Formula 1 DHL Turkish Grand Prix 2020Formula 1

[Jimlaad43]

Often regarded as Hermann Tilke's finest creation, Istanbul Park returns for a one-off Grand Prix, held as a midway point between the European races and the flyaways to the Middle East. The scene of some of the best battles in recent F1 history, the circuit has brilliant sections of corners which allow battles to last through many straights. The one thing everybody is excited about though, is a section of the track that makes the 8th corner at every other F1 circuit seem completely imaginary, as it's the only thing drivers think about when they hear "Turn 8". The four-apex sweeping left-hander should be flat-out in these modern F1 cars, and the driver's necks will really feel that towards the end of the race. The last race here broke the record for the most on-track overtakes in an F1 race until the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix, let's hope we get something just as rewarding as we prepare for the TURKISH GRAND PRIX!

First Grand Prix
2005

Number of Laps
58

Circuit Length
5.338km

Race Distance
309.396 km

Lap Record
1:24.770 Juan Pablo Montoya (2005)
​

 

[PeterJB]

Here are the fastest qualifying times from each year:

2011 - Vettel - Red Bull RB7 - 1.25.049
2006 - Schumacher - Ferrari 248 F1 - 1.25.850 + 0.801
2008 - Massa - Ferrari F2008 - 1.25.994 + 0.945
2010 - Webber - Red Bull RB6 -1.26.295 + 1.246
2005 - Räikkönen - McLaren MP4-20 - 1.26.797 + 1.748
2007 - Alonso - McLaren MP4-22 - 1.26.841 + 1.792
2009 - Vettel - Red Bull RB5 - 1.27.016 + 1.967

Those exhaust-blown diffusers obviously worked a treat. Pole this year will probably be around a 1.22.

 

[ShiftingGears]

Huge DRS zone. Looks like passing will be easy if you can get within 1 second. Will be interesting to see how much time drivers lose in dirty air through turn 8.

 

[SlowGrayAudi]

Hopefully not a snooze fest. Mb 1-2 or 1-3 guaranteed

 

[Frank McGank]

I really don’t get the hype for Istanbul. It’s a bland Tilkedrome with all the features of every other Tilkedrome. In particular, people seem obsessed with T8 and T11. Maybe T8 was interesting back when the cars couldn’t quite go flat through it, but these days it’ll just be like T4 at Sochi or 17-18 at COTA. And T11? “It’s like Eau Rouge” yeah, without any of the history or Raidillon. In other words, a completely flat slight kink at the bottom of a hill. The only reason Eau Rouge and Raidillion have such mystique is because historically they were such difficult and dangerous corners. T11 at Istanbul has precisely none of that.

I guess we’ve just gotten to the point where Tilke’s designs are now the ‘old school classics’ that everyone waxes nostalgic about? Like how people are fawning over Sepang despite the fact it’s so utterly unremarkable that I legitimately can’t tell it apart from Shanghai. Wish I’dn’t’ve lived to see the day where the grooved tyre era was “the best ever in the history of the sport”.

 

[PaMu1337]

The weekend starts well for Grosjean:

 

[Northstar]

The weekend starts well for Grosjean:

Probably spun the car on the way to the airport.

 

[Jimlaad43]

The track was resurfaced only a couple of weeks ago, so the track has absolutely no grip. the drivers are sliding around and struggling and no representative running is happening.

This session is showing that the "remove the wings and grip" crowd for 'fixing' F1 are wrong, because the drivers just look like idiots out there rather than heroes.

 

[Frank McGank]

The track was resurfaced only a couple of weeks ago, so the track has absolutely no grip. the drivers are sliding around and struggling and no representative running is happening.

This session is showing that the "remove the wings and grip" crowd for 'fixing' F1 are wrong, because the drivers just look like idiots out there rather than heroes.

I’d rather the actual heroes learn to tame the beasts instead of a car making even the most average driver look like a hero because of how easy it is to drive. If they can’t manage a new surface in a car they’ve spent thousands of miles in the cockpit of, maybe they ARE idiots.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I’d rather the actual heroes learn to tame the beasts instead of a car making even the most average driver look like a hero because of how easy it is to drive. If they can’t manage a new surface in a car they’ve spent thousands of miles in the cockpit of, maybe they ARE idiots.

That's the best "I could do a better job" post I've seen here in a long time. Not sure I'd fancy trying to wrestle that much torque across a resurfaced track with water on the surface.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Looks like the F1 2020 physics engine out there on the recently resurfaced track.

 

[PeterJB]

I've never seen a dry track surface be so shiny.

 

[FutureF1]

It’s Friday and a new surface. I expect a lot of them to struggle. There’s a greater likelihood of mistakes which means closer racing. I’m all for this

 

[Veinz]

The flow of the corners and elevation changes is sooo good here. Wish this was in more racing games.

hint, hint PD

 

[SuperDiscoDaz]

It seems like the FIA aren’t happy with the lack of grip on the track and have got people driving road cars around the track to try to increase the grip.

