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Episode 1: 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sakhir

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Teams and Drivers for the 2006 Season
Renault
Fernando Alonso
Giancarlo Fisichella
McLaren
Kimi Raikkonen
Juan-Pablo Montoya
Ferrari
Michael Schumacher
Felipe Massa (From Sauber)
Toyota
Ralf Schumacher
Jarno Trulli
Williams
Mark Webber
Nico Rosberg *new*
Honda
Rubens Barrichello (From Ferrari)
Jenson Button (Just)
Red Bull
David Coulthard
Christian Klien
BMW Sauber
Nick Heidfeld (From Williams)
Jacques Villeneuve
Midland F1(Formerly Jordan)
Christijan Albers
Tiago Monteiro
Toro Rosso (Formerly Minardi)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (From Red Bull)
Scott Speed *New*
Super Aguri F1*New*
Takuma Sato (From Honda)
Yuji Ide *New*

*New* means that this is a new(ish) driver/Team for 2006 [edit]
This is the first time the Bahrian GP has opened the F1 season. That honour usually goes to the Australian GP but due to scheduling with the Commonwealth Games, the order for this year was altered. Australia now hosts the 3rd grand prix of 2006. [edit]
The Bahrain GP is the inaugral grand prix for 3 new teams in 2007 - Super Aguri, Midland F1 & Squadra Toro Rosso

The Bahrain GP is also the inaugral grand prix for 3 drivers:
Nico Rosberg - Williams
Scott Speed - Toro Rosso
Yuji Ide - Super Aguri [edit]
4 days before the grand prix it was leaked to the media that rookie Yuji Ide would need to submit to a fitness test prior to the grand prix as he was still suffering from visual problems due to a crash in the final round of Japanese GT last season. [edit]
A new qualifying system is in place for the 2006 season. It debuts at Bahrain.

The qualifying practice session will take place on the day before the race from 14.00 to 15.00.
The session will be run as follows:
a) From 14.00 to 14.15 all cars will be permitted on the track and at the end of this period the slowest six cars, taking into account only laps which were completed before the end of the period, will be prohibited from taking any further part in the session.
Lap times achieved by the seventeen remaining cars will then be deleted.
b) From 14.20 to 14.35 the seventeen remaining cars will be permitted on the track and at the end of this period the slowest six cars, taking into account only laps which were completed before the end of the period, will be prohibited from taking any further part in the session.
Lap times achieved by the ten remaining cars will then be deleted.
c) From 14.40 to 15.00 the ten remaining cars will be permitted on the track.
If, in the opinion of the stewards, a driver deliberately stops on the circuit or impedes another driver in any way during the qualifying practice session his times will be cancelled.

If a driver has a spin-off the track and are unable to get on to the track by them selves their lap times will be cancelled. [edit]
Timetable for Bahrain F1 GP

Friday 10 March
11:00-12:00 Friday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Friday Practice 2

Saturday 11 March
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 12 March
14:30 Race [edit]
The Bahrain GP was staged for the first time in 2004. The circuit at Sakhir has accommodation for 50,000 spectators housed in two fixed grandstands and other temporary ones. The circuit built specially for the arrival of F1 racing, is almost five and a half kilometres long and boasts an inner track of 2.4km with eight turns and an outer track of 3.66km with 10 turns. The circuit is designed by renowned specialist Hermann Tilke, who was also responsible for the Sepang circuit in Malaysia and carried out the recent modifications to the Nurburgring and Hockenheim circuits. [edit]
No of Laps: 57
Race Distance: 308.238km
Circuit Length: 5.412km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:30:252 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]
Bahrain is the first race of the 2006 season. [edit]

Episode 2: 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix - Kuala Lumpur

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Ferrari came under fire as teams said they were using flexible front wings, giving the car greater staright line speed. Two other teams were also suspected of having flexible rear wings. [edit]
Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams) was given Formula One's first ever drive-through penalty at the Malaysian GP in 2004, for his collision with Michael Schumacher (Ferrari). [edit]
Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at Sepang, having won three of the seven Malaysian GPs so far. He is also the only driver to finish all seven events held so far. [edit]
The first Malaysian GP was marred by controversy when Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher were disqualified from first and second for running illegal aerodynamic 'bargeboards'. They were later reinstated to revive the world championship fight between the Irvine and Mika Hakkinen (McLaren). [edit]
Timetable:
Friday 17 March
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 18 March
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 19 March
15:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
The Sepang curcuit features 2 long straights which are connected by a tight hairpin and 2 shorter straights, amid a variety of tight and flowing corners. [edit]
No of Laps: 56
Race Distance: 310.408 km
Circuit Length: 5,543 km
Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Columbian)
Lap Time: 1:34:233 (2004)
Team: Williams BMW F1 [edit]

Episode 3: 2006 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne

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From 1985 to 1995 the Australian GP was held in Adelaide, famously known as the City of Churches. The coup of Melbourne winning the rights to host the grand prix is still a sore point with many South Australians. [edit]
Grandstand ticket sales were down 14% for the 2006 Austrailian GP due to the timing of the Commonwealth Games, which caused a change in the date of the grand prix. [edit]
The ’95 Aus GP attracted the biggest crowd in F1 history – 210,000 people on race day. [edit]
This (2006) is the final year that the Australian GP has an exemption from a ban on tobacco advertising. [edit]
The Albert Park circuit consists of many curving straights and tight corners. It has one of the highest average speeds of the current F1 circuits. [edit]
Timetable:
Friday 31 March
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 1 April
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 2 April
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
This is the 11th year for the Melbourne Grand Prix. Previously the Australian GP was held in Adelaide. [edit]
The Melbourne Grand Prix is situated at Albert Park, in the city centre of Melbourne. [edit]
No of Laps: 58
Race Distance: 307.574km
Circuit Length: 5.303km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:24:125 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 4: 2006 San Marino Grand Prix - Imola

