Lewis Hamilton delivers wet-weather masterclass to win record-equalling seventh F1 world title

After defying the odds to take pole position here, Racing Point’s Lance Stroll led from team-mate Sergio Perez for much of the race.

But the Canadian’s afternoon began to unravel in the final third. Stroll’s intermediate tyres were shot and after defying the pit wall’s decision to stop for new rubber he eventually surrendered his lead on lap 37. He would finish ninth.

On the same lap as Stroll’s stop, Hamilton – now promoted to third after Sebastian Vettel took on new tyres and Alexander Albon spun in his Red Bull – was suddenly in contention to win.

As he approached the 12th bend, Hamilton swooped round the outside of Perez to take the lead.

From there, the 35-year-old was in a class of one. On older tyres, he lapped the 3.3 miles of recently relayed asphalt at the Istanbul Park circuit consistently faster than anybody else.

It was a mesmerising performance that drew parallels…