F1 drivers support plan to bring back "awesome" Turkey
Formula 1 drivers are relishing the pending addition of Turkey’s Istanbul Park to the 2020 calendar, and expect Turn 8 to be “easy flat” in the modern cars.

F1 is set to confirm the return of the Turkish Grand Prix in the final 2020 calendar in the near future, reviving the race after nine years off the schedule.
Turkey will take up a November date slot ahead of back-to-back races in Bahrain and the season finale in Abu Dhabi in mid-December, lifting the schedule to 17 races.
Of the current grid, only Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez have prior experience in F1 machinery at the circuit.
Romain Grosjean raced at Istanbul Park back in GP2, winning races there in 2008 and 2011, and was excited by the prospect of the track returning.
“It would be mega,” Grosjean said when asked by Motorsport.com about going back to Turkey.
“I think it would be bloody awesome. It’s such a cool track. I really enjoy going there and racing.
“Turn 8 is a good one for the neck, so I think it would be very fast.”
Read Also:
The quadruple-apex left-hand Turn 8 was one of the most spectacular corners in F1 when Turkey first joined the calendar in 2005, but has never been tested out with the modern-spec high-downforce cars.
Red Bull’s Alexander Albon predicted the corner would be “easy flat” in the current models.
“I don’t think we’ll even [have to] try,” Albon said. “Maybe the start of the out lap. But still, it will be fun.
“It looks really cool, I’m excited. Liberty and Formula 1 are doing an amazing job choosing these kind of circuits.
“I don’t know if it’s coincidence, or if they’re just choosing them because they’re the ones that are open to races [like] Mugello, Imola, and Turkey. We’re going to some of the best circuits in the world.
“It’s going to be a proper circuit. I’m all for it.”
Esteban Ocon has never raced in Turkey, but agreed with Albon’s expectation that Turn 8 would be taken flat.
“Turkey is a fantastic circuit,” Ocon said. “If it comes to the calendar, awesome.
“It’s an old-school circuit, something I was watching on TV when I was younger. [The] massive left-hander, flat-out, is going to be pretty impressive.”
Turkey’s return to the calendar is set to come as part of F1’s efforts to bolster the 2020 calendar after more than half of the planned events were cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
F1 has managed to secure events at other ex-grand prix venues in the Nurburgring and Imola, while other European circuits such as Portimao and Mugello will stage a grand prix for the very first time.
Read Also:
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly praised F1 officials for how they have managed to create such a sizeable calendar despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, which meant the season could only begin in July.
“I must say it’s quite impressive,” Gasly said. "It’s quite intense, but everything is working out pretty well so far.
“It’s nice to see some new tracks like Imola, Mugello, Portimao, places that we would not really go in a more like standard and normal calendar, so I think it’s good to try this out.
“I think our sport is quite lucky when you look at other sports, so it’s pretty good.”
Related video

Previous article
Ocon expecting to bounce back with new engine at Belgian GP
Next article
The inside story of F1 2010's lost teams, #1: Prodrive

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Author | Luke Smith |
F1 drivers support plan to bring back "awesome" Turkey
How Do Drivers Stay Fit For F1 Grand Prix?
Ronnie Peterson and Jochen Rindt Tribute
#ThinkingForward with Juan Pablo Montoya
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. Ben Anderson looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle.
How Raikkonen's rapid rise stalled his teammate's F1 career climb
Kimi Raikkonen's emergence as a Formula 1 star in his rookie campaign remains one of the legendary storylines from 2001, but his exploits had an unwanted impact on his Sauber teammate's own prospects. Twenty years on from his first F1 podium at the Brazilian GP, here's how Nick Heidfeld's career was chilled by the Iceman.
The nightmare timing that now hinders Mercedes
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite, for a change, not having the quickest car. But any hopes of developing its W12 to surpass Red Bull's RB16B in terms of outright speed could not have come at a worse time.