Turkish Grand Prix 2011, Istanbul Park - Race 4/19

Glaucus · 4 May 2011 at 18:32

Don't forget
Qualifying: 1100-1330, BBC Two/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online

Series link will. Not work and it's also not on bbc1hd it is on BBC hd instead

TURKEY - Istanbul

Friday 6 May
First practice: 0755-0935, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online
Second practice: 1155-1355, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online

Saturday 7 May
Third practice: 0855-1005, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live/online
Qualifying: 1100-1330, BBC Two/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online

Sunday 8 May
Grand Prix live: 1210-1525, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live/online
F1 forum: 1525-1620, BBC Red Button/online
Highlights: 1900-2000, BBC Three

Standings:

Track:

Track Diagram

Track DRS
The FIA has set the zone for the Drag Reduction System for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Drivers will be able to activate their systems in the race from shortly before turn 11. The systems will remain open until they reach the braking zone for turn 12.

Significantly, the FIA have again not given drivers the full length of the longest straight on the track to use the devices, in a bid to keep it from making overtaking too easy.

The DRS detection point will be in the braking zone for turn nine:

Circuit information
Length: 5.338km
Race distance: 58 laps / 309.356km

Full throttle: 63%
Top speed: 315kph
Longest flat-out section: 16s / 1.2km
Right/left-hand turns: 6/8

Car performance

Tyre wear: Medium/low
Brake wear: Medium
Downforce level: Medium/high
Gear changes per lap: 42

Strategy
2010 tyre compounds: hard (prime, no marking), soft (option, green markings)
2009 tyre compounds: hard (prime, no marking), soft (option, green markings)
2008 tyre compounds: hard (prime, no marking), medium (option, white markings)

Average fuel use per lap: 2.658kg/lap (source: Williams)

Pit lane time loss: 18.5s

Turkey preview quotes - Virgin, Lotus, Pirelli, Williams & more
Mention Istanbul Park and talk immediately turns to Turn Eight, the multi-apex left-hander that has become one of the classic corners on the F1 calendar. It’s going to be tough on tyres, so the focus will again be very much on Pirelli’s rubber. On top of that, several long straights will place a premium on KERS and DRS performance. Teams and drivers discuss the challenge that will be the Turkish Grand Prix…

- Team Preview
Pirelli
Cosworth Not uploaded yet

Red Bull Not uploaded yet
McLaren Not uploaded yet
Ferrari Not uploaded yet
Mercedes
Renault
Williams
Force India
Sauber
Toro Rosso Not uploaded yet
Lotus
Hispania
Virgin

Classic F1
Rubens Barrichello - classic F1 2011
Rubens Barrichello is the latest driver to choose his five favourite all-time grands prix for our new-look classic Formula 1 series.

Rubens Barrichello's classic F1 - US Grand Prix West 1983
Watch highlights from the 1983 US Grand Prix as the McLarens of John Watson and Niki Lauda claim a memorable one-two after starting the race from 23rd and 22nd on the grid.

"It was the race when Keke Rosberg did a 360º spin and he kept on going for Williams. In my head it was just phenomenal."

Rubens Barrichello's classic F1 - Portuguese Grand Prix 1985
Watch short highlights from the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix as Ayrton Senna wins his first race in F1 after dominating the field in treacherous wet conditions.

"When Ayrton Senna won his first race in Portugal in 1985, it was also special for me. First of all because I had him as a mentor but also because he was just so fantastic in the way he drove every time he got into the car.

"Though he was to go on to win three championships, that day in Portugal he hadn't won a Formula 1 race before. It was so wet and everyone was crashing out, stopping and so on but Senna held on from pole to lead the race and it was so nice when he hung on to win in the Lotus.

Rubens Barrichello's classic F1 - German Grand Prix 2000
Watch highlights from the 2000 German Grand Prix as Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello wins his first ever F1 race after starting from 18th place on the grid.

"I love to watch my race in Hockenheim in 2000 when I took my first grand prix victory from the back of the grid.

"I had a problem with my car, it wasn't ready for qualifying, and then 20 minutes into the session it started to rain and I ended up qualifying back in 18th for Ferrari. I just wanted Saturday to go and for Sunday to come. I was sad because Hockenheim's a good race track and I knew I had a good chance of a podium.

"But I started the race just wishing the weekend to go and then all of a sudden on Sunday, I was overtaking, overtaking and overtaking. I saw my chance to win the race - and I did."

Rubens Barrichello's classic F1 - British Grand Prix 2008
Watch highlights from the 2008 British Grand Prix as McLaren's Lewis Hamilton wins his first race on home soil with a superb drive in the wet at Silverstone.

