2010 Turkish Grand Prix

Championship standings

Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel are tied at the top of the Drivers’ Championship with 78 points each, with Fernando Alonso third on 75. Jenson Button is fourth on 70 and Felipe Massa fifth on 61. Red Bull lead the Constructors’ Championship with 156 points, ahead of Ferrari on 136 and McLaren on 129.

Previous race

Webber won in Monaco to complete back-to-back victories at Spain and Monte Carlo, taking pole at both events as well. Despite the form, Webber says Red Bull cannot identify who will be challenging for the title deep into the season.

Milestones

Ferrari identify this race as their 800th Grand Prix as a constructor, and carry a commemorative logo on the engine covers. The team has won three of the last five races at Istanbul Park and Alonso says the circuit’s lower downforce requirements suit their car better than Barcelona.

Car upgrades

Red Bull introduces a revised RB6 chassis for Vettel, whose previous monocoque had a small defect causing handling difficulties in Monaco. The team tested a version of McLaren’s F-duct device during Friday practice but removed it for qualifying and the race; both drivers found it difficult to operate. Ferrari modified their F-duct to allow drivers to activate it with the left leg. Mercedes reverts to a previous specification of suspension and introduces a longer wheelbase and a new F-duct version on both cars. Williams reverts to an older front wing specification after accidents in Monaco but brings new brake ducts. Lotus debuts a new rear wing specification. Virgin procures a longer-wheelbase VR-01 for di Grassi, delayed by staff being stranded in Shanghai for a week after the volcanic eruption.

Practice

Hamilton set the fastest time in the first session at 1:28.653, nearly a second quicker than Button. Schumacher was third, ahead of Rosberg. The session was ended early when Sutil ran wide at turn eight, spun backwards into a barrier, and broke his front wing and both front tyres with two minutes remaining.

Button set the day’s fastest lap in the second session at 1:28.280, a tenth ahead of Webber. Vettel was third, Hamilton fourth, Alonso fifth. Webber stopped outside turn two with an engine failure and became embroiled in an argument with marshals over preventing the car from rolling.

In Saturday practice, Vettel was fastest at 1:27.086, three-tenths ahead of Rosberg. Hamilton was third and spun into the gravel trap at turn eight. Webber, who had a throttle problem, was fourth.