Lewis Hamilton quickest in Turkish GP qualifying with Max Verstappen third

Lewis Hamilton promised to take a “balanced” approach at Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix, rather than get too gung-ho, as he looks to limit his losses to title rival Max Verstappen.

A brilliant performance beneath leaden skies at the Istanbul Park Circuit on Saturday ensured the seven-time world champion qualified fastest for Sunday's race. But a 10-place grid penalty, triggered on Friday when his Mercedes team opted to take a fourth engine of the season for reliability reasons, means Hamilton will have to scythe his way through the field if he is to stand any chance of retaining his slender two-point advantage over Verstappen in the drivers’ championship.

More likely, it will be a case of damage limitation with Verstappen’s Red Bull rising to second on the grid thanks to Hamilton’s demotion and looking far more balanced than it did during Friday practice.

But Hamilton has a few reasons to be positive heading into the race. Not least, the fact that he still looks to have the quickest car here in Turkey.

On a track that retained a few damp patches after heavy overnight rain continued into the morning’s final practice session, Hamilton always looked to have the upper hand. He finished fastest in all three qualifying sessions, eventually beating team mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.13 seconds in Q3.

The fact that Bottas starts from pole is Hamilton’s second reason to be cheerful. The Finn will really earn his pay-cheque if he can keep Verstappen behind him, although Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff denied the team would try to get too cute.

“Valtteri is going to race his [own] race,” he said when asked whether Mercedes might use Bottas to bunch the field, allowing Hamilton the opportunity to catch up. “This is about the win - Valtteri’s win, the team’s win - and we are not going to do any bunching up.”

The third reason for Hamilton fans to be optimistic is the uncertain weather forecast. Final practice took place on a wet, slippery track and frankly it looked treacherous.

With overtaking so difficult in these machines, a little rain to shake things up could be just what he needs. Hamilton admitted he would be performing a little rain dance.

“Tomorrow is going to be difficult but I will give it everything,” he reflected. “It is not the easiest overtaking at the moment so I imagine it will be difficult to move up. But we have got the long straight down the back and we will see what we can do.

“We knew it was going to be difficult with this penalty and tomorrow is not going to be easy to fight my way through but where there’s a will, there's a way.

“The car was good in race trim and we had quite good balance. You saw in the last race how difficult it was in the DRS train and no doubt it will be similar tomorrow. But it is a long race and I hope there is some rain that comes along.”

Wolff bemoaned the fact that nearly all the cars ahead of Hamilton would also be starting on the medium compound, with only Alpha Tauri's Yuki Tsunoda in ninth place preferring the soft tyre in Q2, which determines the starting tyre of the drivers in the top half of the grid.

“It would have been easier if there was a tyre off-set strategy,” he conceded. “We expected the others in front of us would run softs in Q2 but that didn’t happen which is a little bit of a setback. There will not be many options left than to try with strategy and hope the front train is not disappearing in the distance.

“But he can only try and do his best and I wouldn’t want any other driver in the car when it is about overtaking and going through the field than Lewis.”

Hamilton said he would not get carried away. With seven races of the season still remaining, it may be that discretion is the better part of valour.

“I will try and make sure it is balanced,” he concluded. “I will try to minimise the damage and get up as high as possible.”

Turkish Grand Prix, qualifying classification

1. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1min 22.868secs

2. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:22.998

3. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:23.196

4. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:23.265

5. Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:23.326,

6. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 1:23.477

7. Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:23.706

8. Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:23.954

9. Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:24.305

10. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:24.368

11. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 1:24.795

12. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:24.842

13. George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:25.007

14. Mick Schumacher (Ger) Haas F1 1:25.200

15. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spa) Ferrari. 1:25.177

16. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) McLaren 1:25.881

17. Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:26.086

18. Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:26.430

19. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:27.525

20. Nikita Mazepin (Raf) Haas F1 1:28.449

Turkish GP qualifying, as it happened

01:43 PM

Okay, that's it from me today

I'll be back tomorrow from around 11.30am. The Turkish Grand Prix starts at 1pm and it is set up fairly well at a track where it is possible to overtake and which, all round, is a good circuit. Doesn't guarantee a good race but plenty of potential flashpoints out there, with Hamilton starting from 11th.

01:27 PM

An ominous word from Christian Horner to Sky Sports F1

"Lewis is looking the quickest he's looked all year," he says.

