Video: Street cars race on Istanbul circuit after James Bond practices in training | Motorsport

sport">In the movie Die Another Day, James Bond drove an Aston Martin – the current title sponsor of Red Bull Racing – over ice, and Istanbul Park was similar to that. For Verstappen and his associates it was slipping and sliding during the first training session.

sport">This has everything to do with the new asphalt in Turkey, which was only laid out two weeks ago. Since then it has not been ridden. On Thursday evening and Friday morning, the track was also cleaned to wash away oil.

sport">It provided a kind of ice rink and it was up to the drivers to put rubber on the asphalt. As the training progressed, this resulted in slightly more temperature in the tires and grip.

sport">In order to give the drivers more grip during the third free practice and qualifying on Saturday, street cars were sent onto the track on Friday evening to drive laps and deposit rubber on the track.

sport">In the end, Verstappen set the fastest time on the hardest tire: 1.35.077. He was followed by teammate Alexander Albon and Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel. Valtteri Bottas (ninth) and Lewis Hamilton (fifteenth) do not set a fast time on the plates.

Lewis Hamilton

sport">Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton did not have a good word for the circuit in Istanbul after practice. “A waste of money”, the Brit called the construction of a new asphalt layer. “It’s such a beautiful track, I really don’t understand why they spent millions on a new asphalt surface. We were riding an ice rink, it was just scary. ”

sport">Hamilton hardly dared to gain momentum in training, for fear of slipping and possible damage. “The tires had no grip at all. The asphalt was completely shiny, as if there were wet spots. It seemed as if the oil was seeping from the tar. Really, they could have done with cleaning the old asphalt layer instead of this waste of money. It was shit with a capital S ”, said the Mercedes driver, who can conquer his seventh world title on Sunday, equaling record holder Michael Schumacher.

Spikes

sport">Race promoter Vural Ak listened to the lamentation of the drivers, including Max Verstappen’s. The Limburger of Red Bull jokingly suggested putting spikes on the tires to increase grip.

sport">“The officials were not allowed to let cars run on the new asphalt prior to the Grand Prix. The drivers had to make their own lines on the track ”, Ak defended himself. “That is why the asphalt is now extra smooth.”

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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