Sam Michael Technical Director:
"Istanbul’s Otodrom has a couple of overtaking opportunities per lap and a good mixture of high, medium and low speed corners. The circuit has a great layout and always produces something exciting during the race.

The Turkish Grand Prix normally takes place in August, when it’s always really hot. With the race falling earlier this year, though, the temperatures are likely to be much cooler which will have an impact on bodywork configuration and tyre selection. Downforce is some way off the maximum level because of the long straights, so car set-up is arranged
around that. Bridgestone will bring the harder compound tyres to Turkey, mainly due to the long and heavily-loaded left hander of turn eight, a corner which sees the cars and drivers experience the longest period at such a high lateral load of any track on the calendar. The majority of the teams will most likely opt for a two stop strategy in Turkey."

Istanbul, Turkey
The purpose-built Istanbul Speed Park is an entirely different technical proposition to the previous race held at Barcelona. A modern circuit measuring just over 5.3kms per lap, the Otodrom is a challenging blend of long and short straights, interspersed with eight left and six right-hand corners. Each turn places different demands on the car and the driver, none more so than turn eight - the notorious triple apexer which is taken at speeds reaching 250km/h and which places between 4 and 4.5g of lateral loadings on the drivers 58 times during the course of the race.

Turkey also features some interesting gradient changes which, while not upsetting the balance of the car, must be taken into consideration during set-up. Like San Marino and Brazil, Turkey runs in an anti-clockwise direction which creates additional pressures - notably for the tyres, and particularly for the right front, as well as for the drivers’  neck muscles. Measuring 20m at its widest, and with large braking zones, the circuit also provides plenty of overtaking opportunities which should guarantee a compelling race next Sunday.