01:22 PM

Think that is set up quite well for tomorrow

The start will be interesting. Crucial for Hamilton that Bottas can keep Verstappen behind, you'd have thought. Then again, if the Mercedes has the advantage over the Red Bull on a long run as it was over one lap then it might not be quite so crucial.

01:13 PM

Hamilton reacts to his fake pole position

LEWIS: "The track is absolutely awesome. The team did a really great job getting us out at the right time.

"We'll see what we can do tomorrow [after 10-place grid penalty] and hopefully give the fans an exciting race"#TurkishGP 🇹🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/9EfTUXNU7N

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2021

01:12 PM

Valtteri Bottas on a decent second place

This is technically his 18th pole position.

01:09 PM

Max Verstappen reacts to third place

Didn't look like the car had the pace to challenge Mercedes overall. That he was two tenths behind Bottas is an indicator of that, no disrespect to Bottas.

01:05 PM

TURKISH GRAND PRIX: TOP 10

1. HAM 1:22.868
2. BOT +0.130
3. VER +0.328
4. LEC +0.397
5. GAS +0.458
6. ALO +0.609
7. PER +0.838
8. NOR +1.086
9. STR +1.437
10. TSU +1.500

01:04 PM

LEWIS HAMILTON QUICKEST IN TURKISH GP QUALIFYING

It's technically pole for Valtteri Bottas, however, due to Hamilton's penalty.

Perez only down in seventh which isn't ideal... 0.838s off Hamilton and half a second off Verstappen in the final reckoning.

01:03 PM

Q3 - Final runs concluding

Bottas can't beat Hamilton, either...

Hamilton doesn't improve but stays quickest! Alonso into fifth but Gasly beats that! Leclerc beats them both into fourth with a great lap at the death.

So that means Hamilton will start 11th tomorrow. As good as it could be, with the penalty. The Mercedes looking the best car over one lap by a reasonable margin here.

01:01 PM

Q3 - Verstappen is 0.134s off in sector two

So he will very likely improve, but can he beat Bottas? It's going to be close. Bottas has another lap, of course.

Verstappen does not improve! He will start behind Bottas whatever...

01:01 PM

Q3 - Verstappen starts his hot lap

Important that he beats Bottas here. Not so much Hamilton, who will start from 11th even if he's quickest today...

Verstappen's first sector is 0.063s slower than Hamilton. A decent improvement...

Gasly has just gone quickest in sector one... could he be up there with Verstappen?!

01:00 PM

Q3 - Hamilton goes quickest by two tenths

Nicely done, Lewis. He has more than enough time to get around and do another hot lap. Nobody else will have that luxury. Wonder if the tyres will hang on that long...

Just 1:44 on the clock.

12:58 PM

Q3 - What is Hamilton's time in sector one?

He's up 0.010s on Bottas and has made a few tenths on his best time in that sector. He's then 0.134s up after two sectors.

Good chance of going quickest here...

12:57 PM

Q3 - Perez a few tenths down on Verstappen

But Perez did set his time on used softs rather than fresh softs, as Verstappen did. Has been closer to Verstappen this weekend than he usually is. Red Bull will not want him to qualify ahead of him.

Hamilton has gone out quite early here... on his own. Not another car on track. Have they put a fair bit of fuel in and hoping he can get two quick laps in as the track conditions improve? Out-push-recharge-push-in?

12:54 PM

Q3 - Top 10 and gaps after the first runs

1. BOT 1:23.071
2. HAM +0.022
3. VER +0.227
4. GAS +0.449
5. PER +0.662
6. ALO +0.671
7. NOR +0.982
8. LEC +1.074
9. TSU +1.907
10. STR +2.041

12:53 PM

Q3 - Verstappen not likely to challenge the Mercedes on this lap

Two tenths down after two sectors and ends up 0.227s down at the end of the lap. That's enough for third...

12:53 PM

Q3 - A 29.288 for Hamilton in S2

A tenth quicker than Bottas.

Final lap time for Hamilton is a 1:23.093 but Bottas beats it. Well, colour me surprised. Bottas is quicker by 0.022s.

Verstappen has just started his hot lap and was a couple of tenths down on Bottas in the first sector... not too bad?

12:51 PM

Q3 - Hamilton posts a 31.011 in sector one

He's the first man on the track, in fact. Bottas is three tenths up in that sector already. Interesting.

12:50 PM

Q3 BEGINS: 12 MINS TO GO

The sun has come out. No sign of that rain, then. That will help with the track conditions. Still a few damp spots. Can't see anyone - let alone Verstappen - beating Hamilton here. He looks a class apart.

