Turkish GP: Valtteri Bottas scores superb victory, Max Verstappen takes title lead as Lewis Hamilton regrets late pitstop

Max Verstappen now leads Lewis Hamilton by six points with six races to go in F1 2021

Valtteri Bottas brilliantly won a rain-affected Turkish GP ahead of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, while an angry Lewis Hamilton finished fifth after a Mercedes pit stop interrupted his drive back.

Bottas led almost every lap in a captivating race under difficult conditions and sealed his first victory of the season with a pass over Charles Leclerc, before finishing comfortably ahead of Verstappen at the checkered flag.

“For me it was one of the best races I have ever had,” said Bottas, who is leaving Mercedes at the end of the season.

But Verstappen has always taken the championship lead from Hamilton, who were third after starting 11th before being brought into the pits with just seven laps to go – a decision he criticized on team radio.

Verstappen now leads the standings with six points with six races remaining.

Leclerc was also trying to complete the 58 laps with the intermediate tires with which he had started before being passed by Bottas. He then refueled, and was passed by Perez in the other Red Bull for the final podium.

More soon…