Formula 1 heads to Turkey for 1st time since 2011

Formula 1 is returning to Turkey with two practice sessions starting the three-day event on Friday.

There will be also one more practice session on Saturday before the qualifying rounds ahead of Sunday's race.

The Round 14 of the season over 58 laps will take place at the Intercity Istanbul Park on a 5.3-kilometer (some 3.3 miles) track.

2 DRIVERS FAIL TO WIN TURKISH GRAND PRIX DESPITE POLE POSITION

Turkey has hosted seven Grand Prix races so far and three drivers won the competitions after they qualified to start the races from pole position.

Kimi Raikkonen (2005), Felipe Massa (2006, 2007 and 2008) and Sebastian Vettel (2011) won the races after starting from pole position. Mark Webber in 2010 and Sebastian Vettel in 2009 failed to win the races despite both drivers qualified for pole position.

JENSON BUTTON, LEWIS HAMILTON WIN TURKISH GRAND PRIX AFTER STARTING 2ND

Some drivers, who completed the qualifying rounds in the second place in 2009 and 2010, crossed the line in the first place at the end of the race.

In 2009, Jenson Button was the first to cross the finish line after starting second behind Sebastian Vettel while Mark Webber started from pole position in 2010 but Lewis Hamilton became the first driver to claim the title.

MASSA TAKES POLE POSITION FOR 3 TURKEY RACES

Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa (3), Sebastian Vettel (2), and Mark Webber also claimed pole position in Istanbul.

Raikkonen from McLaren Mercedes was the first driver who took pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix in 2005.

Ferrari driver Massa sealed pole position three times in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Red Bull driver Vettel took pole position in 2009 and 2011 while another Red Bull driver Webber sealed pole position in 2010.

850 STAFF TO WORK FOR TURKISH GRAND PRIX

Turkey is ready to host the event this week with 850 staff, Eren Uclertopragi, chairman of the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED), said.

"Most of staff members have seven years of experience to be part of these event in recent years. We have been also organizing the World Rally Championship with this team over the last three years," he said.

"Therefore, we will organize the race with an experienced team and we will represent our country in the best way."

Serhan Acar, secretary general of the federation, said Turkey is a great country and Istanbul is a great city which deserves to host this organization.

"This year, it is challenging to host Formula 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic because we also fight against the outbreak. We take tests for COVID-19 every 2-3 days. So it's hard to host this race this year. Formula 1 races have already been canceled in more than 10 countries this year."

Acar said that Istanbul Park is a popular track among drivers with demanding turns as it tests their driving skills.