after wrapping up the title.
"Thank you so much guys," he said. "For all the kids out there who dream the impossible, you can do it too man, I believe in you man. Thank you so much for your support."
He was still struggling to hold back his emotions at the grid interview.
"I'm definitely a bit lost for words," Hamilton said. "I have to start by saying a huge thank you to all our guys here, and back at both our factories. I wouldn't be able to be here if I didn't join this team and the journey we've been on has been monumental. I'm so proud."
Its the shriek! The moment he stayed in the car, wiping down a tear. It's the moment of Vettel going down on a knee to congratulate him.
— Mujuni Raymond (@qataharraymond) November 15, 2020
Hamilton, you can keep your arguments please, is the greatest F1 driver of all time.
What a race, what a man, what a team!!!
Hamilton lapping Bottas, that's GOAT status, ai #TurkishGp
— Kwizera (@TherealKwizera) November 15, 2020
Hamilton puts a lap on Bottas. Devastating performance from the Briton here.
— Philip Duncan (@PhilDuncanF1) November 15, 2020
Phenomenal race from Hamilton, summed up by this right here. https://t.co/DklObF4clt
— Ravi Hiranand (@ravi_hiranand) November 15, 2020
Lewis Hamilton is the greatest driver in F1 history.
— Ian Betteridge 🇪🇺 (@ianbetteridge) November 15, 2020
Sir Lewis Hamilton. It's time. #F1 @F1 #TurkishGP
— Kia Abdullah (@KiaAbdullah) November 15, 2020
Absolutely incredible! Lewis Hamilton makes history.
— Darshan Chandaria (@dchandaria) November 15, 2020
He equals Michael Schumacher's record of seven Formula One world titles with victory at the Turkish Grand Prix. What a legend! #Hamilton #TurkishGP #f1istanbul pic.twitter.com/H0aya8cqMy
Hamilton said he "tried not to be in tears in front of the cameras" but doubled down on his comments again with Aussie F1 great Mark Webber.
"I know often say it's beyond my wildest dreams... but I think my whole life I have secretly dreamt as high as this. It felt so far-fetched," he said.
"I remember watching Michael winning the championships, and just to get one, or two, or three - it's so hard to get. Seven is just unimaginable.
"What a day. There's a lot to take in."
And in a sign that will terrify the rest of the grid, he added: "I feel like I'm only getting started. I feel physically in great shape. This year has been a challenge that I didn't know how to get through, but with the help of people around me I managed to just keep my head above water and stay focused.
"I'm really hopeful for a better year next year and I would love to stay. I feel like we've got a lot of work to do here, we've only just started our work to make ourselves accountable. I want to help Formula 1, I want to help Mercedes in that journey."
His teammate Bottas was less happy during the race.
"Four laps left", his engineer said.
"I wish it was less," Bottas replied.
Bottas wasn't the only driver to have a horror moment with the final podium a massive shake up from the early stages of the race.
Polesitter Lance Stroll got out to a huge lead but a telling moment came when the Canadian pitted from the lead.
Stroll came back in fourth but was complaining of graining on his new intermediate tyres.
A mistake saw Vettel overtake and Stroll tumbled down the order to finish ninth.
But his teammate Perez was counting his lucky stars.
On the final lap, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was in second but a lock up saw Perez and Vettel overtake to steal his position on the podium.
TURKISH GRAND PRIX RESULTS
1st: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2nd: Sergio Perez (Racing Point)
3rd: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4th: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5th: Carlos Sainz (McLaren)
6th: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7th: Alex Albon (Red Bull)
8th: Lando Norris (McLaren)
9th: Lance Stroll (Racing Point)
10th: Daniel Ricciardo (Renault)
Valtteri Bottas has never been in this race but he has suffered the ultimate indignity – being overtaken by his teammate.
Hamilton has all but wrapped up the race with 10 laps to go – 18 seconds ahead, but as he came up to Bottas, his teammate didn't let him past as he's supposed to.
And Hamilton has let him know.
