The Demo Site

2009 Turkish Grand Prix -

With the established teams still threatening to walk and new teams lining up by the dozen, nothing could have better characterized Formula One's transition from old to new better than the move from the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago to the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend. While the Monaco race - held on the streets of Monte Carlo, with its close proximities and timeless seaside city-scape - remains one of the sport's oldest venues, the race in Turkey - at the new-school Istanbul Park Circuit, characterized by wide run-offs and state-of-the-art accommodations - is one of its youngest.
First held in 2005, the Turkish Grand Prix has been won the past three years running by the same driver: Ferrari's Felipe Massa, the young Brazilian who narrowly lost out on the driver's crown last year to Lewis Hamilton. Surely Ferrari's golden boy was eager to extend his domination at the Ottoman autodrom, but would he and his Maranello squad be able to translate the marked improvement which they displayed in Monte Carlo just a fortnight ago into a return to winning form in Istanbul?