After the Istanbul Park has not been used for Formula 1 since 2011, it was rebuilt in 2020 as part of preparations for the return of the sport.
However, the work was only completed a few weeks before the race. The drivers battled it out with the toughest dry mixes from Pirelli for grip on the new surface as they were able to maintain the temperature in their tires.
The Italian company said it would have chosen softer blends if it had known in time that the resurfacing was underway.
The problem was exacerbated by the heavy rain that hit both qualifying and the race itself, which made conditions even more difficult for the drivers.
FIA Race Director Michael Masi recently announced to F1 teams that as part of a package of updates, “the entire track surface has been treated to increase grip,” a change in addition to the usual aging of the new surface.
The added grip will be an additional challenge for the teams as the data they gathered over the past year is now less relevant.
“We regularly send updates to the teams every season about any route changes for upcoming events,” said Masi. “Be it barriers, fences, gates or whatever. It can be areas that reappear.
“So yeah, the surface in Turkey has been effectively blasted with water, would probably be the best way to put it, what a regular treatment is.
“We’ve seen this regularly as an example in Singapore, where the public roads that are used keep reappearing fairly regularly due to movement. That’s what happened there, along with some other changes.”
When asked if the track made a mistake in 2020, Masi added, “I think it was just a matter of timing last year, I think we said that back then. It was literally a matter of timing, and they corrected that accordingly. ” . “
Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF1000, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
After last year’s race, F1 managing director Ross Brawn emphasized that the lack of grip was a major challenge for the drivers.
“I appreciate that the drivers weren’t happy with the general level of grip,” he said. “But it was a result of the late decision to race there as the calendar was revised to respond to COVID-19.
“I think riders sometimes have to remind themselves that whoever crosses the finish line first is a competition, so the grip level wasn’t high, but it was the same for everyone.
“Some drivers bowed their heads and resigned themselves to it, others found it to be a distraction.
“It wasn’t a bad thing to have a challenging surface like we had this weekend. It showed a rider’s talent to the utmost. I don’t think the grip level is a measure of the level of the competition, that you will have. “
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