2007 TURKISH GRAND PRIX PREVIEW
As the summer break from Grand Prix racing comes to an end,
the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team relocates to the Istanbul
Park circuit for the 12th Grand Prix of the 2007 Formula 1
World Championship.
The race marks the 100th Grand Prix start for the team’s
Double World Champion. Fernando Alonso made his Formula 1
debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix and in this time has
amassed an impressive total of 18 victories, including three
this season with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, on his way to
achieving back to back Drivers’ titles.
Fernando currently lies in second position in the 2007 standings
with 73 points, just seven behind his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
team-mate Lewis Hamilton who leads with 80. The team currently
has a total of 138 points, 19 ahead of nearest challengers
Ferrari.
FAST FACTS
How has the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team spent
the extended break since the Hungarian Grand Prix?
Whilst the longer gap between races allows the members of
the team who travel to every Grand Prix, such as the race
team mechanics, the opportunity to take a well-earned holiday,
there is no let up in the pace of development across the Vodafone
McLaren Mercedes team. Over this period we have made developments
to the MP4-22 using the resources we have available to us
at the McLaren Technology Centre. Most significantly we have
continued to develop the aerodynamic bodywork using Computational
Fluid Dynamics and the Wind Tunnel and optimise the suspension
through the Simulation and Vehicle Dynamics departments.
How does the team’s freight journey to Turkey?
The Grand Prix in Istanbul is the longest journey the Vodafone
McLaren Mercedes team makes with the fleet of Mercedes-Benz
Actros race transporters, at just over 1560kms. The distance
sees the teams use a ferry crossing from the Italian port
of Trieste, which is located in the North East of the country.
The first of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes fleet left for
Turkey directly from the Hungarian Grand Prix, sailing for
Istanbul on Sunday 12th August. This included the race garage
build truck and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Brand Centre.
Four of the five race transporters left the McLaren Technology
Centre late on Sunday 12th, catching the ferry in Trieste
on Wednesday 15th before arriving in Istanbul on Saturday
18th. The final transporter departed Woking on Thursday 15th,
to get the last ferry possible, arriving in Istanbul in time
for the start of the Grand Prix Weekend
TEAM QUOTES
Fernando Alonso
"It is always great to have a break and re-charge the
batteries, but it is fantastic to be getting back out on track
in Turkey. I have a solid points total in the Drivers’
World Championship and I am aiming to build on that considerably
in Istanbul. We are in a strong position in both Championships
and there are a lot of points to be won in the final six races.
However, we are looking at the races one by one, and my focus
is on this Grand Prix and getting the best result possible
in Turkey. I have come second in the two years we have raced
here previously and I will be aiming to improve on that this
time. The track is great to drive, with some sections that
are really on the limit and what you want to race on as a
driver, turn eight in particular. It tends to be very hot
at this race and this can have an effect on tyre wear. We
race anti-clockwise and this also adds to the tyre wear, with
the front right higher than at other tracks. The final factor
is that the track is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar,
with long fast corners, and this is also tough on tyres but
we will work with Bridgestone to set the cars up to cope with
these characteristics."
Lewis Hamilton
"I have great memories of the Istanbul Park, last year
this was a defining race in the GP2 Championship for me and
I am really looking forward to getting out there with the
MP4-22. It is an amazing track to drive, with so many different
challenges, and overtaking is possible. The circuit is pretty
wide, which always helps when you are trying to pass. Having
dropped down to the back of the field after spinning on the
second lap last year, I spent the race working my way back
up to second, it felt like a win and it would be great to
get on the top step this year! It is a very physically demanding
circuit, all the fast corners, such as turn eight which is
awesome and flat out, and the heat place a big demand on the
drivers. During the short summer break I have been keeping
up with my training to ensure I am fully prepared for it.
Along with the team, I am very motivated right now. There
are six races remaining and I am looking forward to the challenge."
Martin Whitmarsh, CEO Formula 1, Vodafone McLaren
Mercedes
"Every single member of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
team is keen to get back to the racing next weekend in Turkey.
Each race weekend has its own challenges, we faced some fairly
unique ones at the Hungarian Grand Prix and there has been
much reportage in the press in the two weeks since; however
none of this has affected the preparation and motivation of
Fernando, Lewis and the team for this 12th round of the season.
In Woking, Brixworth and Stuttgart the work has been relentless
as we seek to find the performance enhancements we know we
have to achieve in order to continue our battle for both Championships."
Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Following the summer break since the Hungarian Grand
Prix we are now facing six Grands Prix within the next eight
weeks leading up to the season finale in Sao Paulo on 21st
October; everybody involved will virtually continue without
break until the final Grand Prix of the season. The race on
26th August will be held on a very demanding circuit, which
requires a perfect car. Our aim for the sprint up to the season’s
finale: We want to carry on as we have done in the first 11
races of the season. Everybody in the team is concentrated
and focussed, because these six races in two months on three
continents will be everything but a walk in the park. However,
I think we can say that the races since the season opener
in Australia haven’t been easy either."
TURKISH GRAND PRIX INFORMATION
Circuit length 5.338km / 3.317 miles
Race distance 309.356km / 192.233 miles
Laps 58
Number of corners 14
Inaugural Grand Prix 2005
VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES STATISTICS
Fernando Lewis Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Race Starts 99 11 625
Race Wins 18 3 154
Pole Positions 16 4 130
Points 454 80 3307.5
Podiums 43 10 409
Fastest Laps 10 1 133
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