Turkish F1 Grand Prix: Predictions for Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas & Others

F1 will be moving into one of the most anticipated race weekend of this season, the Turkish Grand Prix. The Istanbul park has made its way back into the racing calendar after nearly a decade. However, will the weekend turn out to be worth the hype and portray some great racing?

The Istanbul Park is an incredible 5.338Km circuit filled with some juicy straights and high-speed corners. The layout of this circuit is expected to be physically demanding for the drivers, especially the bit through turn 8, considering the speed at which the modern era F1 cars go through the corners.

Apart from the track’s layout, the temperatures are expected to remain sub 14°C. Consequently, it will be extremely difficult for the drivers to light up their tires with the likes of both Medium and Hard.

Hence, from a driver’s perspective, this could be a tough race looking ahead. But considering from a fan’s perspective, the race will definitely be a treat to watch.

Mid-field fight something to watch out for

The three-way fight between Renault, Mclaren, and Racing Point has now boiled down to the last four races. So, it will be exciting to see how these teams set their cars up.

Unlike the last few races where overtaking were difficult, the teams are likely to set their cars up more aggressively with much lower downforce. Such setups will thus help in better straight-line speed. Hence, the long straight between turn 10 to turn 12 will be interesting to watch with the DRS.

Apart from the setup, with Renault’s Esteban Ocon still trying to find his form and Racing Point’s Lance Stroll still recovering from the effects of COVID-19, Mclaren have a clear chance of regaining their P3 in the constructors’ table. The only question is, will they?

Will Mercedes F1 continue to dominate at the top?

The nature of the Istanbul circuit will definitely put a smile on the faces of everyone in Mercedes‘ garage. Hence, on the outlook, Mercedes are clearly ahead of Red Bull going into the weekend. But will that persist through the race?

Well, Although Red Bull are known to portray some unexpected results with their star driver, Max Verstappen, Mercedes might still hold the edge over them at the Turkish Grand Prix.

However, there is something for Red Bull to cheer for; the chances of witnessing a damp race. While Friday looks completely dry as of now, the threat of rain looms over the noon of both Saturday and Sunday.

Hence, will it be yet another Lewis Hamilton-Valtteri Bottas for P1 and P2, or could the rain mix things up a bit and help Max close in on the Silver Arrows as the weekend progresses?