Turkish Grand Prix: Key Figures
The Turkish Grand Prix makes its grand return to the calendar since 2011, an opportunity to revisit the key figures of this legendary track.
1’24’770: This time is the fastest ever recorded on the Istanbul circuit. It was Juan Pablo Montoya in a race driving his McLaren who set it in 2005, during the first edition of the Grand Prix. Even Sebastian Vettel in 2011 couldn’t beat this time in qualifying.
With 3 victories, Felipe Massa is the most successful driver in Istanbul. The Brazilian won this race 3 times in a row between 2006 and 2008. It was also there that the 2008 runner-up finished on the top step of the podium for the first time. He also holds the record for pole positions in Turkey with 3.
**5:** This is the number of different drivers who have won the Turkish Grand Prix. Massa is the only one to have won it multiple times, while Kimi Räikkönen, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, and Sebastian Vettel have each won it only once.
4: If Felipe Massa is the driver with the most victories and pole positions in Turkey, it is his Ferrari teammate from 2010 to 2013 who has the most podium finishes there. The Spaniard climbed onto the podium 4 times despite never finishing first.
**280:** This is the speed at which these new F1 cars should take the sequence of Turn number 8 thanks to the new downforce and especially the slick tires. If it was once rare to take it flat out, it is very likely that it will not be a problem for these 2020 single-seaters which have so much aerodynamic downforce.
2005: The first Turkish Grand Prix took place in 2005. A highly competitive season for the title between Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen, both vying for their first world championship crown. After four challenging races without a podium, Kimi Räikkönen claimed victory in Turkey, his fifth win that year. Unfortunately, this success was not enough to prevent Alonso and Renault from securing the title at the end of the season.
2011: It is the year of the Grand Prix in which the last Turkish Grand Prix took place. It was the 4th race of the 2011 season, won by Sebastian Vettel, followed by his teammate Mark Webber, thus scoring Red Bull’s first one-two of the season.
