Classic Turkish Grands Prix
Since its introduction to the Formula One calendar in 2005, the Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park has seen some close races. Felipe Massa made it a hat-trick of wins in 2008, while Kimi Raikkonen won the very first. Here is a look back at the five races that have taken place.
2009
The Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel took pole position on the Saturday, with the Brawn GP duo of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button starting in second and third. When the lights went out, Barrichello had a clutch problem and fell to the back of the grid, while Button took the lead after Vettel ran off the track on the first lap.
Ferrari and McLaren were unable to mount a challenge, with only two of the drivers finishing inside the top 10.
Vettel had tried to find a way past Button by running on a different strategy to the Briton, but when he needed to find time to pull out a gap, he was stuck behind Button’s gearbox, and his adventurous strategy was ruined.
Button made it six wins out of seven for the season, and was running away at the top of the drivers’ standings.
Mark Webber finished in second, ahead of third-placed Vettel.
2008
Massa was on pole, with Heikki Kovalainen in second. Lewis Hamilton jumped Kovalainen at the start, while Raikkonen fell to fifth position after almost colliding with Kovalainen.
The safety car came on the first lap after Giancarlo Fisichella smashed into several cars heading into turn one.
Once the safety car went in, Raikkonen overtook Fernando Alonso on the long straight. Hamilton, on a lighter fuel load, found a way past Massa in first place. Hamilton’s strategy wasn’t enough for him to lead the race, but it was enough for him to jump the 2007 world champion Raikkonen.
Massa crossed the line in first place, with Hamilton in second ahead of Raikkonen.
2007
Massa once again started from pole position, with Hamilton in second and Raikkonen in third. At the start, Raikkonen caught Hamilton off-guard as he moved up to second, while Alonso fell behind to the two BMW drivers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfield.
Alonso, the double world champion, got ahead of Heidfield after the first round of pit stops, with his strategy paying off. The Ferraris were in a league of their own, leaving the chasing pack with a lot to do.
Massa was in control of the race, but with 21 laps left, Raikkonen caught up and put pressure on the Brazilian. Massa held his advantage, and after the second round of pit stops, he stayed in front.
Hamilton was running in third, but when going off the track at turn 10, his tyre delaminated, and he fell to fifth place.
Massa was victorious at Turkey again, after managing to hold off a quicker Raikkonen in second position, with Alonso coming home in third.
2006
Ferrari dominated the whole qualifying session, but when everyone was expecting Michael Schumacher to be on pole position, it was his teammate Massa who snatched the first grid slot.
Massa got away cleanly when the lights went out, while Alonso in his Renault and Schumacher tussled heading into turn one, with the Ferrari squeezing past, forcing Alonso to lift and his Renault teammate Fisichella spinning to avoid Alonso.
Raikkonen’s miserable campaign for McLaren continued as he suffered a puncture and then crashed straight into the wall.
The Ferraris were pulling away at the front, but when the safety car came out on lap 14, the race changed significantly.
Both Massa and Schumacher came into the pits, and it was Schumacher who was left to queue up behind and wait for his turn. By this time, Alonso had made a stop, and he managed to get the jump on Schumacher.
For the last 15 laps, the seven-time world champion mounted the pressure on Alonso, weaving all over the track to try and upset him.
Nine laps before the end, Schumacher had his first run at the Renault, picking up the slipstream heading into turn 7, but Alonso had the inside line and maintained track position.
Massa won his maiden race at the 66th attempt, while Schumacher rallied and closed the gap to Alonso, trying one last time to get in front heading to the finish line, but the Spaniard secured second spot by half a car length, with Schumacher taking third.
2005
The first Turkish Grand Prix saw the McLaren of Raikkonen on pole position. Fisichella jumped him at the start, while Alonso tried to find a way through as well. Down the back straight, Raikkonen got in front of Fisichella and pulled out a gap.
Alonso was running in third place, but was allowed through by his teammate Fisichella to hunt the leader. Schumacher, who was not in the running for the race win, was hit by a lapped Mark Webber on lap 15.
On lap 21, Jenson Button overtook Alonso. Juan Pablo Montoya in the other McLaren climbed up to second position and the race looked to finish with a McLaren one-two, however, the Colombian went wide at turn eight, and Alonso pinched second position.
Raikkonen took his fifth race win of the campaign, and was the first driver to win the Turkish Grand Prix, with Alonso in second and Montoya in third.
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