[E90SLAM]

Three weeks break seems like eternity!!!
The next long break will be summer after the Hungarian GP.
Time to fire up the PS3 and F1 2010 and practice to go flat out on turn 8.

My guess for DRS Detection will be around turn 9/10; and then the Activation Zone will be after turn 11. I will update this once FIA announced the DRS zone on race day.

Race Date: 08 May 2011
Circuit Name: Istanbul Park
Number of Laps: 58
Circuit Length: 5.338 km
Race Distance: 309.396 km
Lap Record: 1:24.770 - JP Montoya (2005)

Tire Compounds Provided:
Prime: Hard (Silver)
Option: Soft (Yellow)
Rain: Intermediate (Light Blue), Wet (Orange)

F1 TIMETABLE (Istanbul Local Time)
Fri 06 May 2011
Practice 1 10:00 - 11:30
Practice 2 14:00 - 15:30
Sat 07 May 2011
Practice 3 11:00 - 12:00
Qualifying 14:00
Sun 08 May 2011
Race 15:00

F1 TIMETABLE (Pacific Time Zone)
Fri 06 May 2011
Practice 1 00:00 - 01:30
Practice 2 04:00 - 05:30
Sat 07 May 2011
Practice 3 01:00 - 02:00
Qualifying 04:00
Sun 08 May 2011
Race 05:00

F1 TIMETABLE (Eastern Time Zone)
Fri 06 May 2011
Practice 1 03:00 - 04:30
Practice 2 07:00 - 08:30
Sat 07 May 2011
Practice 3 04:00 - 05:00
Qualifying 07:00
Sun 08 May 2011
Race 08:00

[Echo M3]

Woohoo! It's been far too long a wait.

I agree, I expect DRS 'arming' to be before turn 9, and activation to be after turn 11, too.

Predictions? I think Turn 8 alone will make this a Red Bull haven. At the same time, it's been 3 weeks - hopefully some of the others will bring significant upgrades.

[abisson]

Seeing Montoya's name made me nostalgic... I miss him lol!

Can't wait

[escobar929]

cant wait, one of my fav tracks. even though turn 8 used to make/break my lap times in F1 2010

[KingOfJericho]

Parabolica!

[KingOfJericho]

Can't wait to see the 40% attendance...

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Can't wait to see the 40% attendance...

where 90% of the 40% attendance are gift passes to organizers and sponsors....

there will be more cars on the grid than the spectators parking lot....

[ADV.1 Matt]

Subbed for the epic photos that you guys always post up for me to drool over!

[Echo M3]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

where 90% of the 40% attendance are gift passes to organizers and sponsors....

there will be more cars on the grid than the spectators parking lot....

I'd blame that on the location and organization of the event. It's 100 km from Istanbul in the middle of nowhere.

The organization is also horrid. It took me a 5km walk (from start-finish to the other side of the track, where the shuttle buses were located) and a 3 hour bus ride (standing) in a shuttle bus to get back to Istanbul. Shuttle bus was the only option, as no taxis were available. And you have to be suicidal to drive yourself through Istanbul in the day.

I'd never go back for f1. It's sad too, since Istanbul itself is one of my favorite cities of all time - great nightlife, plenty to see in the day, great food, etc.

[raisemyrent]

well there you go first hand. such a shame because this race may have its days counted, and I think it's the best Tilke track.

Go Schumi!!! hahaha

[E90SLAM]

DRS zone confirmed by the FIA.
Detect right before Turn 9.
Activation Zone starts before entering Turn 11 and onwards.

The FIA has revealed that the Drag Reduction System (DRS) activation zone will be located on Istanbul Park's back straight for this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix.

The DRS has increased the chances of overtaking this year by allowing drivers within a second of the car in front to adjust the angle of their rear wing and improve straight-line speed when in the permitted zone.

In Turkey the zone will be located ahead of the circuit's best overtaking opportunity at turn 12, where Red Bull drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber collided last year while fighting for the lead. The zone will start just ahead of the flat-out turn 11 kink and extend all the way to the braking zone for turn 12.

The DRS detection point, at which a driver has to be within a second of the car in front to activate his rear wing on the following straight, will be located just ahead of the braking zone for turn nine.

http://en.espnf1.com/turkey/motorsport/story/47461.html

[Echo M3]

Do you think that might be a tad too long? That feels like an awful long time to have DRS open...

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by pman10

Do you think that might be a tad too long? That feels like an awful long time to have DRS open...

Might be long and you're right. It might make overtaking too easy.
But, it will be awesome to see lower downforce cars driving Turn 11 flat out too.
But we'll see. I think DRS is so far not too bad. At least it doesn't make overtaking too easy at the moment.

[Echo M3]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Might be long and you're right. It might make overtaking too easy.
But, it will be awesome to see lower downforce cars driving Turn 11 flat out too.
But we'll see. I think DRS is so far not too bad. At least it doesn't make overtaking too easy at the moment.

Agreed. DRS might be a tad artificial, but I definitely think it is an improvement over the processional races we have seen in the past.

At the moment, most of the overtaking is due to teams taking different approaches with tire strategies. But once things settle down and teams get used to the degradation of the Pirelli tires, we'll likely see everyone adopt the same tire strategy each race. It's at THIS point that DRS will become much more valuable to us viewers

[Zoli007]

Curious to see the new markings on the Pirelli tires. They said they would have drastic new markings making it impossible to not know what compound is fitted to the cars.

[KingOfJericho]

[EINSER M]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

lol

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Starting from left...Full Wet, Dry-Soft, and Intermediate.

[ptack]

Can I get those for an 18" rim? They look a little tall.

[E90SLAM]

Teams finally got their motorhome set up at the damp and chilly Istanbul track.

[E90SLAM]

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[E90SLAM]

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