BMW Sauber's Pit Lane Park grand prix sideshow starts its third season at next weekend's Turkish Grand Prix, having received a winter makeover.
Last year, around 300,000 visitors took the opportunity to get up close and personal with
Formula One via the travelling exhibition, but a number of new themed garages will await those passing through in 2008.
“Before the existence of the Pit Lane Park, fans had to be satisfied with watching the cars in action from the stands," BMW Motorsport director Mario Theissen said, "but the Pit Lane Park has finally made Formula One more accessible again.
"Visitors can touch the high tech components with their own hands, gain an insight into the work of the engineers and experience how the engine is started before the car performs on the track. Nowhere else can a Formula One fan get this close to the action.”
As well as the new exhibits, the architecture of the park will also have a new look, with two levels offering visitors more space to enjoy their experience under the motto 'get closer', while the familiar outdoor demonstration area will again echo to the sounds of
BMW's various race cars.
“Whether it is with the engine, brake discs or tyres, visitors have endless opportunities to experiment in the Pit Lane Park,” BMW Sauber race driver
Nick Heidfeld commented, "The track is, of course, at the centre of the facility. When we drive here, the spectators are far closer to the action than at street circuits like Monaco, Valencia and Singapore.
"However, this is not the only reason that I am a personal fan of the Pit Lane Park. Every week there are millions of people crossing their fingers for us in the world championship, and I think it is excellent that BMW can give something back.”
Test driver Marko Asmer will kick this year's Pit Lane Park activities off next Thursday [8 May] by driving an
F1 car on the 90-metre 'track' outside the facility in Istanbul.
![Nigel Mansell drives the BMW Sauber F1 car at Silverstone as part of the team's Pit Lane Park 'theme park' event [Pic credit: BMW Sauber]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/347721.jpg)
