Turkish Grand Prix 2007 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Felipe Massa delivered a commanding performance at the Turkish Grand Prix, leading home teammate Kimi Räikkönen for Ferrari's second one-two finish of the season and strengthening the Scuderia's position in the championship fight. The Brazilian controlled the race from pole position at the spectacular Istanbul Park circuit, while Fernando Alonso's third place limited the damage for McLaren in a weekend where Lewis Hamilton could only manage fifth after struggling with car setup and tire wear.

Massa's pole lap of 1:27.329 was followed by a dominant race performance, with the Brazilian building a comfortable lead and also setting the fastest lap. The Ferrari F2007 was perfectly suited to Istanbul Park's demanding combination of high-speed corners, particularly the legendary Turn 8 where drivers experience sustained multi-G lateral forces. Räikkönen provided perfect support in second place, ensuring Ferrari maximized their constructor points and closed the gap to McLaren in the teams' championship despite the ongoing Spygate scandal that was beginning to threaten the team's season.

Alonso salvaged third place for McLaren, maintaining his championship challenge despite the toxic team atmosphere following the Hungarian qualifying incident. Hamilton struggled throughout the weekend and could only manage fifth, falling further behind Alonso in the championship standings. The rookie's difficulties suggested he was feeling the pressure of the title battle and the ongoing internal McLaren strife. Ferrari's dominant one-two finish put both Massa and Räikkönen firmly back in championship contention with just five races remaining, setting up a potential four-way title showdown. The Spygate investigation was also intensifying, with the FIA preparing to hand down its verdict on McLaren's possession of Ferrari technical documents.