Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2008 Qualifying - 1st, 2008 Race - 1st
“I have a very good record in Istanbul, having won for the last three years starting from pole position each time. I find it difficult to explain why I should be so strong here, other than the fact we had three fantastic weekends in Turkey, when everything worked perfectly, with the car performing very well right from the first session. It would be nice to carry on in the same direction. I just like the track and feel comfortable there, but it’s hard to pinpoint why it suits me better than some other circuits. I do prefer fast-flowing tracks and have a feel for all the corners here, as it’s not good enough to only be fast over one particular section of the track. I think I’ve also found a good way to set up the car perfectly for this circuit. It’s not just Turkey though, as I’ve won in Brazil for the last two years and actually, it should have been the last three in my home race. In fact, it’s been suggested to me that maybe the reason is that they are the only two anti-clockwise circuits on the calendar. Who knows? Maybe I’m better than others at driving through left handed corners!
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“Turn Eight in Istanbul is an amazing corner, where you hit one of the highest lateral G-force levels of the season, which puts a lot of stress on your neck and body. On top of that, in the middle of the corner, you have a big bump, which can give you a problem in terms of stability. It is a really a tricky corner, with different lines to choose from, depending on how your car is behaving: sometimes you have too much understeer, or oversteer in the middle and all these factors make it very challenging. The last few years, I haven’t had to give much thought to the overtaking possibilities in Istanbul, starting from the number one slot on the grid. This year, given how competitive the front of the field is in qualifying, it is going to be a very interesting Saturday afternoon, but at least the track does provide some passing opportunities, especially with the long main straight. Last year, Lewis (Hamilton) changed his strategy to a three stop and was easily able to pass me. On Wednesday I jump on a flight to Istanbul and I can’t wait for Friday to see if the progress seen in Spain and Monaco will continue in Turkey.”
Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren
2008 Qualifying - 2nd, 2008 Race - 12th
“Turkey is all about Turn Eight - the high-speed, four-apex left-hander. On a good day in qualifying, it’s flat-out - and that’s a pretty good feeling when you get it right. It’s also very important to look after your tyres through Turn Eight - you put a lot of load through the tyres, particularly the fronts, so it’s a good idea to look after them during the race. The best place to overtake here is into Turn 12, the corner at the end of the back straight. You can get a good tow and slipstream past - with KERS we should hopefully see some exciting racing.”
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2008 Qualifying - 3rd, 2008 Race - 2nd
“I love racing in Turkey: it’s a real challenge because you need to attack the lap to get a good time, but you also need to be careful with your tyres - if you push too much, particularly through Turn Eight, then your tyres are going to suffer. It’s all about finding the perfect balance in practice and being disciplined in the race so you don’t overdo it. I also love the fact that it’s a new circuit that has really captured the flavour of some of the older, classic tracks - it’s got a bit of everything and is fantastic to drive. Also, as it’s anti-clockwise, it gives your neck a bit of a workout - but you just need to make sure you’ve exercised the left side of your neck a little more than usual before getting in the car.”
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
2008 Qualifying - 4th, 2008 Race - 3rd
“Ferrari have gone very well at the Turkish Grand Prix over the last three years, but this time Brawn GP is the great favourite, because they won five out of the six races so far. We’re closing the gap, but we’ve got to give it our all to get back in the lead. It was great to be back on the podium at Monaco. The team pushed very hard and it was a very nice reward to have both cars amongst the first four. The Monaco weekend was a step forward as far as the result is concerned, but we have to be patient - I know that our fans want to see us winning immediately, but we have to be realistic. We’re closer, that’s for sure, and we’ll have some updates in Turkey; but we know that the others work hard too.
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“Compared to the Monaco track the Istanbul Park is a more conventional track and we have a more definite idea. I really like this track and it’s very demanding. There are all types of corners and blind spots to brake; everything you need for a beautiful race. This year’s cars have less downforce, but we’re using slicks - Turn Eight will be very exciting under these circumstances. I think that it’s the downforce we still have to make up ground compared to Brawn GP and Red Bull, but we’re heading in the right direction. Now, almost half way through the season, I’m much more optimistic than I was at the start, especially with the steps we’ve taken in the last two races. We know that there are further improvements coming up, which makes me think positive about the future. Who wins five out of six races at the start of the season is in an excellent position to winning the title, but the championship isn’t over yet. Everything can happen, although things have to change very soon.”
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