[Official] Turkish Grand Prix 2021: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 16 of 22

[Born Racer]

It is somewhat unfortunate that the Turkish Grand Prix has yet to generate a large following in that country, as the Istanbul Park circuit offers a thrilling ride and quickly became universally popular, with many proclaiming it Hermann Tilke's best track upon its first Grand Prix in 2005. 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 after 2011, and was a welcome returnee last season.


The history

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. Montoya's fastest lap still stands as the quickest tour of the track so far.

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 it into his debut victory, while team-mate Schumacher came home 3rd, right on Alonso's heels.

Massa won again from pole in 2007, as team-mate Räikkönen was 2nd and Alonso 3rd for McLaren. Hamilton was 5th after a puncture. In 2008, he was the filling in the Ferrari sandwich, with Massa making it a hat-trick of Ferrari wins and poles, and Räikkönen 3rd.

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 following Red Bull instrcutions and conserving fuel 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, as Vettel swept back across in front of him. Although Sebastian was out, Webber recovered to 3rd, behind Lewis Hamilton and McLaren team-mate Jenson Button. A brief rain shower amounted to little. Hamilton had been told by his engineer that Button would not pass, as Button was conserving fuel, although he did and Hamilton then had to re-pass him. Hamilton came home first from Button in 2nd and Webber in 3rd.

Red Bull somewhat made amends in 2011, with Vettel leading home Webber and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso. The race was then dropped from the calendar when funding to pay the new race fee did not materialise.

In the heart of the pandemic, Turkey returned last year in an exciting calendar of races and Lance Stroll took pole position in the wet in his Racing Point. The Grand Prix started wet, although drivers soon switched from wet tyres to intermediates. Stroll held onto the lead, while team-mate Sergio Pérez moved up from 3rd to 2nd. Bottas damaged his steering in a clash with Esteban Ocon, which left him with a tricky car for the rest of the race. Hamilton was up to 3rd but was passed by Vettel as he slid off the track and rejoined down in 6th, where he had started.

Stroll pitted for new intermediates on Lap 36, after his team saw that some front wing damage was causing downforce loss and affecting the tyres. He dropped to 9th and went on to finish there. Hamilton won, driving on very old and worn intermediates. Pérez came home 2nd with his tyres in a similar state, while Vettel was 3rd for Ferrari, making his final podium appearance with the team. Hamilton's victory coincided with his seventh world championship.

This year's Turkish Grand Prix was due to replace Canada, but COVID restrictions meant the cancellation of the Grand Prix, before it was later reinstated as the replacement for the Singapore Grand Prix.

This year, the dry weather compounds have changed from C1, C2 and C3 to C2, C3 and C4. Lewis Hamilton has changed his ICE and exhaust and having surpassed his limit of ICEs, will take a 10-place grid penalty. Carlos Sainz will have a power unit change and therefore start from the back of the grid.


Turkish Grand Prix trivia

Felipe Massa is the most successful driver here, with 3 wins.

The only other driver with multiple wins is Lewis Hamilton, who has 2.

Both Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll have taken maiden poles in Turkey, with Massa going on to a hat trick of poles at the circuit and a hat trick of wins at the same time.

The furthest back anyone has picked up a podium from has been Sebastian Vettel in 2020, going from 11th to 3rd.

Vettel also took the least time anyone has ever done so to have an incident which led to a fine - for speeding in the pit lane just after the start of the first free practice session on his F1 weekend debut.

In 2011, there were 82 pit stops, a record in a dry race.


The track



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: C2, C3 & C4
First Turkish Grand Prix: 2005

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