Mosques, bridges and Formula 1 cars: Istanbul streets see F1 action

Formula One drivers celebrate the race in Turkey and the launch of premium fashion brand AlphaTauri in Istanbul by performing doughnuts and making quick pit stops in both Europe and Asia.

Drivers Pierre Gasly of Scuderia AlphaTauri (L) and Alex Albon of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing took to the streets of the transcontinental city of Istanbul with a driving display through the city and on the July 15 Martyrs Bridge.

The occasion celebrated the long-awaited return of F1 to the country with Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix, as well as the debut for premium fashion brand AlphaTauri.

Albon and Gasly took two F1 cars onto the 1,560-meter-long (5,118-foot-long) suspension bridge that crosses the Bosporus Strait, becoming the first drivers in history to perform a pit stop and doughnuts in one city across two continents at the same moment.

After his experience on the streets of Istanbul, Gasly said: “Any time you have the possibility to drive a Formula One car at an iconic landmark is special. It was incredible to drive on the Bosporus Bridge, thinking that in a blink of an eye you cross the border of two continents – just amazing! We celebrate the return of F1 in Turkey.”

This weekend will be the first time that the Scuderia AlphaTauri team appears in Turkey. In its six Turkish Grand Prix entries to date (2006-2011), the team now named after Red Bull’s premium fashion brand raced under the former name Scuderia Toro Rosso.

For Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, the race in Turkey marks a key anniversary for the team as its 300th Grand Prix. And Albon is hoping to build upon a recent breakthrough when his third-place finish at the Tuscan Grand Prix made him the first Thai driver to stand on an F1 podium. The team hopes to follow up on the one win and five podium finishes previously achieved in Turkey.

“Driving on the streets is challenging, but it’s fun. It’s nice to enjoy driving an F1 car in places which otherwise would never be a possibility. The view from the Bosporus Bridge is amazing, and to see it all from the cockpit of an F1 car was pretty mega, but I think the best bit was driving between the two continents,” said Albon.

Regarding this weekend’s race, Albon continued: “Istanbul Park is one of those circuits that made a big impression when I was watching Formula One as a kid, particularly Turn 8, which is one of F1’s most iconic corners. It looks really impressive, and I’m looking forward to racing there for the team’s 300th race. It’s a pretty big milestone, and I hope that we can mark it with a great race on Sunday.”

In cooperation with Turkish authorities, the cars raced through streets near some of the city’s iconic and historic landmarks for a trailer for the upcoming race.

While authorities announced the closure of roads to traffic well ahead of time, seeing a Formula One car on Istanbul streets still took locals by surprise.

Witnessing the engine screams of an AlphaTauri car on Galata Bridge in Eminönü peninsula, Istanbulites were quick to pull out their phones to capture the moment, while crews were filming a much more professional take of the scene.

Formula One’s return race in Turkey will happen at Intercity Istanbul Park on Nov. 15, 2020.

With a dynamic, 5,338-kilometer (3,316-mile) circuit and ferocious “Diabolica” Turn 8, the racetrack became a Formula One classic, with the most recent race there concluding with a 1-2 finish for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.

While the only current drivers to have won in years past at Istanbul Park are Kimi Raikkonen, six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, the circuit is still held in high regard among the drivers, especially for its turns.

Of the 17 rounds on the circuit this year, the Turkish Grand Prix is the fourth to last, meaning there will be only three more to go after Sunday.

This year's season will end in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Dec. 13, 2020.