The reshuffled
Formula One calendar comes across its first misplaced race at Istanbul Park this weekend but, while time and place may be different, the situation at the front of the field has an air of familiarity about it.
Ferrari continues to hold sway after the opening European round of the season, in Barcelona, two weeks ago, having strengthened its position in both drivers' and constructors' championships with a second straight 1-2 finish. After
Felipe Massa headed
Kimi Raikkonen across the line in Bahrain, the order was reversed in Spain to move the Finn into a commanding nine-point lead in the individual title race, while Ferrari moved above
BMW Sauber in the teams' competition, and now holds a twelve-point advantage after comfortably out-scoring its opponents at the Circuit de Catalunya.
If anyone is hoping that round five may bring a change of fortune for those chasing hard, they ought to be reminded of the identity of the winner in each of the last two Turkish grands prix. Although he missed out in the first running of the event - which was won by current team-mate Raikkonen during his
McLaren days - Felipe Massa has proven to be something of an expert around the Istanbul Park layout, and will be out to complete a hat-trick on Sunday, even though the race has moved forward three months and should be run in much cooler conditions than any of the previous editions. Unless anyone comes up with a radical improvement, expect much the same red tide to sweep over Turkey as has already been seen in Bahrain and Spain.
