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Only two points separate Mercedes' championship leader Hamilton
from his Red Bull rival with six races left after Istanbul and
the battle set to go down to the wire.
One mistake, one retirement -- whether a mechanical failure or
collision -- would be a massive blow at this stage in the season
and Hamilton may yet have to take a new engine and penalty.
Verstappen turned 24 last week and an eighth win of the season
would put him back on top after Hamilton, 36, seized the
advantage in Russia two weeks' ago with his 100th career
victory.
Red Bull will also have a special livery on their cars as a
tribute to departing engine partner Honda on what would have
been the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, but for the COVID-19
pandemic.
"Last year's Turkish GP was of course not the best weekend for
us as a team but I think it will be quite different
circumstances this year, hopefully the Tarmac will be a bit more
grippy," said Verstappen, who finished sixth in the 2020 race.
"I think it will be quite a new weekend in general for everyone,
there will be a lot to learn so I’m looking forward to seeing
how competitive we are there."
Verstappen has been on pole eight times this year to Hamilton's
three and narrowly missed out on the top slot in Turkey last
year.
Last year's race was the first at the Istanbul track since 2011
and the freshly resurfaced and slippery track triggered plenty
of complaints.
Hamilton, the winner on that wet November afternoon, compared
conditions to an ice-rink and said organisers had wasted their
money.
That should not be such a problem this time, with the surface
blasted to make it less slippery and Pirelli bringing softer
tyres for a race that is also being held a month earlier.
There will also be a crowd, unlike last year's race behind
closed doors, with organisers hoping for 100,000 over three
days.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said his team were still buzzing after
the success of Sochi but 'fortunes can change in the blink of an
eye'.
"This season is keeping all of us on our toes and that's
something we're enjoying immensely, but it also means we have to
be aggressive with our approach to the season, in order to
maximise the points available," added the Austrian.
"It's an exciting track layout and a good one for racing, so I
think we'll be in for another spectacular twist in this
brilliant F1 season."
Canadian Lance Stroll was on pole last year for Racing Point,
now Aston Martin, in a career first but it will take something
special to be back at the front this time.
Lando Norris put McLaren on pole on a wet Russian weekend, and
was heading for his first win until late rain wrecked his hopes,
and they could again be in the mix if the weather proves tricky.
"I've been spending a lot of time in the simulator, learning
from the experience in Russia, and I'm ready to go again," said
the Briton.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian
Radnedge)
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