Lewis Hamilton criticised the new surface which has been laid at Istanbul Park, saying it has spoiled an otherwise “fantastic” circuit.
The track, which F1 last raced at in 2011, was recently resurfaced ahead of the championship’s return. Little running has taken place on it since then and the track was doused with water to clean it before first practice, presenting a very challenging surface for drivers.Hamilton described Friday practice as “a bit of a disaster” as a result.
“This track is such a fantastic circuit and I really don’t fully understand when they spend millions to re-do a surface on the track. I know it’s been sitting around for a long time, they probably could have just cleaned it, maybe, instead of wasting all their money.”
He said the lack of grip was even worse than it had been at the Autodromo do Algarve in Portugal, which was also resurfaced shortly before its first F1 race last month.
“The track is worse than Portimao was when we had that brand new surface there. So for us the tyres aren’t working and you can see it’s like an ice rink out there.
“So you don’t get quite the enjoyment of the lap that as you would normally get in Istanbul and I don’t see that changing.”
The lack of grip is making it very difficult to keep the tyres in the correct operating temperature window, said Hamilton.
“It’s terrifying the whole way around. It’s almost like there’s wet patches all over. So as you’re on slicks, you’re accelerating and then it goes [into a skid] so fast.
“That’s because basically you’re way below the temperature window. These tyres are so hard and they work in a certain window and so if you’re 10, 20 degrees below they’re not working, if they’re 20 degrees over they’re not working.
“For some reason this surface is so smooth. The older circuits, unlike the surface here for example, it’s much more open between the tyres so it works the tyre more. This one it’s super-closed and flat and shiny and the oil seeps from the Tarmac. It’s shit with a capital ‘S’.”
Pirelli has brought its hardest tyre selection for this weekend’s race. Hamilton suspects they would have been better off bringing a softer range of rubber.
“It would help, definitely. As you go down the range the hard tyre is useless and the medium tyre is so-so, the soft tyre is starting to be better. I think if we had gone down to the softest it may have been better.
“But it’s a really difficult circuit: Turn eight can kill the right tyre. So who knows. It would have worked a little bit better than it is, but it is what it is.”
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Stephen Higgins
13th November 2020, 14:40
Makes you wonder why they did.
Markp
13th November 2020, 14:49
Whatever the reason it’s great, like wet conditions but in the dry, drivers are really having to work.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
13th November 2020, 14:55
Was mentioned on the broadcast that pirelli didn’t know the track was going to be resurfaced. They were expecting the old surface so worked off that data when compounds were allocated.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
13th November 2020, 15:29
I just realised you meant why they resurfaced it not why they brought the hards 🤦
Ajaxn
14th November 2020, 12:48
The culmunation of track with it blind hills, new surface and hard tire selections makes this an accident waiting to happen. I hope all goes well. I don’t understand how Pirelli didn’t know of the track’s resurfacing. You would think they would check critical information like this.
BasCB (@bascb)
13th November 2020, 17:57
Well, Stephen, Mark, as far as I understand the track (parts of it?) had been used as a car park for a rental car company in the last 5 or 6 years. Probably also had trucks with cars on them parked as well.
If any of you have seen how tarmac looks when you have cars parked on them for longer stretches of time, especially in a country with hot summers like Turkey, you know it was bald needed. They would be riding on something resembling more a sea with small waves than a flat tarmac. I’d say some of the indentures could easily have been 2-3 cm deep.
bosyber (@bosyber)
14th November 2020, 10:04
Yep, that definitely seems like a good enough reason to resurface that @bascb, not just the waves and indentations but likely a lot of oil and other fluids seeping in, baked off etc.. This surface was perhaps not the best choice, but need to resurface itself is clear.
BasCB (@bascb)
14th November 2020, 10:11
They should have finished a couple of weeks – maybe a month – earlier I would think @bosyber
Ajaxn
14th November 2020, 12:53
You would think they’d have some kind of technology to rubber the track.
Maybe if they had stock cars doing donuts on those tricky corners they could add rubber that way. 8 o )
David BR (@david-br)
13th November 2020, 14:55
Lewis could tone it down a bit. The Red Bull’s seem OK on the circuit. Sounds more annoyed that it favours Mercedes less, which, given their utter dominance, doesn’t come across at all well. The track was too bumpy for Formula 1. They’ve done what they could in an extremely difficult year.
F1oSaurus (@)
13th November 2020, 16:42
@david-br Yes more downforce helps in these situations.
