#TurkishGP FP1: @LewisHamilton tops time-sheets ahead of @Max33Verstappen. #F1

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton topped the time-sheets in FP1 at the Turkish GP in-front of title-rival Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who completed the top three.

Formula 1’s return in 2020 to Istanbul Park following a nine-year absence from the sport’s calendar saw drivers struggling for grip due to late circuit resurfacing and colder temperatures in the middle of November making conditions slippery.

The track was water-blasted ahead of this year’s event with the aim of improving grip levels, which were noticeably better throughout the opening practice session on Friday morning.

It allowed Hamilton to break the track record at Intercity Istanbul Park to top Free Practice One posting a 1:24.178.

That effort beat Juan Pablo Montoya’s benchmark of a 1:24.770 from the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix event in 2005, with the top three in FP1 setting a quicker time.

After news at the beginning of FP1 that he will be hit with a 10-grid placed penalty for Sunday’s Grand Prix due to an engine change, Hamilton’s programme was focused on soft-tyre running.

Hamilton posted the initial benchmark of the session with a 1:24.511 to lead the early proceedings in-front of Alpine F1 Team’s Esteban Ocon, who completed his early stint on the C2 white-marked harder compounds and was four-tenths behind.

But Hamilton improved twice more with solid runs on the C4 red-marked softs, setting the session’s best time with 25 minutes remaining on the clock.

That effort was enough to give Hamilton a 0.425 second gap over championship rival Max Verstappen, who reported struggles with front-end grip throughout opening practice and was seen sawing at his wheel through the last two turns.

Verstappen got his best time in not long after Hamilton to take second place on the time-sheets in-front of Ferrari’s Leclerc, who was only five-hundredths on a second behind the Dutchman’s Red Bull RB16B.

The other Mercedes F1 W12 EQ Performance entry of Valtteri Bottas came fourth in the order and 0.664 seconds down on team-mate Hamilton whilst Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completed the top five.

Ocon’s fastest tour on the hard tyre during the early stages proved to be his quickest effort after running off at turn-nine during his initial stint on the softs, forcing the Frenchman to abandon his lap. His harder compound effort was still enough to keep him in sixth place.

McLaren’s Lando Norris finished opening practice in seventh place in-front of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly who was eighth and Alpine F1 Team’s Fernando Alonso taking ninth.

The second Red Bull of Sergio Perez rounded out the top ten and ahead of Williams Racing’s George Russell who ended FP1 in 11th and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo in 12th.

Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel finished the session 13th and in-front of Alfa Romeo Racing’s Antonio Giovinazzi who was 14th and the second Williams FW43B entry of Nicholas Latifi in 15th place on the time-sheets.

Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen ended opening practice in 16th and in-front of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll who was a low-17th.

Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda was 18th and in-front of Haas F1 Team pairing Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin who brought up the rear.

You can see the full Formula 1 Rolex Turkish Grand Prix 2021 Free Practice 1 Results Classification at the link: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2021/races/1078/turkey/practice-1.html

#Formula1 @Rolex #TurkishGP 2021 Race Preview. #F1