The Istanbul Park circuit is the most exciting of all the modern Grand Prix tracks. Felipe Massa has won twice there and will be keen to make it a hat-trick.
The Istanbul Park Circuit may be one of Formula 1’s newer tracks but it has already become a firm favourite with fans and drivers. Designed by the sport’s favourite circuit architect Hermann Tilke it features sweeping elevation changes and corners which take their inspiration from other circuits around the world.
The inaugural Turkish GP was in 2005 and the track met with immediate approval from the drivers. One corner in particular provides a real challenge, both mentally and physically. Turn eight features four apexes and is taken at speeds which produce tremendous lateral g forces for the drivers to contend with. The circuit is also notable for being one of the few anti-clockwise Grand Prix venues.
The 2005 race is best remembered for Juan-Pablo Montoya’s late mistake at the notorious turn eight which gifted a position to Fernando Alonso and did nothing to help Kimi Raikkonen’s championship hopes, Montoya’s team-mate at the time. For the last two years the race has been won by Felipe Massa in a Ferrari. The Brazilian adores the circuit and will be full of confidence going into this year’s event. It will be imperative for his championship hopes that he finishes ahead of his team-mate.
Fernando Alonso was upbeat despite retiring from his home race and confident that Renault’s improved pace wasn’t a one-off. Meanwhile, BMW Sauber and McLaren will renew their battle over second place in the Constructors Championship. Both teams had mixed fortunes in Spain. Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica finished third and fourth respectively but their team-mates were plagued by bad luck. Heikki Kovalainen crashed heavily and Nick Heidfeld had to serve a stop/go penalty.
One of the best overtaking opportunities at Istanbul is into turn one, a tight downhill left-hander, reminiscent of the first corner at Interlagos. On current form going into turn one on the first lap may be the closest any of the other teams get to Ferrari during the race. Although Hamilton and Kubica finished close behind the Ferrari’s in Spain it was a somewhat artificial margin following the long safety car period. It remains to be seen whether Super Aguri will make the race weekend as they try desperately to find investment for the rest of the season.
- Race date: Sunday, 11th May 2008
- Race distance: 58 laps
- Circuit length: 3.317 miles (5.338 km)
- Lap record: 1 min, 24.770 seconds (Juan-Pablo Montoya, 2005)
- Weather forecast: Friday (sunny with some cloud cover), Saturday (sunny), Sunday (sunny)
Previous Winners
- 2005 (Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren)
- 2006 (Felipe Massa, Ferrari)
- 2007 (Felipe Massa, Ferrari)