"Valtteri has blue flags, someone might want to tell him to get out of the way," Sky Sports' Karun Chandhok reported Hamilton said over the team radio.
Lance Stroll was overtaken by Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel but battled back to reclaim fourth.
But he went too hard and lost traction with Vettel and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc also overtook, dropping the former race leader to sixth.
Stroll has screwed it. Shame for him. Great for Seb!!!!
— Alexandra Phillips (@BrexitAlex) November 15, 2020
Stroll is down to eighth after 42 laps with Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz also getting past.
Equally, Valtteri Bottas has limply given up the championship, unable to make the top 10 at all today and spinning out multiple times.
Hamilton is about to lap him in lap 42.
Bottas would need to get within eight points of Hamilton to keep the title race alive.
A Lance Stroll pit stop has seen Lewis Hamilton back into his normal position of first.
He's made a move on Sergio Perez, taking the lead.
Stroll, who was leading from the outset of the race, s back in fourth but is complaining of graining on his new intermediate tyres.
Alex Albon has given up third, spinning out to allow Lewis Hamilton into third.
No one was around Albon but the track is still super slippery.
But it's going to get pretty interesting with the teams looking to put on slick tyres but it's still pretty wet.
Hamilton doesn't think there's going to be a transition, saying "I don't think there's going to be a transition. It's slippery as hell out here."
Max Verstappen looked to have the better of Sergio Perez but he's ended up spinning out and dropping from third to eighth, having to pit after getting flat spots on his tyre.
LAP 18/58
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 15, 2020
HUUUUGE moment for Max 🤯
He gets wayward in Perez's spray and spins, flat-spotting his tyres#TurkishGP 🇹🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/oIKvVJkofW
"It's not the smartest thing I've seen him do," Sky Sports' Martin Brundle said.
It's the reminder that if you bite off more than you can chew, it's going to bite you.
Lewis Hamilton has gone from fifth to sixth after his brakes locked up.
He went onto team radio to say "the brakes aren't working man".
The expected drama hasn't necessarily happened so far but the track is so wet that every corner is nerve wracking.
Most drivers have gone into the pits after the rains stopped to get intermediate tyres.
Max Verstappen had the biggest issue with a 4 second pit stop allowing him to come out in fourth rather than sixth by not much at all with Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton right behind him when he came out of the pits.
But after 13 laps, there's a virtual safety car after Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi had to retire, seemingly with a mechanical issue.
It let tyres cool down and will hopefully make it interesting once again.
The first lap – even the first corner – has delivered already.
Renault's Daniel Ricciardo got stuck behind Racing Point's Sergio Perez with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton getting a better position than Riccardo.
A bump from Hamilton pushed Ricciardo into his teammate Esteban Ocon, spinning him and Valtteri Bottas at the start.
Hamilton could barely stay on the track in the first lap with the cars sliding all over the place.
It's seen Lance Stroll 6 seconds ahead, Sergio Perez nine seconds ahead of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in third who is holding off Red Bull's Max Verstappen after four laps.
Fans were stunned by the drivers seemingly unable to control their cars.
Torvill and Dean or #F1
— Tim Verrall (@timverrall) November 15, 2020
GOOD LORD
How about Sebastian Vettel! From 11th to 3rd in a single lap.#TurkishGP 🇹🇷 #F1
— Nick DeGroot (@ndegroot89) November 15, 2020
#F1 This is like F1 on ice!! It’s brilliant 😂 #TurkishGP
— Melissa Nathoo (@MelissaNathoo) November 15, 2020
Best F1 race in years.#TurkishGP
— Sam Street (@samstreetwrites) November 15, 2020
The slipping and sliding has already begun, with Antonio Giovinazzi hitting the barrier on his way to the grid.
There hasn't been the anthem yet but already the Alfa Romeo ended up in the gravel trap and has broken his front wing.
Sergio Perez went wide as well but didn't crash.
Williams' George Russell also lost his front wing, ranting over the team radio that "this is ridiculous".
Strap yourselves in – this will be wild.
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