Istanbul Park From an F1 Car Point of View

On to Turkey and one of 2 anti-clockwise circuits on the F1 traveling roadshow. It is a circuit with a good combination of high speed and low speed corners and once again, passing is at a premium in Turkey. Turn 12 offers the best opportunity to overtake. This hairpin turn is right at the end of the long back straight and heavy breaking to turn 12 at the end offers the classic outbreaking turning opportunity.

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics are not quite as critical as in Spain, but are still very important. Turkey is traditionally a medium downforce circuit especially in order to carry great speed through the famous turn 8. That’s the most critical area for aerodynamics grip and virtually the rest is a track that relies on mechanical grip. Specifically through to turn 5 and 12, 13, and 14.

Tires

Tires are much a part of mechanical grip and in Turkey tires take a beating starting with turn 8. Opposite Spain where the track was hard on the left front, in Turkey the right front get the most wear. The choice of compounds that Bridgestone are supplying are hard and medium just like in Spain. Previous years saw this race in the middle of the summer with a very hot track surface. Now that the date is in May, track surface is cooler and less demanding on the tires.

Suspension

Being so new, the curbs (kerbs) and pavement are very easy on the car making balance fairly routine (hah) with a delicate balance between stiff settings for the high speed sections of the track and soft settings for the low speed sections.

Brakes

As I said in the begining, turn 12 offers the best passing option because of the hard breaking from the long straight leading into it. Good breaks for a late breaking pass is a key. The rest of the circuit is fairly easy on the breaks. This trace however could see some of the same action as Australia with drivers struggling with breaks through high speed turns and I’m sure we will see puffs of burning rubber when drivers find themselves locking their breaks where traction control would have taken over in the past.

Engine

Turn 8 gets mentioned a lot at this circuit along with turn 12. For turn 8, constant good power delivery is important at high revs all through this turn to ensure a fast exit. Low rev to high rev is the key through turn 12. This hairpin will be the hardest on the engine as hard fast acceleration is needed.

You can get more about the track in the Turkish Grand Prix Page

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Tags: circuit istanbul, istanbul park, turkish grand prix

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