Turkish Grand Prix RESULT: Bottas wins as Max Verstappen overtakes Lewis Hamilton in title race

Lewis Hamilton surrendered the world championship lead despite a super drive as his Mercedes team lost the plot.

The champion finished fifth, while his rival for the title Max Verstappen was second in a Turkish Grand Prix won by Valtteri Bottas in persistent light drizzle.

It means the Briton falls six points behind with six rounds remaining, after he was needlessly brought in for fresh tyres eight laps from the end, meaning he missed out on a likely third. That would have left him one point behind the Dutchman.

Valtteri Bottas claimed victory after a masterful drive as his time at Mercedes draws to a close

Lewis Hamilton finished fifth after a late pit-stop strategy backfired as he lost two places

He persuaded his team to keep him out earlier in the race before coming in with eight laps left

However, his new tyres weren’t giving him the required speed as his podium chance ended 

Max Verstappen had to deal with gear-shift issues – but is now the world championship leader

He ended the race fuming, telling his pit wall to, ‘leave me alone, man’. His angst was entirely understandable.

Hamilton’s race unfolded like this. Starting 11th after an engine penalty, he moved up a place on the first lap when Fernando Alonso was tagged by Pierre Gasly and spun off at Turn One.

Lap two: Hamilton passes Sebastian Vettel at Turn 12 for ninth place.

He spends a while on the tail of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and finally overtakes him in fine style on the outside of Turn 3. A brave move well executed on lap nine for eight.

Lap nine: he waltzes past Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll at the same place for seventh.

Lap 10: even more easily he leaves Lando Norris for dead. He is 20 seconds off the lead and 15 seconds behind Verstappen. He bangs in three consecutive fastest laps. Sixth.

Fernando Alonso was clipped by Pierre Gasly on lap one as Hamilton moved up to 10th

Overtakes of Sebastian Vettel and Yuki Tsunoda soon followed to move him up to eighth

Lap 15: he moves into fifth and whizzes past Pierre Gasly on the back straight. Now you see me, now you don’t. He scores another fastest lap. 

He gradually tracks Sergio Perez and gets level with the Mexican. As Verstappen’s team-mate, he won’t be budging for Hamilton.  

Lap 34: They go wheel to wheel. Hamilton nudges ahead at Turn 12 but Perez, who is pushed off track, holds it together brilliantly and keeps the Brit at bay. Superb driving. Worth the millions, there.

Hamilton was a man on a mission as he passed Pierre Gasly to edge closer to Verstappen

Hamilton is then thwarted by Sergio Perez following a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle with him

Verstappen is the first of the leaders to pit. He comes out ahead of Perez and Hamilton. So is soon stands as: Leclerc (no stop), Bottas (stopped), Verstappen (stopped), Perez (stopped), Hamilton (no stop).

Mercedes try to bring Hamilton in for a new set of inters. ‘It’s the way to go,’ he’s told. He resists: ‘I don’t think it is, man. It feels like we should stay out.’

He does. For now.

Verstappen is the first of the leading drivers to pit on an incredibly wet day in Istanbul

Charles Leclerc – in contention for the lead at one point – sees his hopes go up in smoke

Ten laps to go and only Hamilton and Esteban Ocon have yet to stop. Leclerc has by now and is down to fourth. Ferrari’s strategy as hard to nail down as spaghetti.

It is now Bottas, Verstappen, Hamilton, Leclerc, Perez.

Would Hamilton’s tyres last? Mercedes think not. Lap 50: the champion, now third, is called in. Yes, just eight laps to go. He comes out fifth. What on earth were Mercedes thinking? They lost their nerve, I think.

Hamilton came in and lived to regret as his Mercedes team-mate claimed his first win of 2021

‘****, man, why did you give up that space?’ came Hamilton’s cry.

Perez soon passed Leclerc, so the order went: Bottas, Verstappen, Perez, Leclerc and Hamilton. And so it remained.

By the way, Ocon never stopped…