12:48 PM

That was a superb performance from Mick Schumacher

He was a little hampered by yellow flags on his final run by Stroll's off. He had to back off on his final lap when the track was getting better.

12:45 PM

Q2 - TOP 10

1. HAM 1:23.082
2. BOT +0.497
3. VER +0.650
4. GAS +0.735
5. ALO +0.832
6. PER +0.879
7. LEC+0.933
8. TSU +0.972
9. STR +1.519
10. NOR +1.560

All of these men are through.

12:43 PM

Q2 ENDS: HAMILTON QUICKEST

As the track dries out, Hamilton is looking classier and classier.

"Sorry guys. No! No, no! That was a good lap," he tells his team.

DRIVERS OUT: VET, OCO, RUS, MSC, SAI

12:42 PM

Q2 - Russell is out

He runs very, very wide at the final turn and does not improve.

Vettel does! He goes 10th but can he stay there? Leclerc is looking good, he gets a slipstream from Carlos Sainz. In fact, I think Sainz was sent out there for the slipstream.

Leclerc goes seventh and knocks his former team-mate Vettel out.

12:40 PM

Q2 - Alonso flying again

His turn to go third, 0.319s off Hamilton's quickest time. Stroll has lost it at turn one and goes across the grass, bringing out the yellow flags. He's currently eighth so might get through... but that may have cost him...

12:39 PM

Q2 - Current order with two minutes to go

1. HAM
2. BOT
3. PER
4. VET
5. ALO
6. GAS
7. TSU
8. STR
9. NOR
10. OCO
    DROP ZONE:
11. LEC
12. RUS
13. VET
14. MSC

12:38 PM

Q2 - Verstappen quickest in sector one

He loses time in the final two sectors, though, and stays third which then becomes fourth as Sergio Perez displaces him.

12:38 PM

Q2 - George Russell lining up a hot lap

He hasn't set a proper lap in this session yet.

He could sneak into the top 10 here. He crosses the line with a 1:25.007, which puts him 11th. Only just outside the top 10.

12:35 PM

Q2 - No sign of any more rain

Leclerc was on a good lap but spins it all the way around at the very final corner... lost the rear end.

"I'm struggling with these mediums with this downforce, guys," he says.

12:34 PM

Q2 - Top 10

1. HAM
2. VER +0.407
3. ALO +0.451
4. BOT +0.547
5. GAS +0.578
6. TSU +0.816
7. NOR +1.047
8. PER +1.089
9. OCO +1.247
10. LEC +1.394

DROP ZONE: VET, STR, MSC, RUS, SAI

12:32 PM

Q2 - Verstappen did a preparation lap, too

Only Bottas, Alonso, Gasly, Tsunoda and Ocon really got representative laps in first time out. Everyone else is over five seconds slower than Bottas's quickest time.

Verstappen now on a hot lap.

Quickest in sector one and sector two. 0.172s up, in fact. He crosses the line with a 1:24.002.... can Hamilton beat that?

Yes, he can... he's four tenths up.

12:30 PM

Q2 - Bottas the quickest man in sectors one and two

Hamilton looks to have backed off a bit and may go again the next lap.

Bottas goes quickest with a 1:24.142. Gasly second but six-tenths off that. Everyone out on medium tyres, I think. Perez spins at turn one and flat spots his tyres. Gets it going again but he will have to change those tyres as they are wrecked.

12:28 PM

Q2 - 13 mins remain

Everyone out but Carlos Sainz who, I expect, will not bother running here due to his grid penalty. He did a pretty good job in knocking McLaren rival Daniel Ricciardo out, though. That's something, at least.

Hamilton lining up a hot lap already.

12:26 PM

GREEN LIGHT: Q2 BEGINS

Think the situation will be similar to the last session. No rain at the moment. This time it's 10 drivers through and five out. Mick Schumacher did well to get into Q2 again.

12:24 PM

Q1 - CLASSIFICATION

1. HAM
2. VER +0.007
3. GAS +0.119
4. LEC +0.284
5. PER +0.378
6. BOT +0.462
7. NOR +0.553
8. ALO +0.589
9. SAI +0.592
10. TSU + 0.824
11. RUS +0.832
12. OCO +0.837
13. STR +0.926
14. MSC +0.970
15. VET +1.202

OUT: RIC, LAT, GIO, RAI, MAZ

12:21 PM

Q1 ENDS: HAMILTON QUICKEST

By just 0.007s over Verstappen. Only a few drops of rain in that session and the track continued to improve throughout.

