Max Verstappen on top in tricky Turkey conditions

Max Verstappen topped both Friday practice sessions amid testing conditions at the return of the Turkish Grand Prix.

Cold temperatures and a recently resurfaced track combined to make Verstappen compare the experience to "driving on ice" on team radio.

The slippery surface caused multiple spins for the likes of Verstappen, Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly in the opening session of the first grand prix weekend at Istanbul Park since 2011.

Verstappen finished on top ahead of team-mate Alex Albon as the Red Bull appeared to adapt best, with Charles Leclerc in third.

FP2 saw the track improve as drivers recorded significantly quicker times, with leading laps more than seven seconds faster, though once again it was Verstappen who came out on top.

The Dutchman was 0.401 seconds clear of the pack as Leclerc took an impressive second for Ferrari, with Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and Albon rounding out the top five.

Verstappen Bottas Leclerc Hamilton Albon Kvyat Gasly Vettel Stroll Norris#TurkishGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/FoDS0kT4nV

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 13, 2020

Hamilton, who was 0.850s slower than Verstappen, has the chance to win a record-equalling seventh drivers' championship this weekend.

The Briton has won three straight races and leads Mercedes team-mate Bottas by 85 points with four events left and a maximum of 104 points up for grabs, a figure which will be 78 after the race on Sunday.

As Red Bull, Ferrari and AlphaTauri impressed, it was a difficult day Renault, Racing Point and McLaren, who saw Carlos Sainz suffer an electrical issue.