Have all the important information for this weekend’s Turkish Grand Prix at your fingertips with the F1 Fanatic unofficial race programme including a video lap of the track:
The race
Turkish Grand Prix preview – Who can stop a Red Bull rout in Istanbul?
2010 Turkish Grand Prix discussion – Going to the Turkish Grand Prix? Find other fans who are heading to the race here
2010 Turkish Grand Prix – Support race details and more information
Istanbul Park spectators’ experiences – Read comments from fans who’ve been to Istanbul Park
The track
Probably the best modern circuit design by Hermann Tilke, with abundant gradient and some challenging corners.
Not least of which the stunning turn eight, a bumpy, four-apex rollercoaster taken at up to 270kph (167mph).
It’s just a pity so few spectators make the journey east of Istanbul to see the race, whose place on the calendar is thought to be in jeopardy.
Istanbul Park – circuit information – Including lap data and tyre compounds
Hopefully the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix won’t be the last one – Will the race still be on the calendar next year?
The weather
No surprises on the weather front this weekend.
2010 Turkish Grand Prix weather forecast – Dry weather expected in Turkey
Following the race live
We’ll be commenting live on the Turkish Grand Prix from start to finish. Join us for the race, qualifying and all three practice sessions at these times:
Friday 28th May 2010
Turkish Grand Prix Free practice 1 – 10:00 – 11:30 (08:00 – 09:30)
Turkish Grand Prix Free practice 2 – 14:00 – 15:30 (12:00 – 13:30)
Saturday 29th May 2010
Turkish Grand Prix Free practice 3 – 11:00 – 12:00 (09:00 – 10:00)
Turkish Grand Prix Qualifying – 14:00 (12:00)
Sunday 30th May 2010
Turkish Grand Prix – 15:00 (13:00)
Times are local times with British time conversions in brackets.
More session times and live blog details here: Turkish Grand Prix live TV times
Also make sure you follow F1 Fanatic on Twitter for updates throughout the race weekend.
2009 Turkish Grand Prix highlights
Jenson Button scored what turned out to be his final Grand Prix victory of 2009 in Istanbul. It was his sixth win from the first seven races.
Button passed pole sitter Sebastian Vettel on lap one when the Red Bull driver ran wide at turn ten. Vettel later lost second place to team mate Mark Webber.
The 2009 Turkish Grand Prix was rated the worst race of the year by F1 Fanatic readers.
Vettel’s mistake lets Button in for another win – The win left Button with a 26-points lead in the championship (under the old points system)
Vettel questions Red Bull tactics – Vettel caught Webber in the closing stages of the race but the team instructed him not to overtake
Previous Turkish Grands Prix
2008 Turkish Grand Prix – Massa wins third consecutive race at Istanbul
2007 Turkish Grand Prix – Massa first as puncture stymies Hamilton
2006 Turkish Grand Prix – Maiden win for Massa
2005 Turkish Grand Prix – Raikkonen wins but Alonso limits damage
2010 Turkish Grand Prix
Scribe
27th May 2010, 11:10
I’m suprised how few ideal overtaking spots Redbulls given the track. Especially considering they gave Catalunya two.
I count four places where regular overtaking takes place on this circuit. Still they may not be ideal it’s true.
Finally I remember that lowest rating of the season. I felt it was underserved, no classic but an alright race. Got the rating it did because of Buttons win, which was kind of disapointing. Specially when we all get excited by likkle Vettles pole. He couldn’t overtake though.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
27th May 2010, 11:58
Yeah it only narrowly came out the bottom. I suspect it got low ratings because at that point it looked like the championship was over.
Plus it looked like there was going to be a battle for second between the Red Bulls but the team told them not to race. Always a bit of a let-down even if it’s understandable from a championship perspective.
I thought Catalunya, Singapore and Valencia were all far worse races than this one last year.
Scribe
27th May 2010, 12:16
I actually enjoyed Catalunya from the strategic perspective, disapointed that Button won, agin, at that stage. An that Alonso Webber tussle was brilliant, think I gave it a six or something. Singapore was the nadir though, completley soporiphic. The biggest give away was how quickly the first lap battles went away, the where in order by halfway through the lap.
steph
27th May 2010, 12:22
I liked Cat too. I thought Singapore was better than its rating. Alo and Web confusion at the beginning, Button managing to get some points, Nico and Vet shooting themselves in the feet, Webber’s brakes and Sutil Heidfeld clash. Jaime had to defend a bit that race too.
Decaff
27th May 2010, 11:29
The map states it is an additional challenge because it’s raced anti-clockwise.
Does this really make much of a difference? Unless I’m missing something the highly skilled drivers and highly professional set up of the car should not be much challenged by the opposite rotation.
What am I missing?
Macca
27th May 2010, 11:36
An anti-clockwise track put extra pressure on previously unused neck muscles.
MPJ1994
27th May 2010, 13:32
But with more and more anti-clockwise tracks being added to the calendar, you have to wonder if this is as big a issue as it once was.
steph
27th May 2010, 13:42
Probably less of an issue these days. Coulthard once said it was like doing weights with just one arm every day then suddenly having to work your other bicep. It would be ok but never as strong.
Scribe
27th May 2010, 19:45
well its still 4 out of 19.
An turn 8 probably has the highest lateral g of any corner on the calender, the wrong way. You can see a few of the drivers resting their heads by the end of the race.
Himmat
27th May 2010, 12:07
Exciting weekend lined ahead….at least I hope so!
Icthyes
27th May 2010, 13:22
Turns 3-6 the only blight on this circuit in my opinion, although the last few turns should be a simple right-hander, because they space out F1 cars and hinder overtaking into Turn 1. Hopefully the race will be more like 2006 or 2008 than 2009! It wasn’t just Button winning yet again that made it boring; I certainly don’t remember it being better than Catalunya this year, which was okay for once.
cALSKI
27th May 2010, 16:32
Hamiltons pwned this track in gp2 :)
US Williams Fan
28th May 2010, 6:04
I know that there are a lot of “tilke haters” out there….. but this one track where he got it right! Shame there are not more spectators at the event! See you guys at the live chat during the race!