Turkish Grand Prix: Qualifying Recap

Event: Qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix – Saturday November 14
Location: Intercity Istanbul Park, Istanbul
Layout: 5.338-kilometer (3.316-mile), 14-turn circuit
Weather: Cloudy / Showers
Air Temps: 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees Fahrenheit)
Track Temps: 13 degrees Celsius (55.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
Pole Winner: Lance Stroll of Racing Point (1:47.765) 
Result: Kevin Magnussen qualified 16th / Romain Grosjean qualified 19th
Notes: Grosjean will start 18th after a grid penalty for 18th place qualifier George Russell (Williams)

Free Practice No. 3 Rundown

Magnussen: 9th overall (1:55.878), 4 laps completed
Grosjean: 15th overall (2:04.748) 5 laps completed
Fastest: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:48.485)

Q1 Rundown: 

18-minute session with all 20 drivers – Top 15 advance to Q2

Magnussen: 16th overall (2:08.007)
Grosjean: 19th overall (2:12.909)
Fastest: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:57.485) 

Q2 Rundown: 

15-minute session featuring the Top 15 from Q1 – Top 10 advance to Q3

Fastest: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:50.293) 

Q3 Rundown: 

12-minute session featuring the Top 10 from Q2

Pole Winner: Lance Stroll of Racing Point (1:47.765)
Second: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing (1:48.055)

Recap

Haas F1 Team drivers Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean qualified 16th and 19th, respectively, for Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix, the 14th round of the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship at Intercity Istanbul Park. Grosjean will start Sunday’s race from 18th – gaining a position as George Russell, who qualified 18th for Williams, takes a grid penalty.

A rain-hit FP3 added to the challenges faced on an already low-grip circuit prior to qualifying. Grosjean and Magnussen recorded just nine laps between them in the hour-long session – their final practice before Q1 and the start of knockout qualifying. 

Track conditions started off damp for Q1 with light rain soon turning heavy. Both VF-20’s exited the garage on the Pirelli Cinturato Green intermediate tire but immediately returned to switch onto the Blue wet weather extreme tire. With conditions worsening the session was red flagged with just under seven minutes remaining. At the time Magnussen was holding seventh, on a 2:08.007, with Grosjean 17th overall with a best lap of 2:12.909.

The session eventually restarted after a 45-minute delay, but it ended abruptly for Grosjean as the Frenchman found himself beached in the gravel at turn one – duly prompting a second red flag stop. He would end up 19th on the timesheet by the checkered. Magnussen attempted to build on his seventh-place lap but aborted his final run for waved double-yellows. He was knocked out with his earlier lap placing him 16th.

Lance Stroll of Racing Point claimed pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix – the first pole of the Canadian’s Formula 1 career. His best lap of 1:47.765 beat out second-place qualifier - Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, by .290 of a second.

Romain Grosjean, Driver No. 8, Haas F1 Team

“Generally, I think I just didn’t drive well. On my first run I wasn’t doing a good job. I think the earlier red flag was definitely the right call. There was no way we could carry on. The out-lap of that last run was much better for me. I got into the rhythm and pushed the throttle on the straight – which was the biggest challenge of the day. I was quite confident we could improve, but I got to turn one and I locked up. That was it – game over.” 

 

Kevin Magnussen, Driver No. 20, Haas F1 Team

“There was a yellow flag all of that last lap and everybody improved their times. I backed off for those yellow flags, but everybody else seemed to be improving as the track was improving. I was in P7 and I got knocked out at the checkered. I respected the rules. We must abort the lap, not just simply lift off, if there’s a double yellow flag – which there was. I’m pretty annoyed with that. Everyone else pushed, improved their laps, but I’m knocked out of Q1.”

 

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal, Haas F1 Team

“It looked like we’d have a good qualifying, but it ended up that we were in the wrong place at the wrong time with the yellow flags in Q1. It is what it is. At the moment they’re predicting rain for tomorrow – so a lot could happen then as well. Certainly, a lot happened out there today. Congratulations to Racing Point on their pole position and third place. Maybe tomorrow lady luck is with us.”