Turkish Grand Prix – The TOP/FLOP of the editorial staff

The TOP:

Ferrari, a homogeneous and complementary duo

With a single-seater still suffering from the 2019 engine “cheating”, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz cannot hope to fight for victory fairly.

Once again this year, the particular weather conditions allowed them to stand out.

The Monegasque driver delivered a solid race. Long considered a contender to step onto the final podium, he even managed to challenge Valtteri Bottas for the lead towards the end of the race. An audacious strategy that could have been a winner. But like Lewis Hamilton, he had to concede to pit for four new tires and finished in a respectable 4th place.

On his side, his Spanish teammate has made a splendid race. He is moreover elected driver of the day. Starting from the 19th position, he succeeded in finishing in 8th place. He blew up the pack and animated the race with numerous overtakes.

Finally, Scuderia Ferrari scored 16 points and took back 10 from McLaren in the fight for 3rd place in the constructors’ championship.

A great first for Valtteri Bottas this year

As if liberated from all pressure since the announcement that sends him to Alfa Romeo next year, the Finnish driver is now delivering more consistent races, with a higher level of performance.

Mercedes was the fastest car this weekend, and he was able to take advantage of it.

Where his teammate drowned between engine changes and strategic setbacks, the Nastola native managed to keep his cool and top speed.

In addition to the victory, he also achieves the fastest lap in the race.

Mercedes could not have hoped for a better result in the absence of their team leader.

Pierre Gasly conqueror

As solid in qualifying as in the race, Pierre Gasly continues to prove to whoever is willing to see that he is a serious candidate for a top seat!

Author of the fifth time Saturday afternoon, he succeeded in the feat (once again) of overtaking a McLaren (Norris) and a Ferrari (Sainz) in the race. His excellent 6th place in the race allows him on the one hand to strengthen his very nice 9th place in the driver’s championship, and on the other hand to single-handedly carry AlphaTauri’s performance in the constructors’ championship (6th).

Despite his slight contact with Alonso at the start, he found all the resources allowing him to make a superb comeback after his five-second penalty. Once again, a GREAT Gasly.

The FLOP:

A boring Grand Prix

If last year the Istanbul track lacked grip, this year the cars were like glued to the ground. Even with wet tarmac, the show was missing.

In these conditions, and without much rain throughout the 1 hour and 31 minutes of the race, the drivers as well as their engineers never really dared to try anything.

Between title objectives for some, and fear of losing everything for others, no one wanted to take risks.

Except for Vettel who tried the yellow slick tire without success, Ricciardo who was in a hurry to put on a new intermediate tire, and Ocon who succeeded in the gamble of not stopping, each simply covered the other’s strategy.

It is surprising to note that an intermediate tire worn slick by pronounced wear is more efficient than a new intermediate tire, or even a new slick tire.

It is surely a question of operating temperature window, but what a pity that the FIA does not allow Pirelli to provide the drivers with tires that would allow a real fight on the track.

When it rains too much, cars don’t drive, when it doesn’t rain enough, drivers can’t attack for fear of degrading their tires too much. The same goes for when it’s too hot.

It’s still ironic for a sport that claims to be the reference in motor sports.

Lewis Hamilton sore loser

Indeed, the strategy imposed by Mercedes on its driver was not the most adequate, and prevented the n°44 from climbing on the podium this Sunday.

This pit stop at the end of the race had the effect of making the seven-time British champion lose his temper. He strongly criticized his engineer on several occasions.

He forgot that two weeks earlier in Russia, it was these same engineers who offered him the victory. Is it Hamilton who wins and his team that makes him lose??

Impotent McLarens

On this Turkish track, the orange single-seaters did not shine. It is an invisible Lando Norris who finishes his race in an “anonymous” 7th place.

On his side, Daniel Ricciardo has probably not finished with underperformance.

Apart from a resurgence of pride in Italy, where he enabled his team to achieve the long-awaited double by finishing second, the Australian driver struggles to gather the ingredients that have made his reputation, notably in 2014 when he outperformed his teammate Sebastian Vettel, who had just won his fourth world championship.

The battle will be tough for this third place for McLaren, but only if they quickly regain performance.