 

[Frank McGank]

That's the best "I could do a better job" post I've seen here in a long time. Not sure I'd fancy trying to wrestle that much torque across a resurfaced track with water on the surface.

At what point did I state that I’D do better?

 

[Grand Prix]

The track was resurfaced only a couple of weeks ago, so the track has absolutely no grip. the drivers are sliding around and struggling and no representative running is happening.

This session is showing that the "remove the wings and grip" crowd for 'fixing' F1 are wrong, because the drivers just look like idiots out there rather than heroes.

First off, the desire to see fast formula cars 4-wheel drifting is simply a personal preference of mine. It's a technique I enjoy using in simulators, and it pleases me when I observe it being used on occasion by others. The cars being able to follow each other more closely would be a nice bonus.

Second, in the hypothetical scenario that the downforce is removed from the cars in the regulations, the drivers would have to drive them differently, and the mechanics and engineers would setup and build the cars differently, with this in mind. Suspension setup would change, engine mapping would change, etc. These rules would be known to all involved - known conditions that could be anticipated ahead of time. An oily track surface is generally not a known or expected condition.

I do not ask you to agree with me on the subject of wings, that would be akin to trying to make you like the same flavour of ice cream that I like. I just like to share my opinion on this topic, as strange as that opinion might seem at times.

 

[Jezza819]

I'm watching the replay of practice now. It looks similar to what black ice looks like in the winter time. Incredibly slick out there. Maybe not a good idea to wash the track ahead of practice or is that standard procedure for a new surface? I don't know if Pirelli would have brought their softest compounds it would have made that much of a difference.

I remember driving this track on F1 2010 I think it was. Lots of fun.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Low grip racing is the best type of racing. It's a greater test of driver skill.

 

[numbnuts70]

Nice damp conditions for P3.

Edit: Lots of spins and some contact too.

Edit: Onto full wets now. 👍

 

[Veinz]

I like how there is low grip, these guys are paid millions of dollars, time to earn that pay check.

 

[MaxAttack]

I’d rather the actual heroes learn to tame the beasts instead of a car making even the most average driver look like a hero because of how easy it is to drive. If they can’t manage a new surface in a car they’ve spent thousands of miles in the cockpit of, maybe they ARE idiots.

After sharing all the race threads with your posts so far this year, and the driver thread and the dumb halo argument, I've written you off as a low effort troll and I'd suggest others do the same.

No one is this contrarian except for the hell of it.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

I really don’t get the hype for Istanbul. It’s a bland Tilkedrome with all the features of every other Tilkedrome. In particular, people seem obsessed with T8 and T11. Maybe T8 was interesting back when the cars couldn’t quite go flat through it, but these days it’ll just be like T4 at Sochi or 17-18 at COTA. And T11? “It’s like Eau Rouge” yeah, without any of the history or Raidillon. In other words, a completely flat slight kink at the bottom of a hill. The only reason Eau Rouge and Raidillion have such mystique is because historically they were such difficult and dangerous corners. T11 at Istanbul has precisely none of that.

I guess we’ve just gotten to the point where Tilke’s designs are now the ‘old school classics’ that everyone waxes nostalgic about? Like how people are fawning over Sepang despite the fact it’s so utterly unremarkable that I legitimately can’t tell it apart from Shanghai. Wish I’dn’t’ve lived to see the day where the grooved tyre era was “the best ever in the history of the sport”.

It's got elevation and at least 7 genuine overtaking corners. That's much better than what most Tilkedromes are. Also it's not infested by chicanes after every straight.

I agree the actual layout itself, isn't that great to drive. I would just connect T3 to T6 with one big sweeper personally. Also agree that T8 is overrated. The main challenge is physical rather than skill in these cars.

The track was resurfaced only a couple of weeks ago, so the track has absolutely no grip. the drivers are sliding around and struggling and no representative running is happening.

This session is showing that the "remove the wings and grip" crowd for 'fixing' F1 are wrong, because the drivers just look like idiots out there rather than heroes.

The cars these days can only operate on a narrow margin. If the tires don't work like here, they can't do anything. If the rules decide to remove wings and grip, the engineers will design the cars and tires to work with that accordingly and all will be fine.

I don't know whose bright idea is it to resurface the tracks this season (a month before the event to boot), and not give Pirelli enough time to change their tire allocation. Oh well, at least we can have another Portimao first lap

I can't gather why Merc is struggling so much tho. They have the most downforce so should be okay relatively. RB we know is a twitchy car but they're looking good. Ferrari looking decent at least can be explained by the lower engine power not being such a disadvantage when traction is at a premium.

 

[PeterJB]

SURELY it must still be wet for quali?

 

[numbnuts70]

It looks damp/wet to be fair, did I see a dog too.

 

[Jimlaad43]

This is probably the only chance we'll get for a Mercedes to not be on pole.

 

[numbnuts70]

They'll be delaying it if it gets much worse.

 

[Jimlaad43]

So Ocon for pole then?

 

[numbnuts70]

Will they take the times from Q1 if it gets stopped?

Edit: Red flagged

 

[PeterJB]

Well we made it ten minutes in. No chance of it resuming.