2011 Formula One DHL Turkish Grand Prix

astrosdude91

astrosdude91

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astrosdude91
Here we are, race number four. The 2011 season so far has proved to be every bit as exciting as last year's. The first two races showed that Red Bull had major pace, but their KERS system still needed to be worked out. This played right into McLaren's hands as they won in Shanghai. So now we arrive in Istanbul. This year the race takes Spain's spot as the opening round of the European leg of the F1 season (even though Istanbul Park Circuit is on the Asain side of the Bosporus Strait) This circuit frequently provides very exciting and unpredictable racing. So this year's race will hopefully be no different. Here we go!

Round IV of the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship is the...

2011 F1 DHL Turkish Grand Prix
From the Istanbul Park Circuit in Istanbul, Turkey

istanbulpark.png


One lap with Sebastian Vettel

Weekend Forecast
Expect showers throughout the entire race-weekend including race-day Sunday.
Temps ranging from 10°C-13°C.

Number of Laps - 58
Circuit Length - 5.338 km
Race Distance - 309.396 km
Lap Record - 1:24.770
(Juan Pablo Montoya, McLaren-Mercedes, 2005)

2010 Results:
1st: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)
2nd: Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes)
3rd: Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault)

2011 standings after three rounds:
1st ~ Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull-Renault) ~ 68 points
2nd ~ Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) ~ 47 points
3rd ~ Jenson Button (McLaren-Mercedes) ~ 38 points
4th ~ Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) ~ 37 points
5th ~ Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) ~ 26 points
6th ~ Felipe Massa (Ferrari) ~ 24 points
7th ~ Vitaly Petrov (Renault) ~ 17 points
8th ~ Nick Heidfeld (Renault) ~ 15 points
9th ~ Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) ~ 10 points
10th ~ Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber-Ferrari) ~ 7 points​
 
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Good to finally have F1 back 👍 I've never watched a race on this track, so it should be interesting for me.
 
It's been three weeks already? Wow.

Coming from Shanghai, I expect equal amounts or more awesome...and the rain may just deliver. I look forward to it.
 
Rossticles
I will have to really enjoy it this weekend. After this year it will likely only host one more race. :(
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Same here. I like the Istanbul Park Circuit, so it's a shame to see it getting dropped from the racing calendar. I'm hoping for a good race this weekend.
 
I'm predicting the same battle between Vettel and Hamilton, but this time Webber is going to qualify 15th and snatch the win! :P

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the race. I hope Kobayashi can score yet another point for Sauber 👍
 
I like this circuit (playing F1 2010 all this week!) and it should be another exciting race 👍.

Will Red Bull have an operation KERS system for this race?

Will Webber use the same tire strategy as China :sly:
 
Bram Turismo
I'm predicting the same battle between Vettel and Hamilton, but this time Webber is going to qualify 15th and snatch the win! :P

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the race. I hope Kobayashi can get an incredible amazing awesome unbeatable banzai move-filled victory for Sauber 👍
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Fixed. :D
 
Rossticles
I will have to really enjoy it this weekend. After this year it will likely only host one more race. :(
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This is the last Grand Prix Istanbul is contracted for. Therefore, this could be the last.
 
I read it was contracted until 2012. I've also read that this is indeed the last race.

Turn Eight - Mercedes on Istanbul Park’s test of grit

When it comes to the great corners of Formula One racing, tradition generally holds sway. Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps, Copse at Silverstone and Monaco’s Casino Square are legendary names in the sport's history. Istanbul Park’s Turn Eight may have a little less mystique than its more historic counterparts, but the longest corner of the season is worthy of the reputation it has acquired since the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix in 2005. Turning left through approximately 200 degrees, this 640 metre-long corner has established itself as a firm favourite among Formula One drivers. Mercedes explain more…

Q: Turn Eight is the longest corner of the season. What are the key facts?
A: Turn Eight is 640m long, which equates to 12 percent of the total lap distance of 5.338 kilometres. The corner lasts for 8.5 seconds, which is equivalent to 10 percent of the current lap record of 1m 24.770s set in 2005. Drivers generally take three apexes, the slowest of which is at 260 km/h, with an average corner speed of 270 km/h.

Q: How does this compare to the other longest and fastest corners of the season?
A: Turn Eight presents a unique combination of very high speeds and sustained load. In terms of time spent in the corner, the cornering phase through Turns One and Two at China’s Shanghai International Circuit totals 8.7s - which exceeds Turn Eight - but during deceleration rather than at sustained high speed. The Parabolica at Monza lasts for 7.6s, and Turn Three at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya for 7.4s. In terms of speed, comparable corners are the 130R at Japanese circuit Suzuka (3.7s, 315m) and Copse at Silverstone (3s, 240m) - both have a duration of less than half that of Turn Eight. In terms of distance, the season's next longest corners are Monza’s Parabolica (470m) and Pouhon at Spa-Francorchamps (460m) - both are over 25 percent shorter than Turn Eight.

