Istanbul Park no longer an 'ice rink' in 2021: 'Should be more grip now'

The Turkish Grand Prix is the next race on the calendar and with last year's race still in the back of our minds, the question is what the condition of the track is like. In 2020 it was slippery at Istanbul Park, but Michael Masi is sure that this year will be better.

New asphalt in Turkey

In 2020, Turkey was selected to host a Grand Prix. As a result of coronavirus, several organisations had to cancel their races. In Turkey a race could be organised, but drivers and teams were not very happy with Istanbul Park.

Although the circuit is a beloved one among drivers and fans, the edition of 2020 was very difficult. The new asphalt that had just been laid for the GP, combined with the cold temperatures, were not a great success. When the track also received rain, the grip was nowhere to be found.

No grip in Istanbul

''The entire surface of the track has been treated so that there should be more grip. Basically, the track has undergone a high-pressure cleaning process. That's the best way to describe it and it's used more often,'' Masi said to Motorsport-total.com. So while the asphalt should provide more grip, Ross Brawn is also critical.

''I can understand that the drivers were not happy with the asphalt last year, but they have to remember it's a competition where it's about who crosses the line first. Even if there was little grip, it was the same for everyone. Some drivers accept that, but others got distracted. The driver's talent really came to the fore as a result and that wasn't a bad thing for the race weekend'', Brawn said.