The Turkish Grand Prix (Raikkonen wins!)

[Ed]

The FIA Post Qualifying Press Conference is now available here with Kimi Raikkonen, Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso

[sgd]

“I believe Turn 8 is the best corner in F1” JV, 2005 Turkey GP, before he spun on Q...
where is that thread with quotes??

In V8Supercars>racing

so we'll need to creat a thread for f1 quotes...

[sgd]

Sato's Q-time has been deleted following his ultra-slow Q-lap + in-lap disturbing Webber... although he lose just 2 places on the starting gird

[rah]

Yeah, and how many did Webber lose?

It wasn't exactly a harsh penalty.

[Julian Mayo]

Yeah, and how many did Webber lose?

It wasn't exactly a harsh penalty.

about 3 spots, or a full row at least.

[Jupiter]

Does anyone have an update on the latest weather. I read that it rained this morning before the GP2 race, i assume it dried fairly quickly. Is further rain expected at all? thanks.

[Ed]

Weather at the moment is dry and is expected to remain so however the forecast for this weekend hasn't been too accurate!
The latest weather forecast is sunny for the race!

The GP2 race was actually delayed because of the rain, 12 laps into the race and the drivers started to switch to dry tyres

[Ed]

Race top 8: Raikkonen, Alonso, Montoya, Fisichella, Button, Trulli, Coulthard and Klien.

Retirements: Webber, Massa, Heidfeld, M Schumacher and Albers

Full results - Commentary

[Ed]

In the Drivers Championship, Raikkonen closes the gap to Alonso by just 2 points. He is 24 points behind with 5 races remaining.

In the Constructors' Championship, Renualt has a 9 point lead over McLaren with 5 races to go.

Championship Results Thread

[Ed]

Race Winner Kimi Raikkonen said:

I'm very happy to win the first ever Turkish Grand Prix. We arrived here with a strong basis thanks to the work put in back at base which definitely made our weekend a lot easier. I didn't make the best of starts as I had bit of wheel spin which allowed Fisichella to pass. However he ran wide later on the first lap which allowed me to re-take the lead. I was pushing as hard as I could, but we knew our strategy would work, so really after the first pitstop I could be safe. I had a few scary moments with traffic which is always frustrating, but there is no doubt that our package is really quick. As a team we were a little bit unlucky today with what happened to Juan Pablo. At the end of the season two points can make all the difference, and all we can do is just to keep on winning. It's been a great visit to Turkey for me, and I can't wait for Monza.

Second placed Fernando Alonso said:

We had a slightly different race to normal today: we qualified quite early yesterday, when the track was slower, and that meant we had to try something unusual to get a good grid position. So we were quite light, and got a clean first stint ? which meant we could run without traffic for the rest of the race, and this paid off with two good finishes for the team. From my point of view, I knew the McLarens were faster so I concentrated on doing a race with no mistakes, and driving consistently: the car was reliable again, and I had some luck with Montoya's problems as well. But you know, sometimes you can make your own luck ? I kept the pressure on, and it paid off because I was close enough to take advantage. In terms of the championship, we know McLaren are faster ? but this was as good a result as I could have hoped for.

Third placed Juan Pablo Montoya said:

I'm obviously disappointed to lose second place so close to the end of the race to Alonso. I had lapped Monteiro in the Jordan, but I think he must have locked up under braking and went into the back of me. The car felt OK for the first couple of corners after this, but when I came back to the pits after the race I could see that my entire diffuser at the back of the car had been destroyed. I then ran wide in turn eight which allowed Alonso to pass. I'm a bit disappointed as my car was very quick and the strategy was right, so second place would have been fairly easy. I had a bit of an incident in my first pitstop when the fuel nozzle got stuck, but that didn't really cost me too much time. I'm sad for the team because a one-two would have been really good for the Championships

Full McLaren Team and Driver quotes following the race here
Full Renault Team and Driver quotes following the race here

[Ed]

Driver quotes on the incident between Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber:

Michael Schumacher:

I saw him closing on me and he moved to the right. As I began to brake, I could no longer see him and, when I was
in mid-corner, I felt a bang at the back as he hit me with his nose. He was one lap down, so I don?t understand why he tried this move.

Mark Webber:

I was a lap behind Michael Schumacher but I was much quicker than him. I thought it was strange that he was moving around the braking area as all the drivers agree to try not to do this. Michael seemed quite keen to do it though so I didn't show much respect in the end when I went round the corner. We then made contact

Full Ferrari Team and Driver quotes available here
Full Williams Team and Driver quotes available here

[Julian Mayo]

Driver quotes on the incident between Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber:

Michael Schumacher:

I saw him closing on me and he moved to the right. As I began to brake, I could no longer see him and, when I was
in mid-corner, I felt a bang at the back as he hit me with his nose. He was one lap down, so I don?t understand why he tried this move.

Mark Webber:

I was a lap behind Michael Schumacher but I was much quicker than him. I thought it was strange that he was moving around the braking area as all the drivers agree to try not to do this. Michael seemed quite keen to do it though so I didn't show much respect in the end when I went round the corner. We then made contact

Full Ferrari Team and Driver quotes available here
Full Williams Team and Driver quotes available here

It is strange that EVERY DRIVER who tries to pass Schuey seems to run in to him> as for being 1 lap down, I thought these guys were out there to race and put on a show. My mistake, obviously they are supposed to meekly follow line astern unless actually contesting the lead.

[Julian Mayo]

Driver quotes on the incident between Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber:

Michael Schumacher:

I saw him closing on me and he moved to the right. As I began to brake, I could no longer see him and, when I was
in mid-corner, I felt a bang at the back as he hit me with his nose. He was one lap down, so I don?t understand why he tried this move.

".Michael, there are new high tech additions to each car, mounted on each side of the cockpit. I know you have never seen them, much less used them, and thats why every one who tries to pass you seems to run into you. They are called mirrors. Now that you run around with the backmarkers, please start to use them so you can get out of the way of the 16 faster cars as they come thru, thankyou"

[sgd]

Driver quotes on the incident between Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber:

Michael Schumacher:

I saw him closing on me and he moved to the right. As I began to brake, I could no longer see him and, when I was
in mid-corner, I felt a bang at the back as he hit me with his nose. He was one lap down, so I don?t understand why he tried this move.

".Michael, there are new high tech additions to each car, mounted on each side of the cockpit. I know you have never seen them, much less used them, and thats why every one who tries to pass you seems to run into you. They are called mirrors. Now that you run around with the backmarkers, please start to use them so you can get out of the way of the 16 faster cars as they come thru, thankyou"

[Ed]

Team and Driver quotes following the race now available here

FIA Post Race Press Conference also available here with Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Juan Pablo Montoya