Oconomo
13th November 2020, 17:25
@f1osaurus
Than why are the drivers with the most downforce in history struggling?
(Given your historic lack of knowledge I can only assume that you actually believe the Red Bull and the Ferrari have more downforce than Mercedes, lol)
Once a fool, always a fool….
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
13th November 2020, 22:26
@Oconomo That’s a bit of a strong accusation – both Red Bull and Ferrari will readily acknowledge they have cars that prioritise the generation of downforce, which compromises peak top speed, whereas Mercedes platform generates decent enough downforce at all speeds. The reason Ferrari are relatively awful this year is their car is draggy due to the designers prioritising the generation of downforce without realising how much engine performance they were due to lose, means they cannot push through problem.
If the Mercedes car is spinning its tyres up because of the oily track surface, it gets nervous and doesn’t generate it’s downforce as efficiently, whereas the Red Bull is more planted, as it’s generating more downforce at all times.
Ajaxn
14th November 2020, 12:59
This track may well have exposed the way Mercedes have their cars set up. Favouring raw speed, to Redbull’s aerodynamic optimisation for grip and downforce. The conditions favour driving skill over raw speed. At least in wet condition they’ll have the wets to even things out.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
13th November 2020, 17:47
If the track was uneven then it would be logical to resurface it before a prestigious event, like an F1 race. Hopefully the administrators won’t allow heavy vehicles onto the track between sessions.
Robbie (@robbie)
13th November 2020, 20:17
@david-br While I agree LH seems quite annoyed at the lack of grip, I will be surprised if the track ‘favours Mercedes less’ come quali and the race. But hey, if it turns out so and it favours RBR, great. Going to be so much about who can get their tires into the working temps, again, unfortunately.
David BR (@david-br)
14th November 2020, 0:29
@robbie I agree it’s more probable Mercedes still find their way to the top, I should have said ‘favours Mercedes less than usual’. A Verstappen (or Albon!) win would be good.
bosyber (@bosyber)
14th November 2020, 10:07
If it remains damp, I think Verstappen might be a good candidate for pole (yes, I would love to see Albon finally get at him in a fair fight but not sure I believe in it), Mercedes hasn’t looked like on top of it, and with lack of grip cannot use their extra power @david-br and @robbie; though on Sunday I would expect their superiority to re-establish itself so don’t really expect anything but a Merc. win, unless it is really treacherous, ie. a lottery.
Ajaxn
14th November 2020, 13:03
I don’t think the Mercedes will take any chances with the conditions. Where as Redbull have nothing to loose, [and nothing to gain either] so they’ll go out, all gun blazing to get pole and get a win. Redbull. All or nothing. Mercedes. Sit back and let the race come to them.
Ajaxn
14th November 2020, 13:07
If Mercedes play a waiting game, they know after 15 laps or so there’ll be enough rubber on the tracks for them to push harder. In the mean time the other cars forcing the pace may well take themselves out of the race. The key will be what tires they start on. Its raining now, but i wonder if rain is forcast for tomorrow.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
14th November 2020, 11:51
I had never ever seen Ham stab the steering that violently not even in the wet. His style is steady. Never turns in hard, makes small adjustments, he looked like Stroll.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
13th November 2020, 15:05
I won’t single out Hamilton because, from what I’ve seen, all of the drivers are saying the same thing.
But, if you want to drive flat-out all the time, try drag racing. This is Formula 1. Sometimes the conditions are not optimal. You need to adapt to them. Get on with it.
Victor (@victorandrei1999)
13th November 2020, 15:28
In fact, i believe that it’s Spain, without S! :))
Coventry Climax
13th November 2020, 18:12
?? pain ??
Victor (@victorandrei1999)
13th November 2020, 15:29
Sorry, wasn’t meant to be a reply!
F1oSaurus (@)
13th November 2020, 16:37
@red-andy They go out there hoping for a great experience and the track is ruined. They DO get on with it, but clearly they don’t enjoy such a mess
Gubstar
13th November 2020, 15:28
I for one really enjoyed seeing the drivers chopping at the wheel, testing their skills and car control. Once the rubber is down it will get better and go back to normal. There would be less grip at Montreal in the rain, so does that mean he is going to complain if there are any wet races. Watching Kimi and Valteri 4 wheel drifting the cars through the turns early on was Spectacular, and lets face it, that word hasnt really been used that much for this years championship. Its the same surface for everyone, and Ferrari and Red Bull seemed to be getting the hang of it by the end of FP2.
