With a new engine that will earn him a penalty on Sunday, Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) set the fastest time in the first free practice session of the Turkish GP in F1 on Friday, ahead of his rival, the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull ).
On the Istanbul Park circuit (5.338 km), the scene of the 16th round of 22, Hamilton relegated Verstappen to 425 / 1000th and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) to 476 / 1000th during the first hour of practice.
But the world championship leader, with only two points ahead of Verstappen, has a 4th engine in his Mercedes.
A change of room which will earn him ten penalty places on the starting grid of the GP.
If another part is changed on his power unit on Friday afternoon for the second free practice session (2:00 p.m.) or Saturday before the third (11:00 a.m.) followed by qualifying (3:00 p.m.), then the seven-time world champion will be penalized more heavily Sunday.
In 2020, on a tarmac that had been refurbished a few days before and under more winter conditions, in November, the single-seaters went about ten seconds slower during this first practice session.
After much criticism from the drivers, the track has been treated this season to allow more grip.
Istanbul Park is hosting F1 for the second year in a row, having organized seven first Turkish GPs from 2005 to 2011.