"The other one that I love to watch is the British Grand Prix in the wet at Silverstone. We Brazilians do like the rain - and I've had a lot of practice in the wet in the Brazil right from my karting days.

"That race at Silverstone, I was soaked inside the car. When the Honda guys asked me what tyres I wanted, I said 'wet tyres'. Then they told me that others were going out on the intermediates and I said: 'They must be crazy because it's raining really heavily.' But that's how I got up (the order) during the race.

"I was a lap behind Lewis Hamilton's McLaren. He went on to win the race, but I took that back and I was going on. It felt so great to drive a car that was not that good but with better tyres than the others. I was able to overtake the others and finish on the podium."

With each driver, we choose one of their races to highlight and for Barrichello we have picked Monza 1978. That's because we have not shown it before, whereas all his other choices have featured in classic F1 over the last two years.

Usually, we would show the entire 'Grand Prix' highlights programme that was broadcast on the evening of the race. In this case, however, we have had to edit it because we felt some of the coverage of Peterson's crash was inappropriate.

As a result, the video starts with commentator Murray Walker summing up the events at the first start before reconvening for the second one.

The long highlights are embedded below. Underneath them are both short and long highlights of last year's Turkish Grand Prix, to further whet your appetites for this weekend's race.

Classic F1 - Lewis Hamilton wins 2010 Turkish Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton leads home a McLaren one-two from Jenson Button, with Red Bull's Mark Webber in third after an action-packed Turkish Grand Prix.

Technical Changes - China

Weather Forecast
Practice 1 Fri 10:00
Practice 2 Fri 14:00

Practice 3 Sat 11:00
Qualifying Sat 14:00

Race Sun 15:00

News

McLaren have 'small upgrades' for Turkey
McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh says his squad will stick to 'small modifications' for Turkey rather than a major update package, but is confident the race will see another step forward.
McLaren: tyres and exhaust key to catching Red Bull
McLaren believe they’re between three and five tenths of a second per lap off Red Bull’s pace heading into the fourth round of the season.
Ferrari admit failure to innovate holding them back
Ferrari chief designer Nikolas Tombazis says the team need to “rediscover the spirit of innovation which maybe we have lost a bit over the past two years”.
Ferrari eye progress in 'very important month' ahead
Ferrari hope that new improvements can close the gap on their title rivals over the next month, a period the Italian team call 'very important'.
Renault 'only scratching the surface' so far in 2011
Nick Heidfeld believes Renault are yet to deliver their full potential this year and can still raise their game a lot further.
Heidfeld loving life at Renault
Nick Heidfeld says he already feels very much at home at Renault despite only taking the injured Robert Kubica's place on the eve of the new season.
Williams bringing extensive FW33 update to Turkey
Williams are bringing a substantial aerodynamic update package for the FW33 to this weekend’s race.
Sam Michael and Jon Tomlinson to leave Williams at end of 2011
Williams have announced technical director Sam Michael and chief aerodynamicist Jon Tomlinson have resigned.
Williams appoint Mike Coughlan as chief engineer
Williams have appointed Mike Coughlan as chief engineer as part of the sweeping overhaul of their technical department announced on Tuesday morning.
Force India laud drivers' form
Force India team boss Vijay Mallya believes that with the form his drivers Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil are in, it should be possible for the squad to score at every remaining grand prix this season.
Virgin promise “new direction” with Turkey upgrades
Virgin team principal John Booth says the team’s upgrade package for Turkey is “significant to say the least”.
Kolles: Hispania ready to take on Virgin
Hispania are poised to take a big step forward in Turkey this weekend and can start threatening the teams immediately ahead, according to the Spanish squad's chief Colin Kolles.

Driver Chnages

The track and TV coverage starts

FIA Thursday press conference - Turkey
Drivers - Timo Glock (Virgin), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Vitaly Petrov (Renault) and Adrian Sutil (Force India).

Friday practice - selected team and driver quotes
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso may have set the pace during the wet opening session, but it was McLaren’s Jenson Button who was quickest once some sunshine had dried the track. Defending world champion Sebastian Vettel, meanwhile, had a troubled day with a crash in the morning ruling him out of running in the afternoon. The leading teams and their rivals reflect on their early progress at Istanbul Park…

Technical changes Turkey

Friday practice - selected team and driver quotes

FIA Friday press conference - China

Practice 1

Practice One - Alonso tops wet Turkish session
The rain made Friday morning’s first practice session in Turkey something of a lottery, and as Fernando Alonso dominated it by 1.4s ahead of the Mercedes duo Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, world champion Sebastian Vettel returned to the pits on foot after heavily shunting his Red Bull on the exit to the infamous Turn Eight.