And everything Lewis has said in the article above is pretty much describing the level of grip the Williams boys have had to deal with over the last couple of years. Perspective is a wonderful thing
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
13th November 2020, 16:52
Yes me too fabulous stuff once it had rubbered in a bit. I know when you are driving its better if theres grip forever but for the spectator its great to see these guys tame the beast. Is that not what we wanted????
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
13th November 2020, 22:29
The difference is, if it rains, you can pop on wet tyres.
bosyber (@bosyber)
14th November 2020, 10:09
@optimaximal though today we saw that that didn’t really improve things all that much, did it!?
FP2 yesterday was a joy to me, FP3 was a bit of a mix of joy and farce. Qualifying will likely be more dry so I’m going for brilliant for now.
jblank
13th November 2020, 16:09
Good, maybe the mercs don’t dominate and we get an entertaining race then.
DonSalsa
13th November 2020, 18:14
Have you been paying attention? If you remove the Mercs, Max would equally be dominating!
So I guess it’s a question of who is doing the domination, right?
petebaldwin (@)
14th November 2020, 13:58
And… Stroll is on Pole.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
13th November 2020, 16:41
This is great. Bad grip equals good racing. By the time sunday will be rubbered in.
Roger Ayles (@roger-ayles)
13th November 2020, 16:44
I thought it was a bit of a farce TBH. I want to enjoy watching the spectacle of cars pushing on the limits & today they weren’t doing that & the cars just looked ridiculously slow all day as a result which took away from the overall spectacle. They looked slower than Formula Ford cars today which was just pathetic.
I just hope it grips up tomorrow so we can have a proper qualifying session & enjoy seeing cars on the absolute limit as normal. If its as bad as it was today then the cars are just going to look slow & unspectacular.
I also hope they don’t listen to the artificial gimmick lovers at Sky & start resurfacing all tracks with a surface to try & recreate this nonsense. You actually had Sky’s commentary team seriously suggesting the FIA should start spraying chemicals onto all track surfaces to recreate this, Such nonsense!
Robbie (@robbie)
13th November 2020, 20:47
@roger-ayles Your first two paragraphs describe exactly why I dislike rainy races. Yet so many like them. And I wonder how many people sympathize with the drivers this weekend over the new paving, yet relish the rain.
Let’s face it, rain, new paving, the Sky guys going on about chemicals on the track, BE’s sprinklers, Ross’s reverse grid quali…these are all symptoms of the decades old issue of too much clean air dependence, and thus processional racing, and on terrible tires to boot. The need for a fix of variety when there lacks that too much of the time.
This is why I am so stoked about the new gen of ground effects cars. And even if I’m being overly optimistic, as some cast doubt on how much effect there will be, I say they are at a minimum making a drastic change that should have a big effect or at least be a much better base from which to work and tweak to get things going the right way…cars able to follow closely without significant negative effect on the performance of the trailing car and it’s tires. Preferably without the need for drs. No amount of tweaking of the current cars would ever be enough.
I look forward to an F1 that is to some degree that remains to be seen, until they race in anger, and tweak as they always do and will, going to quiet those people that crave variety even at the cost of the sports integrity (see drs, reverse grids, drivers on ice), so bad has been the effects of the top teams ruling the roost for so long, all the whole plying their trade in the billions to the science of the anti-racing concept of aero downforce. I look forward to the drivers having the tools to be able to thrill us more by being able to show us more, as they will be so much less encumbered by their cars and tires in dirty air.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
13th November 2020, 16:46
As we speak, 8 road cars (GT models) are racing over the circuit for two hours in order to put down more rubber (not a joke). F1 has a long way to go towards that sustainability.
Say what you will, but all F1 drivers currently complaining are way too pampered. No grip, no fun? Adapt. It’s sad.
Sumedh
13th November 2020, 17:30
What? Are you serious? Who commissioned such an action? The teams? F1?
Gusmaia
13th November 2020, 23:00
https://youtu.be/KMo1TgiRwTE
Turkish Grand Prix Authorities solution for the grip!
Gusmaia
13th November 2020, 23:03
They should have opted fro Coke/Peps/Redbull or any other sugary drink, just as Bond did
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8850655/How-8-400-gallons-Coke-kept-007-motorbike-No-Time-Die.html
knightameer (@knightameer)
13th November 2020, 16:50
Get ready for Bono my tyres are gone…
erikje
13th November 2020, 19:13
and the fastest lap as a result..
knightameer (@knightameer)
13th November 2020, 20:48
The pole and win as well.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
13th November 2020, 23:26
and Sunday Bloody Sunday
Jere (@jerejj)
13th November 2020, 16:53
The track surface should’ve got resurfaced earlier, back in August, when this race got confirmed. What’s the point in leaving it close to the event date?
