Lewis Hamilton WINS Turkish Grand Prix – and a seventh world title

Lewis Hamilton takes the win in a difficult Turkish Grand Prix, in the process clinching a record-equalling seventh world championship title.

Qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes, struggle for form, grip and pace, with Hamilton managing only sixth on the grid and Bottas ninth, with Racing Point’s Lance Stroll on pole and team mate Perez in third, sandwiching Verstappen in the Red Bull, and Ricciardo in the Renault another obstacle to Hamilton in fifth.

But despite the rather more gloomy outlook for the race than Hamilton, or Mercedes, are used to, the end was the same, for Hamilton at least, as he showed why he deserves a record-equalling seventh title in a race he shouldn’t really have been able to win.

A big part of the win came from Hamilton’s strategy call around half way through the race, after the Racing Points had dominated at the start but were being caught by Albon, Vettel and Hamilton, and as Vettel pitted for tyres Hamilton stayed out and, when Stroll also  pitted for tyres Hamilton moved in on Perez, took the lead and kept it for the win.

Perez hung on for second ahead of Vettel in his best showing for Ferrari in some time, with Leclerc fourth, Sainz fifth, Verstappen sixth, Albon seventh, Norris eighth, Stroll ninth and Ricciardo in the final points place.

But the day belonged to Hamilton as he became, statistically at least, the greatest F1 driver of all time.