2006 TURKISH GRAND PRIX
ISTANBUL - PREVIEW
The Honda Racing F1 Team returns from the summer break this
week looking forward to Round 14 of the 2006 FIA Formula One
World Championship, the Turkish Grand Prix held at the Istanbul
Park Circuit on the Asian side of the Bosphorus River in Turkey.
The team is still buoyed by its fantastic result at the Hungarian
Grand Prix two weeks ago, which saw Jenson Button and the
Honda Racing F1 Team together claim their first Formula One
victory in a thrilling race. The Honda Racing F1 Team's RA106
race cars will carry a specially designed '72' logo this weekend
to commemorate what was in fact Honda's 72nd Grand Prix victory,
and its first as a works team since the 1967 Italian Grand
Prix when John Surtees took the chequered flag in the RA300.
The summer test break means that no testing has been possible
since the last two back-to-back races and the team has taken
this opportunity to both celebrate its victory and re-group
for the remaining five races of the 2006 season.
The Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park made its debut on
the F1 calendar last year and received almost universal praise
from teams, drivers and spectators alike in what was one of
the most exciting and overtaking-packed races of recent years.
The undulating anti-clockwise track presents a unique challenge
to the drivers and has some real highlights including the
high speed triple apex turn eight.
RUBENS BARRICHELLO
"It was good to visit Turkey for the first time last
year. The circuit is fantastic and I was really impressed
by the facilities and the layout. The undulations of the track
make it very exciting and challenging from a driver's viewpoint
and there are some good overtaking opportunities. It is also
quite tough physically and we're expecting the race to be
run in hot temperatures so it was important to keep training
between the races, although the break has been good to recharge
and get ready for this weekend. We showed a real improvement
in Germany and Hungary so although we have done no testing
prior to this race, we will be hoping to carry this performance
forward to Turkey."
JENSON BUTTON
"It feels like it's been a complete whirlwind since our
first win together two weeks ago but now that I've had the
chance to celebrate properly and a week or so of rest and
relaxation, I'm ready to get back in the car again and make
the most of the remaining five races. There have been some
very special moments over the past couple of weeks and I'll
remember those for ever but it's time now to crack on with
the Turkish Grand Prix and the rest of the season. In Hungary,
everything came together for us when it counted and it has
given the whole team renewed motivation. We never doubted
our potential but now we know we are winners. There are likely
to be challenging times again over the coming races but our
car is well-suited to the Istanbul Park Circuit and we are
capable of a good result there. I really enjoyed the circuit
last year and had a good race so I'm looking forward to the
weekend."
GIL DE FERRAN
Sporting Director
"We return to Turkey recharged by our first win and our
well-deserved summer break. Since Hungary, the team's focus
has been firmly on the Turkish Grand Prix and the remaining
races of the season. Last year, the Istanbul Park Circuit
was the scene of one of our better races and this year, once
again, we're hoping to be in the thick of the fight. The circuit
layout provides many challenges with a unique combination
of a very high-speed turn, long straights and tight hairpins,
not to mention the changes in elevation. All in all, this
racing circuit is a 'classic'."
Istanbul Park
Race Distance 58 laps
Circuit Length 3.318 miles (5.340 kms)
Turkey made its Formula One debut last year at an all-new
purpose-built circuit just outside Istanbul. The track was
designed by Herman Tilke, the man behind the new circuits
in Malaysia, Bahrain and China, featuring fourteen turns -
eight lefts and six rights - with the cars reaching speeds
of up to 320kph along the two main straights.
An unusual feature is that the lap will run anti-clockwise,
making the Turkish Grand Prix only the third race on the calendar
to do so, San Marino and Brazil being the other two venues.
It possesses a wide variety of turns - many replicating legendary
corners from historic circuits around the world. The character
of the circuit is further enhanced by plenty of gradient changes
- the most extreme of any current F1 track.
As the F1 fraternity have come to expect from brand new venues,
the facilities are equally as impressive. Seating capacity
at Istanbul Park is 155000, with 25000 of those in the main
grandstand, and parking is available for 20000 cars. Dominating
the circuit's skyline are two seven-floor towers built at
either end of the paddock for VIPs and the media.
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