Lewis Hamilton limits damage to F1 title defense as Valtteri Bottas wins Turkish Grand Prix
This allowed Red Bull driver Verstappen to regain the advantage over the seven-time world champion in the drivers’ championship standings by six points.
“It wasn’t easy today, the track was greasy and we had to manage the tires the whole race,” Verstappen said on the F1 website. “Valtteri had a bit more pace but we’re happy to be second, it’s easy to mess up and back down.”
Hamilton stopped on lap 51 of the 58-lap race for new tires – a decision by the Mercedes team that was not well received by the 36-year-old driver.
“We shouldn’t have come in. A heavy-grain man. I told you !!” said an irritable Hamilton on the Mercedes team radio.
Sergio Perez, in the other Red Bull, was third with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fourth.
There are six more races with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix closing the 2021 season on December 12.
“It’s been a while but it feels good,” Bottas told the F1 website after getting his first checkered flag of the season.
“For me, one of the best races I have had – everything was under control. Everything went well for once for me.”
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