Turkey: Michelin heading into the unknown
By Michelin Sport
August 17 2005
Michelin is seeking to make history this weekend, as the first tyre company to win a Formula One grand prix in Turkey. Although World Rally Championship events take place in Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, this year's Turkish GP will be the first race of its kind in the region.
It will be staged at the brand-new, 3.318-mile Istanbul Park circuit, which lies to the east of the nation's capital, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus Bridge. Hermann Tilke the man responsible for the recently-introduced facilities in Bahrain and China designed the track, which features a number of dramatic elevation changes.
No Turk has ever competed in a grand prix: at present, the country's most eminent driver is Can Artam, who is contesting the GP2 Series F1's ante-chamber.
Turkey will become the 26th country to have hosted a world championship grand prix and for the time being at least Istanbul Park will join a list of 10 circuits with a single grand prix to their name.
"The Istanbul Park track presents tyre manufacturers with an extra element of challenge," says Pierre Dupasquier, Michelin Motorsport Director, "another during a season that has already generated its fair share.
"We have prepared for this grand prix with exactly the same methods we used for the new tracks in Bahrain and Shanghai last season. In the first instance our engineers paid an inspection visit, during which they were particularly keen to analyse the track surface characteristics. The second stage was to correlate this information with the results of the simulation tests we have conducted in conjunction with our partner teams.
"Our analysis shows that the circuit is densely asphalted, with thickly coated stones that make the track look particularly black. At the start of the weekend cars will be running on neat tar and conditions are likely to evolve quickly as more and more laps are completed.
"In some ways it is a similar situation to those we faced earlier in the season at Barcelona and Montreal, where the circuits had been freshly and totally resurfaced.
"As far as the track layout is concerned, it looks very appealing with a number of elevation changes and a blend of fast and slower corners plus a long main straight. In theory, average lap speeds should be relatively low. Aerodynamicists face the biggest headache as they try to figure out a set-up that generates sufficient downforce for the slow-speed corners without overly compromising straight-line performance.
"When we race at a new track for the first time, it is best to take tyre compounds with a slightly broader operational spectrum than we usually choose, in order to minimise any risk of error. We also have to bear in mind all the meteorological conditions that might confront us. In fierce heat, for instance, the circuits dark complexion will absorb bright sunlight more readily and that will send track temperatures soaring."