12:21 PM

Q1 - Raikkonen and Mazepin confirmed out

They do not improve. Tsunoda improves to go eighth, Perez into fourth. Vettel out of the bottom five and into 12th. Mick Schumacher into 11th.

Is Daniel Ricciardo in trouble here? I think he could be. He's 15th currently as Russell gets himself into the top 10.

Sainz goes ninth and pushes Ricciardo into the bottom five! That's him out! Oh no...

12:19 PM

Q1 - Into the final moments

Vettel is in 18th and needs to find something. Sainz, Schumacher, Vettel, Raikkonen and Mazepin are the bottom five.

Here's the top 10:

1. HAM

2. GAS

3. BOT

4. NOR

5. ALO

6. OCO

7. PER

8. LEC

9. RIC

10. RUS

12:18 PM

Q1 - Verstappen and Hamilton going for it

Not by much. Perez into fourth, 0.425s behind his team-mate. Vettel has been pushed into the drop zone...

Hamilton continues around and is improving and now he goes fastest. 10 laps on those soft tyres now.

12:15 PM

Q1 - Hamilton goes quickest

0.436s quicker than Gasly. Bottas then goes within a tenth of his team-mate and is now second. Verstappen in seventh, a second off Hamilton. Mazepin has a spin... not for the first time.

12:14 PM

Q1 - Six mins remain

"I feel that we should get another banker," Hamilton says. He's currently in 10th and is not safe given the track evolution. He gives it full beans at turn one and gets a bit of a wiggle on... his first sector time is down in what he did before... but improves a lot in the middle sector.

Verstappen told the rain is dissipating and that conditions should improve.

Currently in the drop zone: GIO, STR, TSU, RAI, MAZ

12:12 PM

Q1 - Gasly now quickest ahead of Leclerc

Top 10:

1. GAS

2. LEC

3. BOT

4. NOR

5. VER

6. ALO

7. RUS

8. HAM

9. LAT

10. SAI

Sainz now up into 10th after a difficult start.

12:11 PM

Q1 - Sainz not going very well

He's down in last without a representative time, but he will start from the back anyway.

12:10 PM

Q1 - Lap times just tumbling and tumbling now

I think that may now stop. Looks like the rain is getting heavier.

12:09 PM

Q1 - Current order with nine mins remaining

1. BOT
2. NOR
3. VER
4. ALO
5. HAM
6. LAT
7. GAS
8. PER
9. VET
10. GIO
11. RIC
12. STR
13. LEC
14. TSU
15. RUS
    DROP ZONE:
16. OCO
17. RAI
18. MSC
19. MAZ
20. SAI

12:09 PM

Q1 - Hamilton back in top spot

Gasly into second as well. Leclerc finds a lap where he had none. Perez now in the drop zone, in 16th...

The rain is holding off by and large so the conditions are still decent-ish. It's coming, though...

YELLOW FLAGS, TSUNODA ON THE GRASS AT TURN ONE...

12:08 PM

Q1 - Verstappen now quickest

0.4s quicker than Hamilton and Bottas a further tenth behind. Hamilton going again and improving.

Gasly, Alonso, Sainz, Leclerc and Raikkonen are in the drop zone.

12:07 PM

Q1 - Scrap that, Russell now quickest

0.032s quicker than Norris. Hamilton has to get a lap in and he does... he goes quickest!

Tsunoda into second, Leclerc into fourth.

What can Verstappen do? He was quickest of anyone in the first sector.

12:06 PM

Q1 - Lando Norris goes top as the rain starts to come

Just a few spots at the moment.

Here's the top 10 at the moment as Hamilton begins a new lap.

1. NOR

2. OCO

3. GAS

4. ALO

5. LAT

6. RUS

7. BOT

8. VER

9. STR

10. RIC

12:05 PM

Q1 - Hamilton runs wide at turn one

He can't get it to turn in and slips wide off the edge of the track, which means his lap will not count. Hamilton runs wide again but not as wide as Carlos Sainz who spins at turn one. He gets it going again...

Finding a decent banker lap in this dry period is going to be crucial. Verstappen also spun in the first sector.

Gasly, Latifi and Russell lead the way so far...

It's dry but it's cold. And it's very slippy.

12:03 PM

Q1 - 17 mins remain

It may be good enough for slicks at the moment but that is not to say it will be easy.

