Euro Sports Events

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa was first across the line at the Turkish GP in his third successive win at the Istanbul circuit, the first race since Super Aguri’s withdrawal from F1.

The race provided plenty of excitement throughout with the first corner dispatching Fisichella, who ran into the back of Nakajima in a spectacular but ultimately stupid smash, and contact between Finish drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Heikki Kovalainen requiring the McLaren driver to make an earlier pit stop.

One of the biggest factors in deciding the final outcome though was McLaren’s decision to run Lewis Hamilton on a three stop strategy due to concerns about his tyres. Although leading at one stage of the race, his extra stop meant he was unable to get past the Ferrari front runner and had to make do with second place.

Felipe Massa (Ferrari) +10
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) +8
Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) +6
Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber) +5
Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) +4
Fernando Alonso (Renault) +3
Mark Webber (Red Bull-Renault) +2
Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) +1
David Coulthard (Red Bull-Renault)
Jarno Trulli (Toyota)
Jenson Button (Honda)
Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes)
Timo Glock (Toyota)
Rubens Barrichello (Honda)
Nelsinho Piquet (Renault)
Adrian Sutil (Force India-Ferrari)
Sebastian Vettel (STR-Ferrari)
Sebastien Bourdais (STR-Ferrari)
Kazuki Nakajima (Williams-Toyota) Accident damage
Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India-Ferrari) Accident

Next weekend’s Grand Prix, the second in the European leg of the competition, will take place in Turkey. The great news is that Heikki Kovalainen should be fit to drive for McLaren after returning to full training after his high speed smash at Barcelona in April. He still has an FIA medical to pass before being given the go ahead, but seems confident to be given the green light on Thursday.

View a clip of the crash from YouTube video: