[Official] Turkish Grand Prix 2020: Grand Prix Weekend - Round 14 of 17

[Born Racer]

It was maybe a pleasant surprise in 2005, when with no Formula 1 pedigree, the sport arrived at Istanbul Park for the first Turkish Grand Prix and the track was so universally popular. It should perhaps not have been so unanticipated, but many proclaimed it Hermann Tilke's best track. Fast, replete with intriguing elevation shifts and boasting the behemoth that is the four-apex Turn 8, it was a loss when it was dropped from the calendar and a joy that it crops up in this extraordinary 2020 season.

Then-McLaren racer Kimi Räikkönen won the inaugural outing in 2005, while team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya finished 3rd after running 2nd when he collided with Jordan's Tiago Monteiro. Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber also clashed. Fernando Alonso was runner-up in the Renault.

The next year, Sebastian Vettel made his race weekend debut for BMW in Friday practice and six seconds in, sped in the pitlane, for which he received a $1000 fine. Ferrari's Felipe Massa took his first pole position and converted into his debut victory, while team-mate Schumacher came home 3rd, right on Alonso's heels.

Massa won again in 2007, as team-mate Räikkönen was 2nd and Alonso 3rd for McLaren. In 2008, Hamilton was the filling in the Ferrari sandwich, with Massa making it a hat-trick of Ferrari wins

2009 was Jenson Button's world championship-winning season and the Brawn driver took his seventh win in six races, but what would be his last of the year, after pole-sitter Vettel ran wide on Lap 1. The Red Bull driver eventually finished 3rd, with team-mate Webber in 2nd.

Mark Webber led Lewis Hamilton from pole in 2010, and the McLaren driver dropped behind Vettel when a wheel was not fitted correctly at a pit stop. Webber was conserving fuel as per Red Bull instructions, when Vettel, ignoring similar guidance, ran a higher engine mode and caught up with his team-mate, eventually tangling with him at Turn 12 as he attempted a pass and swept back across in front of him. Vettel was out, but Webber recovered to 3rd, behind winner Lewis Hamilton and McLaren team-mate Jenson Button. A brief shower amounted to little.

Red Bull somewhat made amends in 2011, with Vettel leading home Webber and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, before the race was dropped from the calendar when funding to pay the new race fee fid not materialise. At least, in this 2020 season, there is a shift away from such negotiations and a plethora of superb tracks are featuring. With these cars, Istanbul Park will be mighty.



Circuit length: 5.338km
Number of laps: 58
Race distance: 309.396km
Race Lap Record: 1:24.770 (Juan Pablo Montoya - McLaren-Mercedes - 2005)
Dry weather tyre compounds: C1, C2 & C3
First Turkish Grand Prix: 2005



Join the fun in the Predictions Contest and Fantasy F1:

https://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155000

https://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155006

[E.B]

Thanks BR for another great mood setting memory jerking preview thread.

Im actually looking forward to this race as I always enjoyed them back in the day.
It will be interesting to see the cars flat through T8.... although I suspect tyre preservation strategies will render that act something reserved for qualy and not an every lap event in race mode.

I noticed the time of the race is an hour earlier than usual, so take note of that..

Session local time schedule with UK times in brackets. (For me in Aus it is a welcome 9.10pm race start)

Friday 13th November 2020
Free Practice 1: 11:00-12:30 (UK time: 8:00-9:30)
Free Practice 2: 15:00-16:30 (UK time: 12:00-13:30)

Saturday 14th November 2020
Free Practice 3: 12:00-13:00 (UK time: 9:00-10:00)
Qualifying: 15:00 (UK time: 12:00)

Sunday 15th November 2020
Turkish Grand Prix: 13:10 (UK time: 10:10)

[tux]

When they announced this I was kinda excited but after 10 minutes of practice I was incredibly bored. It just doesn’t feel the same.

[S griffin]

I was not so sure about this one. It's a very good track, but I'm not sure it's one that really adds that much to the calendar. I miss more ones that had been cancelled like Canada or Australia or Monaco or Brazil. Not forgetting Brazil, Mexico, France or maybe USA

[gert]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I was not so sure about this one. It's a very good track, but I'm not sure it's one that really adds that much to the calendar. I miss more ones that had been cancelled like Canada or Australia or Monaco or Brazil. Not forgetting Brazil, Mexico, France or maybe USA

It's probably a lot easier to get everything and eveyrone to Turkey than to get to Can, Aus, Bra, Mex or USA.

[S griffin]

Yeah, I understand that, but it doesn’t feel the same without most of those GPs on the calendar. Let’s hope they are back for 2021

[tux]

Many tears about the resurfacing. I hope this might be a lesson. Stop resurfacing tracks unless they are worn out.

Yeah im moaning about it but the resurfacing takes away many of the bumps, it has very little grip while the oils come out of the surface and ultimately leaves you with less character imo.

[Adam43]

Little grip sounds good though. Helped with Mugello.

Agree on generally on bumps, character etc...

[Akrapovic]

Wasn't it resurfaced because it was in a bad state? It had been used for rental/new/used car storage for about a decade wasn't it? Surface was destroyed by trucks and stuff. Teams were not able to get a modern surface scan for the new surface.

[The Fat Clerk]

Yes the surface is slippery but it's the same for everybody so the cream should come to the top.

[steve_r]

I can see why some teams might be upset, but if it actually shakes the order up a bit, then that is no bad thing. WCC already decided, WDC presumably a formality.

[chillibowl]

Looks beyond an acceptable level of challange to me. Fortunately none of these slides/offs are resulting in beached cars but may still trigger local yellows during quali and race...if so, that will get annoying fast.

Hopefully it rubbers in enough.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Excellent intro as ever.

Can Lewis do it and equal Schumi's 7 WDCs? As for the track, I always thought it was the best of the Tilkedromes and with the resurfacing it should prove interesting; shame no one goes to it.

[Tourer]

Thanks for another great intro BR - you keep on excelling - cheers!

Had some good action from here before, let's hope for the same thing this weekend.

Originally Posted by tux

Many tears about the resurfacing. I hope this might be a lesson. Stop resurfacing tracks unless they are worn out.

Disagree but the surface type and how long before it is laid before a race are very important.

Super-smooth mix that is inherently low-grip until worn a bit, laid late so oils etc still leeching and with no use to essentially break it in gives us the ice-rink that Friday delivered. Not dissimilar to Portimao in that respect, probably due to the the late calls that have had to be made in 2020 so not enough time to get it all done properly.

[Akrapovic]

https://wtf1.com/post/road-cars-are-...ease-the-grip/

Drivers and teams are taking rental cars around the track to try and increase grip.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

https://wtf1.com/post/road-cars-are-...ease-the-grip/

Drivers and teams are taking rental cars around the track to try and increase grip.

What a fun way to spend the day!!!

[Adam43]

[tux]

I’ve never seen anything like this, they’re getting wheel spin in fifth gear, it literally is like ice now.

Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s still wet in qualifying if they cancel the session tbh

A new one, Sainz lost it in sixth gear 😳

[ascarracinguk]

So they resurfaced Turkey because it was old and bumpy.....

.....meanwhile at Sebring this weekend....

[tux]

Absolutely pouring with rain now.

[tux]

This qualifying session might be one of the stupidest motorsport related things ive ever seen.

[gert]

We'll tell you 5 minutes before we restart.

That moment may come in 2 minutes, 3 hours or 5 days.
Please wait patiently :/

[tux]

Session starts, sessions red flagged again.

[gert]

Why do throw a red flag when Grosjean is off with 5 minutes to go?
Why do they NOT throw a red flag when Latifit goes off with 2 minutes to go?

What exactly is the difference?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Both Alfa-Romeos into Q3.