My Left Eye (@blik)
13th November 2020, 16:55
“Get in there Lewis” but “It’s terrifying the whole way around” what happened to “I like a challenge”
STEVENHOLMES
13th November 2020, 16:58
Here’s what it looks like
Again we see Pirelli tires that are unable to perform on a very challenging circuit today in P2. Yes it’s not exactly their fault. But I do think “they” were hoping again that the race weekend would come to their tires.
Instead everything at the track that affects performance has now shown us again that Pirelli had planned for perfect conditions but failed badly because the race tires were magically decided upon by conditions unexpected then.
The old adage of “race what ya brung” is fine in theory but the disappointment again in Pirelli tire performances during again is way off mark and now looks to possibly endanger all who race on them. Never seen so many different cars sliding around like they are in P2. Lap after lap. Race day may become a farce.
The whole season so far has been seeing race after race where the tires chosen are simply not up to the limits of Grand Prix Cars in 2020.
And ive gotta be careful about criticizing things that just aren’t right, so please note my comments reflect the very patterns that I see.
It is my honest belief that Pirelli should be a whole lot better at producing product that’s up to the standards needed.
It’s becoming more dangerous than exciting race after race after.
And yes the stuff Turkey added to the surface certainly is the problem causer for Pirelli, but that just reflects missing the mark and coming unprepared.
Coventry Climax
13th November 2020, 18:32
“Yes it’s not exactly their fault”. Huh? If not theirs, then whose? I’m not as cautious as you and readily say that Pirelli isn’t up to the task and just creates crap tyres. They’ve been in F1 for how many years now? And it’s crap year after year. Time to move on and get another manufacturer. Can’t get any worse. Had them on my own sportscar some time back, crap too, sorry to say. Changed back to original as quickly as possible.
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
13th November 2020, 22:44
Apparently, they weren’t informed about the track being resurfaced, so manufactured and brought tyres for an older surface.
Quite how that happens, I don’t know – they don’t clarify how recent ‘recently resurfaced’ is – but my guess is Pirelli are working to longer lead times because of the pandemic, so wouldn’t have the means to bring the soft & super soft compounds, even if they’d known.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
13th November 2020, 23:34
How could we possibly expect Pirelli to know Pirelli manufacture their F1 tyreswhat’s going on in Turkey?
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
13th November 2020, 23:35
(Oops, that didn’t come out the way I expected)
Jay
13th November 2020, 17:03
Typical one dimensional F1 drivers.
Low fuel dash is the only thing they want to do forever. Any other challenge and they start complaining about it.
Kringle
13th November 2020, 17:12
Couldn’t Pirelli knock out some soft compounds and fly them in?
BasCB (@bascb)
13th November 2020, 17:59
With their main factory being in Turkey, they would not have to fly anything in. The issue is though, that they do not have any component that would offer both the grip and last long enough for teams to be happy with on this track.
Coventry Climax
13th November 2020, 18:33
Or on any track, for that matter.
Matt (@hollidog)
13th November 2020, 17:14
I’ve heard that excrement is going to take this case all the way to the EU commission for being discriminatory against feces.
John H (@john-h)
13th November 2020, 18:25
I get that it’s tough out there, but pretty rubbish comments from Hamilton. It’s the same for everyone, just deal with the low grip. I worry he’s forgotten the racer he once was, 2007 Hamilton wouldn’t have cared.
John H (@john-h)
13th November 2020, 22:19
I’ve just watched the actual interview. He also says it will be exciting, and is generally in a relaxed mood not complaining but almost laughing at the conditions.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
13th November 2020, 23:36
Click-bait headlines? Quoting out-of-context? Never!
zomtec (@zomtec)
13th November 2020, 18:47
I am afraid there will be just one racing line, so don’t believe that the new tarmac equals a wet track where multiple line are possible (Verstappen, Interlagos). Will be interesting to see whether the cars on the wrong side of the grid will be able to accelerate at all…
Bulgarian (@bulgarian)
13th November 2020, 19:46
Yes, it is a worrying prospect, indeed.
baasbas
14th November 2020, 9:58
THIS
Balue (@balue)
13th November 2020, 20:36
I’m split. The track is obviously not as awesome as it was, but it will be fun to see cars struggling tomorrow and maybe even Sunday too.