Turkish Grand Prix: F1's most memorable moments

The Turkish Grand Prix will be returning to the Formula 1 calendar from 2027, and Crash.net has taken a look back at some of the most iconic moments from Istanbul Park.

For an event that has only been run on nine occasions between 2005-2021, the Turkish Grand Prix has seen more than its fair share of action.

From titles being decided to team-mates colliding – yes, we’ll get to that! – here are some of the Istanbul moments that we just cannot forget.

2020: Hamilton equals Schumacher’s championship record

It’s not every day that a seven-time champion is crowned, so Lewis Hamilton’s achievement more than merits a place on this list. While his task was relatively simple compared to some other successes – with races to spare, he only needed to finish ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas to take the crown – the treacherous conditions make this one of Hamilton’s best F1 performances.

With rain falling prior to the start, several drivers had spun and sustained damage on the way to the grid, leaving only the Williams drivers to gamble on an intermediate start, while the other drivers elected for wet rubber.

One of Hamilton’s strongest attributes has always been his prowess in the wet, and this car control was combined with his incredible tactical nous, as he opted to stop just once while others stopped twice, as his intermediates became more like slick tyres but crucially, retained heat.

Crossing the line over half a minute clear of the field, this was arguably Hamilton’s finest hour.

2009: Button’s final BrawnGP success

The only team to have a 100% hit rate of championship victories in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championship. Amid the fairytale of how Ross Brawn saved the failing Honda team for just £1 and the success that followed, it is easy to forget that Jenson Button’s victory count came to a close after just seven races.

The last of these, his sixth win, came at the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix. In a period that had seen the chasing pack catch up and create double diffuser solutions of their own, Sebastian Vettel was beginning to mount his own title bid, and started from pole position.

Looking in control, Vettel caved under pressure from Button and ran wide at Turn 11, kicking up dust and losing pace while Button was able to dart past.

As Button said on team radio after the race, BrawnGP had built him “a monster” of a car.

2006: Massa dominant for first F1 victory

Racing alongside Michael Schumacher is a tough task for any driver, but as the German reached the end of his Ferrari career, Felipe Massa took the baton and ran.

Much like Kimi Antonelli at the recent Chinese Grand Prix, Massa began the weekend by securing pole position, beating his team-mate to the position by over three tenths.

In the race, Massa put in a controlled performance that belied his lack of race-winning experience, never putting a foot wrong as Schumacher and Fernando Alonso battled over second place.

The victory began a three-year streak for Massa at Istanbul Park, as the Brazilian made the venue his own.

2010: Button vs Hamilton in controversial battle

After the Red Bull calamity – I promise, we will get to it – McLaren team-mates Button and Hamilton were left to fight it out for the race win. Needing to save fuel while leading, Hamilton sought assurances from McLaren that he would not be put under pressure during this period.

Receiving comments to the affirmative and that Button was also saving fuel, Hamilton was therefore taken by surprise when his team-mate pulled to the outside of Turn 12, and made a switchback pass into Turn 13.

Cutting back himself at the final corner, Hamilton was able to retake the position, with minor contact made into Turn 1 of the following lap as he battled to regain his authority.

After Red Bull had got it oh so wrong, this was McLaren showing how team-mates can race hard but fair.

2006: Vettel debuts for BMW

Some standout moments don’t need to be race wins or collisions, they can simply be an introduction, such as this one.

In 2006, the bottom six teams were permitted to run a third car in practice on Friday – something unthinkable in the cost-cap era of modern times. Running for BMW was a little-known German, by the name of Sebastian Vettel.

Receiving a $1000 fine for speeding in the pit lane just six seconds into his career was hardly the best of starts, but it’s safe to say that things would soon pick back up again.

Vettel would go on to set the fastest time of all in second practice, and became the then-youngest driver to have taken part in an official session, aged 19 years and 53 days.

2020: A Stroll to pole

The scene was set for Hamilton to clinch his record-equalling title, but when F1 arrived at Istanbul Park in 2020, the freshly laid track surface, coupled with the cool temperatures and the fact it had recently been washed, meant that drivers left the pits to find they had little to no grip in practice.

Come qualifying, and rain was steadily falling, only adding to the chaos, with Q1 being red-flagged for safety. Highlighting how poor conditions were, the lesser spotted wet tyres on display.

When the action was able to properly resume, Stroll maintained a constant presence towards the top of the order, but a final effort in Q3 saw him clinch his first, and so far only, pole position.

Had it not been for a strong closing lap from Max Verstappen, Racing Point would have scored a one-two, with Sergio Perez ending up third fastest.  

2010: Red Bull implodes as Vettel and Webber collide

Let’s be honest, this is the standout moment that you’ve been waiting for.

Mark Webber and Vettel were running one-two for Red Bull on lap 40 when, due to the Australian entering a fuel saving mode, Vettel, who had already banked enough fuel, switched to a faster engine setting and attempted to pass on the inside into Turn 12.

Appearing to pull slightly across on his team-mate after moving ahead, Vettel was not quite clear of Webber’s front wing, and the resulting contact sent him spinning off the track, and out of the race, before walking away from his car, indicating a thought that Webber had lost his mind.

Webber was forced to pit two laps later through damage sustained, but the incident left him behind the McLaren pair, who would then send hearts racing once more with an earlier entry in this list.

Crash.net fan thoughts

Let us know your thoughts on what moment from the Turkish Grand Prix stands out most for you. Was it one of the above, or was it something else?