Q: What g-forces do the drivers experience in Turn Eight?
A: The peak g-force is 5G, while a level of 4.5g is sustained for two seconds. The average g-force in the corner is 3.5g.

Q: What demands does this place on the tyres?
A: Turn Eight is the most demanding corner of the season in terms of tyre energy. Although it represents just 12 percent of the total lap distance, this corner alone accounts for approximately 40 percent of the total tyre energy during the lap at Istanbul Park. Of the car's four corners, the right-hand front tyre is worked hardest.

Q: What loadings are the cars subjected to in the corner?
A: The peak suspension loadings through the corner are over 10,000N - equivalent to a force of 1,000 kilogrammes, or over 150 percent of the total car weight. The average loading on the right-hand front is 7,000N. The corner also imposes vertical g-forces owing to the bumpy surface between the first and second apexes: the variation between +0.5g and -0.8g feels harsh to the drivers.

Q: How does car set-up take account of the corner?
A: Car set-up must take this corner into specific consideration, notably in terms of tyre camber settings and ride heights, particularly at the rear of the car.

Q: What do the drivers think of the corner?
A: For seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, the corner is "not particularly difficult to drive but one of the season's longest and pretty fast." Performance in the corner is car-dependent: "It's very heavy on the tyres, and the way you drive the corner largely depends on the car and how you have set it up,” added Schumacher. “That compromise might make it tricky, so we need to wait and see how it goes." In contrast, Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg finds it "one of the most challenging corners of the year" owing to the high speed and prolonged G-loadings. "If I had to create a fantasy Formula One circuit, this corner would definitely be included!" concluded the German.
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Yes. It's one of the first non-flyaway races. They may fly there, but it isn't as far as Australia, Malaysia, and China. I'm anxious to get this season underway again. There are three races in May. :D
 
I always hate the first "normal time" race, I usually go to bed late so it's hard to get up at 6:30am(All the European races start at about 7am where I am) to watch the race. At least I can get some sleep prior to the race.

I hope the race is as good as the last couple have been.
 
:lol:

It's hard for me to decide what's worse: waking up at 6:30am to watch the race live or staying up until 5am watching live. Neither is bad really, but I look forward to Canada and Brazil.
 
waggles
If you want to see Turn 8 completely flat...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPudDM8FbVQ
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Pretty crazy stuff, the whole lap just had a super-fast feel to it.

I love this circuit, right up there with the best of 'em on the calendar I think. I'm predicting a Red Bull win, Vettel from perhaps Button and Webber. I chose Button and not Hamilton mainly because I think tyres are gonna be a huge issue here and with the weather forcasts, it's just playing more and more in Jenson's hands.

I also expect Massa to out perform Alonso here, he's still the most winningest (if that's even a word) driver at the circuit.
 
Rossticles
:lol:

It's hard for me to decide what's worse: waking up at 6:30am to watch the race live or staying up until 5am watching live. Neither is bad really, but I look forward to Canada and Brazil.
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Yes, when a race is actually during the day. I love it!:P

7:00am to see a race isn't really that bad. I get up that early to most days anyways.

This race should be very exciting to watch with the rain. Perhaps we'll finally see a safety car this season.
 
Justin
I always hate the first "normal time" race, I usually go to bed late so it's hard to get up at 6:30am(All the European races start at about 7am where I am) to watch the race. At least I can get some sleep prior to the race.

I hope the race is as good as the last couple have been.
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5 a.m. start time here on the West Coast :crazy:

Get up early and then go back to bed after the race :)
 
I don't even care for the other drivers at the moment; Kobayashi will be something special in this race, so all my eyes are on him. Every other driver is just a mobile chicane he must pass.
 
I've never seen an F1 race on this circuit either so I'm hoping for a lot of action :)

Really early race kickoff here in New Mexico though, gonna have to wake up super early and have some Starbucks on tap :)
 
Rossticles
Yes. It's one of the first non-flyaway races. They may fly there, but it isn't as far as Australia, Malaysia, and China. I'm anxious to get this season underway again. There are three races in May. :D
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The personnel fly there but the cars and equipment do not. Hence the non-fly-away.
 
Grip through turn 8 will be a major factor through the weekend. Could lose about 3 or 4 tenths in that high grip corner which means running on bad tyres probably won't be an option. Of course this is just what I think and based in no scientific fact whatsoever.:P
 

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