Turkish GP: Race sees Williams Racing struggle for pace

Qualifying for the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix would see the Williams Racing Team drivers only manage 18th and 20th with George Russell finishing ahead of team-mate Nicholas Latifi. But for the race George would start from 20th after grid penalties for various matters. Nicholas would start in 19th. On pole would be Stroll followed by Verstappen, Perez, Albon, Ricciardo, Hamilton, Ocon, Raikkonen, Bottas and Giovinazzi in tenth. The Ferrari's were in 11th and 12th followed by Magnussen, Norris, Sainz, Kvyat, and Grosjean in 18th. Both McLaren's had received grid penalties for not slowing under yellow flags in qualifying. Another change to the grid would be Gasly would receive a penalty for a breach of parc ferme rules and he would start form the rear of the grid.

The grid for the race would again see the teams presented with wet track conditions. Prior to the race start George on the very wet track would have a moment that would see him damage his front wing on his lap to the grid. Thankfully he was able to get back to his pit to get the front wing changed. Nicholas would also return to his garage seeing the team make changes prior to the race start so with the pit lane been closed both Williams cars would start the race from the pit lane. Latifi's pit lane start was a planned thing from the Williams team.

With everyone except for the Williams cars on the full wet the grid would form after the parade lap. Both Williams drivers were on the intermediate tyre for their pitlane start. The race would start and it would be Stroll leading as Ocon and Bottas make contact at Turn one. Perez was second followed by Hamilton. Hamilton would run and be passed by Leclerc and Verstappen. Albon would get past seeing Hamilton sixth. Ocon would pit remaining on the full wet dropping to last having suffered a puncture in the contact with Bottas. Vettel was now third as Stroll continued to lead. Bottas was now down in 16th behind Norris. The Williams drivers were running in 19th and 20th. Lap eight and the order was remaining constant with Stroll leading from Perez, Vettel, Verstappen, Albon, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Sainz, Raikkonen, and Magnussen tenth. Leclerc would pit on lap eight taking on the intermediate tyre returning in 19th. Bottas would also pit taking on the intermediate tyres dropping to 19th behind Leclerc.

George had moved into 16th with the others pit stops. Vettel would pit from third joined by Hamilton, Raikkonen, Magnussen, Giovinazzi. Kvyat and Grosjean. This would see George now 13th as he was already on the intermediate tyre. Stroll would pit on lap eleven changing to the intermediate returning in fourth. Perez was now leading from Verstappen and Albon. Norris had also pitted dropping to 16th as Leclerc passed George. Nicholas continued to run in 20th. Perez would pit from the lead on lap twelve joined by Ricciardo, and Sainz. Verstappen was now leading from Albon and Stroll. Gasly would also pit dropping to 15th seeing on the Red Bull cars on the full wet tyre. Verstappen would pit on lap thirteen taking on the intermediate. Verstappen would return behind Perez and in front of Vettel.

George was now in 12th followed by Bottas. Albon was now leading from Stroll and Perez but he would pit on lap fourteen dropping to sixth behind Hamilton. George was now in 11th as Giovinazzi retired on the side of the track. This would see the Virtual Safety Car deployed in order to recover the Alfa Romeo. Lap sixteen and the Safety Car period would end and the drivers would resume full pace. Hamilton would try to pass Vettel for fourth but would run wide seeing Albon past and Hamilton was now sixth. Bottas would spin dropping to 15th. Albon would pass Vettel for fourth seeing the Ferrari drop to fifth. Verstappen would have a major moment spinning while trying to pass Perez. He would drop to seventh and then pit complaining of flat spots. He would return in eighth behind Sainz.

Stroll was still leading from Perez, Albon, Vettel, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Sainz, Verstappen, Leclerc and Magnussen tenth. George was till running in 11th followed by Norris. But Norris would get past George for 11th seeing the Williams now 12th. But George would complain that Norris had forced him off the road when passing him. Norris would get past Magnussen for tenth. All the teams would be hoping that the conditions would be such that they could move to slicks as it was not expected that there would be any further rain. DRS would now be enabled on lap thirty one. Leclerc would pit on lap thirty two taking on a new set of intermediates. He would be joined by Raikkonen who would also tae on another set of intermediates.

Sainz would pass Ricciardo for sixth as Ricciardo pitted on lap thirty four. He would return in ninth on a new set of intermediate tyres running behind Leclerc. George would pit on lap thirty five taking on a new set of intermediate tyres dropping to 16th. Albon would spin at Turn four dropping to fourth and Hamilton was now third. Albon would also pit taking on new intermediate tyres now in sixth. George was now in 15th but as Magnussen retired he would move up to 14th. Stroll would pit from the lead on lap thirty eight and also taking on a new set of intermediate tyres. Verstappen would get past Stroll to now be in third behind Hamilton. Norris would pit from tenth while at the front Hamilton would pass Perez for the lead of the race. Gasly would pass George for 14th seeing George now 15th.

In what was a lonely race Nicholas would spin at Turn four but was able to continue still last. Vettel and Leclerc were now running in fourth and fifth while Stroll was now down in sixth. Leclerc would pass Vettel for fourth while Albon would pass Stroll for sixth. Nicholas and Grosjean would make contact seeing Nicholas pit taking on new intermediate tyres. George had been passed by Raikkonen to be 16th. Sainz was now in seventh having passed Stroll with the Racing Point now eighth. Hamilton would lap Bottas as Nicholas would pit to retire. Leclerc would pass Verstappen for third seeing Verstappen pit. George would also pit again on lap forty five.

Sainz was now up to fifth having passed Albon. With forty eight laps completed the order was Hamilton, Perez, Leclerc, Vettel, Sainz, Albon, Verstappen, Stroll, Ricciardo and in tenth Norris. But Norris would get past Ricciardo as Verstappen had a spin but would continue to run in seventh. Stroll would be struggling and would be passed by Norris for eighth. Stroll was now in ninth and Ricciardo tenth. Hamilton would complete his final lap would take victory in the 2020 Turkish GP and as such would take his seventh world championship. Perez would be able to finish in second with Vettel taking third after Leclerc attempted to pass Perez and even though he had would run wide allowing Perez back past as well as Vettel who would come home third. Leclerc was fourth followed by Sainz, Verstappen, Albon, Norris, Stroll and Ricciardo in tenth. For Williams it was a race that had seen George run close close to the top ten only to fall back and finish in 16th. For team-mate Nicholas his race was a struggle ending in retirement. Not a race to remember but regardless a great performance from George to bring his car home.