"Rain expected in three minutes," is the message to Daniel Ricciardo. Who might be caught out by that? Vettel has only just left the garage. Hamilton and Bottas are not in the first bunch of cars but Verstappen and Perez are a bit further behind still. Hamilton is then told the weather might only be good enough for one dry lap.

How exciting!

12:00 PM

GREEN LIGHT: Q1 IS GO

"Rain is coming," Gasly is told. But when is it coming? How many laps might they be able to get in?

11:59 AM

A bit more on the weather

LATEST RADAR: The radar around the circuit is currently clear ahead of Qualifying, however there are a few scattered showers heading northeast in the general direction of @intercitypark. #F1 | #TurkishGP 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/eBREik4dUV

— MeteoMotorsport (@MeteoMotorsport) October 9, 2021

The teams feel the same... there is a massive queue at the end of the pit lane with two minutes until the lights go green. All on slicks, of course.

11:55 AM

Looks like there could be a bit more rain

Judging by the latest radar. In fact, it's looking very likely indeed. Wonderful.

11:47 AM

Can Red Bull turn it around?

They looked quite sluggish yesterday and if Max Verstappen is to make the most of Hamilton's 10-place grid penalty, they need to not get caught in a fight with Bottas/Leclerc/the McLarens or it could be a handy bonus for Hamilton. I think, say, if Hamilton finishes quickest and starts 11th he is more than capable of fighting his way to the podium.

11:41 AM

Red Bull's swanky new (one-off) livery

11:31 AM

How is the weather looking?

There is a dry line and I think it's not too far off from slicks, and it may even be ready for slicks now. No rain forecast in the next 30 minutes or so. Could still be tricky for the drivers.

11:26 AM

Current constructor standings

11:21 AM

Fair to say there was some slippy/spinny action in morning practice

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11:17 AM

The great McLaren renaissance: what's behind the team's revival?

After several tough seasons spent at the back of the midfield - and sometimes the back of the field - they have slowly and surely fought their way back to the top, taking their first victory in nine years in Italy and their first pole position in the same period in the very next race in Sochi.

It was so nearly two wins in two races, but Lando Norris agonisingly missed out. So, how have they done it? Tom Cary takes an in-depth look at the factors behind McLaren's resurgence.

11:10 AM

Current driver standings: top 12

11:08 AM

Quickest sector times in final practice

P1 Verstappen
P2 Gasly

So it's no surprise to see them leading the way in each sector!#TurkishGP 🇹🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/yJmGbWtkWX

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2021

10:44 AM

Times after third and final practice

1. Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1min 30.447secs
2. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:30.611
3. Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 1:30.684
4. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spa) Ferrari 1:31.262
5. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:31.543
6. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 1:31.545
7. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:31.572
8. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:31.981
9. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:31.996
10. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:32.089
11. Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:32.097
12. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 1:32.111
13. Mick Schumacher (Ger) Haas F1 1:32.228
14. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) McLaren 1:32.270
15. Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:32.314
16. Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 1:33.348
17. Nikita Mazepin (Raf) Haas F1 1:33.425
18. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1:33.636
19. Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:35.681
20. George Russell (Gbr) Williams

10:32 AM

Good morning F1 fans

And welcome to our live coverage for qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix from the Intercity Istanbul Park track, just outside of Istanbul. The championship resumes with things about as finely poised as they can be, as Lewis Hamilton leads Max Verstappen by just two points after 15 rounds. Astonishingly close.

The big news this weekend is that Hamilton will take a 10-place grid penalty after changing the Internal Combustion Engine in his Mercedes. He had already used up his allocated three for the season, and this is his fourth, hence the penalty. It is only 10 places - unlike Verstappen in Russia who dropped to the back of the grid - because it is not a whole power unit change, just the ICE. Whether that turns out to be a good move or not - they may have to change more components or a whole PU later on - we will find out. But we can assume that they have a decent idea of what's going on.

How do Hamilton's chances look of starting 11th and then racing through the field? Pretty decent given Friday's running where he dominated, topping both practice sessions comfortably. Red Bull looked a little off the pace although, given Hamilton's penalty, they might have been focusing on long-run pace rather than one-lap pace.

What happened in this morning's practice session? Here's Phil Duncan from Istanbul Park with a quick recap.

Qualifying gets underway at 1pm BST. The weather had started to dry up so it (unfortunately or fortunately) may be slick conditions by the time it gets going. Though, maybe not. Fingers crossed for a bit of rain.