Iplayer - The Turkish Grand Prix - Practice One

Highlights - Turkish GP first practice
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso sets the fastest time in the first free practice session for the Turkish Grand Prix while Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel crashes out in spectacular fashion in Istanbul.

Sebastian Vettel suffers big crash in soggy Istanbul
Formula 1 championship leader Sebastian Vettel walks away unhurt from a big crash during first practice for the Turkish Grand Pix as he struggles to get to grips with the wet circuit.

Practice 2

Practice Two - Button edges out Rosberg in Istanbul
Jenson Button headed the second practice session at Istanbul Park on Friday afternoon, after the rain had dried up and left conditions cool but dry.

Iplayer - The Turkish Grand Prix - Practice Two
Coverage of the second practice session of the Turkish Grand Prix from Istanbul.

Highlights - Turkish GP second practice
McLaren's Jenson Button sets the pace in Istanbul ahead of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton with Michael Schumacher fourth.

Practice 3

Final practice - Vettel recovers in style
For a while it looked like old times as Michael Schumacher sat at the top of the timesheets, but then Sebastian Vettel showed that his accident yesterday had had little effect by setting the fastest time in the final free practice session this morning in Istanbul Park. By a thousandth of a second…

Qualifying

Qualifying - Vettel eases to Istanbul Park pole
Sebastian Vettel’s best lap of 1m 25.049s on his first run in Q3 was so dominant that he didn’t need to make a second, yet still kept pole position. But if that wasn’t a gamble by Red Bull, keeping second-fastest Mark Webber in the garage was a little bit edgier, as the Mercedes, McLarens, Renaults and a lone Ferrari went out to challenge his 1m 25.454s best.

IPlayer - The Turkish Grand Prix - Qualifying
Jake Humphrey presents live coverage of qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix, which is the first European race of the 2011 Formula 1 season.

Sebastian Vettel's pole lap in Turkey
Ride on board with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel as he sets the fastest time in qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Turkey Grand Prix - Top three drivers' qualifying reaction
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber and Mercedes' Nico Rosberg give their reactions after finishing in the top three positions after qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Grid

Race

Race - Vettel reigns supreme for Red Bull in Turkey#
The only problem Sebastian Vettel had on his four-stopping way to victory number three of 2011 in Turkey on Sunday afternoon came as he went into the 57th and penultimate lap and had to lap the duelling Sergio Perez and Adrian Sutil in the last corner. Otherwise, he made it look easy, leading virtually throughout after making a great start.

Iplayer - The Turkish Grand Prix
Jake Humphrey presents coverage of the Turkish Grand Prix, the fourth race of the 2011 Formula 1 season. With commentary from Martin Brundle and David Coulthard.

Iplayer - The Turkish Grand Prix - Highlights
Jake Humphrey introduces highlights of the Turkish Grand Prix. It was a one-two for McLaren in 2010, with Lewis Hamilton leading home fellow British driver Jenson Button.

Formula 1 highlights - Turkish Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel leads a Red Bull one-two ahead of team-mate Mark Webber and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso at the Turkish Grand Prix.

Turkish Grand Prix in 90 seconds
Watch short highlights from an action-packed Turkish Grand Prix as Sebastian Vettel leads home Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber in Istanbul.

Turkish Grand Prix - Top three drivers
Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso give their thoughts on an enthralling Turkish Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa race in pit lane
Having trailed his Ferrari rival heading into the pits, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton just beats Felipe Massa out as the two drivers nearly collide.

FIA post-race press conference - Turkey
Drivers: 1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing); 2 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing); 3 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari).

Turkish Grand Prix - selected team & driver quotes
Virgin's Timo Glock on the last-minute gearbox problems which stopped him racing; Ferrari's Felipe Massa and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton on their problematic pit stops; McLaren's Jenson Button and Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi on their three-stop strategy; Fernando Alonso on taking his first podium of the year; and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel on stepping back on the winner's step of the podium. The drivers review their Sundays at Istanbul Park...

Standings

SoliD · 4 May 2011 at 18:45

Good post, going by Lee MacKenzie's tweet I thought it was going to be raining every day, shame only predicted for Friday!

Shimmy · 4 May 2011 at 18:49

Nice one AH2, comprehensive post as always.

China seems like an age ago, looking forward to this weekend.

I found this feature on turn 8 interesting:

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2011/05/03/mercedes-explain-peculiar-challenge-istanbuls-turn/

Weather could have an interesting impact on tyres, seems much colder than here perhaps even cooler than winter testing?!

