:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/6f69218e-2682-11eb-8a5f-02c309bc01c1.jpg "Relive qualifying GP Turkey: Lance Stroll brings a surprise | Motorsport")
sport">The qualifying session was halted twice due to dangerous situations. The track was very smooth because of the rain and the new asphalt. The fastest time in the initial phase was for the Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Renault) and was well over 2 minutes. After that, the qualification was halted due to the regulation.
sport">Immediately after the restart at 1.55 pm, the red flag was raised again, after a spin by Romain Grosjean that got stuck in the gravel pit. However, the track was soon released. In Q1, Verstappen eventually clocked the fastest time. The 23-year-old Dutchman was also the fastest in the second sector. In the closing Q3, Stroll set a faster time than Verstappen.
Max Verstappen sends his Red Bull over the Istanbul Park circuit.
Ⓒ AFP
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Asphalt
sport">Numerous drivers already complained about the slippery asphalt on Friday. The circuit near Istanbul was last used for Formula 1 in 2011. For the return of the top class of motorsport, special new asphalt was laid. The slippery conditions led the grumbling drivers to comparisons with an ice rink.
Max Verstappen
sport">Verstappen has had a good weekend so far. The Red Bull driver was the fastest in the closing session on Saturday, just like in the first two free practice sessions. For what it is worth, because the circumstances made a decent practice round impossible.
sport">Briton Lewis Hamilton, who can secure his seventh world title in Formula 1 on Sunday, did not even make a lap in the pouring rain at the slippery Istanbul Park. Verstappen eventually led with a time of 1.48.485.
sport">The difference with his time in the third practice already indicated that there was no serious racing on Saturday. Only Charles Leclerc stayed in his Ferrari now within the second of Verstappen, whose teammate Alexander Albon conceded one and a half seconds. The Finn Valtteri Bottas, who did set a lap time in his Mercedes, was 7 seconds slower than Verstappen.
Criticism
sport">On Friday, the Dutchman from Red Bull was good for the fastest times in the first two practices: 1.35,077 and 1.28,330. At that time there was already criticism of the renovated circuit. Hamilton compared the new asphalt layer with an ice rink.
sport">The Grand Prix of Turkey starts on Sunday morning at 11.10 am.
sport">Also view the previous results, the program and the position in the battle for the world title in Formula 1.
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