Whether it be a spying scandal or inter-team arguments behind closed doors, as the 2007
Formula 1 World Championship heads East to Istanbul for the Turkish Grand Prix, the emphasis probably isn’t where it should be – and that is this year’s title race looks set to be the one of the closest and most exciting of modern times.
Indeed, while that fact has likely fuelled – or been fuelled – by the situations currently engulfing the sport, grabbing it headlines around the world, earning opinions from those in the know and creating a flurry of media interest, the Lewis Hamilton-Fernando Alonso-Kimi Raikkonen-
Felipe Massa tussle remains the ultimate story heading to Istanbul.
One of the newer events on the calendar, the sweeping Turkish circuit is a curious blend of quality and traditional charm, weaving the high standard facilities required to maintain a place on the Formula 1 calendar, with a dash of the atmosphere that has been missing from some of the superb, if sterile, new venues adorning the championship’s list of travels.
Not that the circuit hasn’t created a bit of controversy in its two seasons on the calendar, the circuit almost losing its place when it breached podium regulations in 2006.
Still, Istanbul Park – especially
that eighth turn - is already mentioned in the same breath as Spa and Suzuka by most drivers; ringing endorsements don’t come better than that! So Turkey is here to stay and it is likely to play host to interesting developments both on and off the track.
The world’s media is watching – but will it be the race itself that this time makes the back pages by the time Monday’s newspapers are printed?
FIA F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS
Although the sport was embarking on a much needed summer break to try and ease some of the situations that arose from the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Formula 1 was nonetheless rarely out of the news during those three-weeks.