TaKeN · 4 May 2011 at 19:10

Thanks Acid!

SPARC · 4 May 2011 at 20:18

Woohoo! Hopefully Lewis can do some more damage to Sebs lead this weekend

.

TaKeN · 4 May 2011 at 20:33

SPARC said:
Woohoo! Hopefully Lewis can do some more damage to Sebs lead this weekend .

or Webber

Literally! (Istanbul 2010?

)

Duke · 4 May 2011 at 20:38

Good thread

Just hope we can have sensible discussions again.

Going to be interesting to see which team has gained the most with all the upgrades coming.

~Mike~ · 4 May 2011 at 20:39

TaKeN said:
or Webber Literally! (Istanbul 2010? )

Now that would be really funny if that happened again

Masterdog · 4 May 2011 at 21:21

Turn Eight really needs a better name than Turn Eight. Although it's probably entered the collective consciousness now such that renaming it wouldn't work.
Come on Hammy, or Button. Beat that Seb. Or Alonso, or Massa. Or even Karthikeyan. Don't care, someone do it!

sunama · 4 May 2011 at 21:38

RBR seem to think that they will run with KERS throughout the entire weekend, for the first time.

If this is the case, they will take another big step forward.

Duke · 4 May 2011 at 21:45

sunama said:
RBR seem to think that they will run with KERS throughout the entire weekend, for the first time.

If this is the case, they will take another big step forward.

Although you could say to make it work, they may have had to compromise the aero slightly to give better cooling.

JRS · 4 May 2011 at 22:13

I'm loving some of Rubinho's 'Classic F1' choices.

Portugal '85 - no-one can argue with that one. Not the first example of the Senna Masterclass, but the first one to result in him winning a race. He wasn't even in the same race as the rest of them that day, he was that much better. To finish more than a minute ahead of the next guy (Michele Alboreto in a Ferrari) and at least a lap ahead of everyone else, with pole position and fastest lap to his name, in conditions that would see Race Control scrambling to either call the race or leave the safety car out all afternoon these days....just a stunning drive.

Germany '00 -when Rubens won that race, there can't have been a single person watching who didn't like the result. He qualified back in the pack due to a couple of issues, made up places hand-over-fist in the early stages (ironic, given that he was always a bit shy about overtaking early in his F1 career), got himself far enough up the order when that bloody lunatic brought out the safety car, and made a gutsy tyre call when the rain complicated matters. Even away from that, there were other great drives. Button underlined why he would go on to be a champion, driving to 4th after the car cut out on the warm-up lap. Coulthard finished well despite McLaren screwing him over in favour of Mika *again*. Frentzen had a very good race that was cut short six laps from home when the gearbox packed in.

It's a shame that they had to ruin the Hockenheimring, really. And it's a damned shame that we'll never get to see the current crop of F1 cars and drivers take that place on.

deuse · 4 May 2011 at 22:17

Great post Acid

I just hope that Mclaren can take corner 8 at full speed this year. I so love this track.

Glaucus · 4 May 2011 at 22:18

Just noticed Ivemessed up the standings, how did no one pick up on that. Shame on you guys.

pingwing · 4 May 2011 at 23:48

Rubens has picked 2 of the best gp's iv ever watched! Germany 2000 was such an amazing race, I was only 11 and jumping about with excitement of that one. Britain 2008 was the high point of a fairly poor season but I was screaming for him to try and get 3nd

Other than turn 8 at this track im not such a fan of the Turkish gp, its a fairly average track... Though fun things have happened here though, lets hope for something like last year!

Geo-Gamer · 4 May 2011 at 23:53

cant wait to watch it

Guerrilla · 5 May 2011 at 08:42

Thanks Acid

Looking forward to this, and we have got one of the 3 week breaks over and done with!

Will be sticking to this years current supporting theme of anyone but Vettel!

sunama · 5 May 2011 at 09:42

Why doesn't anybody want the 2010 & 2011 World Drivers Champion, Sebastian Vettel to win?

Guerrilla · 5 May 2011 at 11:27

It's more the prospect of him getting it on pole and leading from the front every race doesn't do anyhting for me, would much rather a few drivers battle it out.

Plus his bloody finger is annoying

Skeeter · 5 May 2011 at 11:40

sunama said:
RBR seem to think that they will run with KERS throughout the entire weekend, for the first time.

If this is the case, they will take another big step forward.

I'm fairly sure they will have gone to most of the races so far this season with the 'plan' of running KERS all weekend...