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The design of the San Marino track incorporates 16 corners (10 left and six right-handers) with a 237 metre long start/finish straight. [edit]
The 1st world championship race to be held at Imola was the 1980 Italian Grand Prix. Since then the race has been known as the San Marino Grand Prix. [edit]
Imola is one of only three anti-clockwise circuits on the F1 calendar. Interlagos and Istanbul are the other two. [edit]
The Imola circuit’s full name is the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. It was originally named after just Dino, Enzo Ferrari’s son who died of leukaemia in 1956, but the Commedatore’s name was added following his death in 1988. [edit]
The 1982 San Marino GP was boycotted by most British-based teams because of an argument between the sport’s governing body FISA and Bernie Ecclestone’s FOCA alliance of constructors. [edit]
Ferrari went 15 years without a victory at Imola. This was between 1983 and 1999 - Michael Schumacher ended the drought and has won in all but two of the subsequent years. [edit]
Ralf Schumacher claimed his maiden F1 win at this track in 2001, with Williams. [edit]
The 2003 victory for Michael Schumacher at this track was poignant for him as it came just the day after the death of his mother. [edit]
Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at Imola, with a total of six wins, including three of the last four years’ events. A Schumacher has been on the top podium here every year from 1999 to 2005 as Michael’s winning run was broken temporarily in 2001 by brother Ralf (his maiden F1 win). Alonso won the even in 2005 when he beat Michael to the flag by just two tenths of a second. [edit]
Williams are the most successful team at Imola so far with eight victories. This is two more than Ferrari and McLaren. [edit]
This is the 26th running of the San Marino Grand Prix. [edit]
San Marino Timetable:
Friday 21 April
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 22 April
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 23 April
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna both died on the same weekend here in 1994. Following these deaths, major modifications were made to the circuit for safety reasons. [edit]
No of Laps: 62
Race Distance: 305.609 km
Circuit Length: 4.933km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:20:411 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 5: 2006 European Grand Prix - Nürburgring

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Of the 22 drivers who'll line up on the grid this Sunday, Michael Schumacher has the best qualifying record at the European GP. He bagged his first Euro pole in 1994 (race was held at Jerez) but had to wait seven years before repeating the achievement in 2001 and then again in 2004. [edit]
Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at the Nürburgring. He's won the race five times! [edit]
The track's layout includes 15 corners - 6 left- and 9 right-handers. Drivers reach a top speed of 325kph. [edit]
After the 'Mercedes Arena' was incorporated into the circuit's design in 2002, the length of the track increased by 600m. [edit]
In 2003, Kimi Räikkönen took his maiden pole position and looked set for certain victory until his Mercedes V10 expired on lap 25. [edit]
In 2002, the first sector of the lap was modified by Hermann Tilke to create more overtaking opportunities. The pit straight used to have a fairly short braking area into a third-gear S-bend, but now ends in a hairpin requiring very hard braking down to first gear. The changes have had the desired effect although the circuit is more fiddly and less flowing than before. [edit]
Ferrari is the most successful team at the Nürburgring, with 13 victories. [edit]
Johnny Herbert claimed Stewart Grand Prix’s only victory in the dramatic 1999 GP, which was led by seven different drivers. [edit]
Jacques Villeneuve scored his first grand prix win at the Nürburgring in 1996. [edit]
The Nürburgring disappeared from the calendar after 1985, due to commercial disputes between promoters and a general lack of enthusiasm. But it was resurrected – once again under the guise of the European GP – in 1995. [edit]
In 1984 the track was re-built. It was christened with a race for Formula 1 drivers of various eras in identical Mercedes 190s. Ayrton Senna, then a young rookie, upstaged the likes of Alain Prost, Keke Rosberg, Alan Jones, James Hunt, Stirling Moss, Phil Hill, Denny Hulme and Jack Brabham. [edit]
Niki Lauda was a vociferous critic of the Nürburgring and had called for his fellow drivers to boycott the race in 1976, but was outvoted. The race went ahead and Lauda had a horrendous crash in which his Ferrari burst into flames. He suffered grievous burns and was given the last rites, but miraculously survived and, in an extraordinary feat of personal courage, returned to the cockpit six weeks later at Monza. [edit]
Jackie Stewart scored his most famous victory at this track in the ’68 German Grand Prix, winning by over four minutes in driving rain and thick fog. [edit]
European Timetable:
Friday 5 May
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 6 May
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 7 May
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
Niki Lauda had his horrific crash at this circuit. Since then the circuit has undergone major safety changes. [edit]
While being held in Germany, this race is known as the European GP [edit]
Nürburgring Circuit details
No of Laps: 60
Race Distance: 308.863km
Circuit Length: 5.148km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:29:468 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 6: 2006 Spanish Grand Prix - Catalunya

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Kimi Räikkönen will start Sunday's race as the defending Spanish Grand Prix Champion, as he held off Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli in 2005 to win the event. [edit]
Michael Schumacher has the best qualifying record at Barcelona. He claimed pole position seven times (1994; 1995; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003 & 2004). The Ferrari driver has also started an additional four times from a top-four grid slot. [edit]
Demanding fast corners and a long high-speed straight make the race a real test. The layout of the track incorporates four high-speed corners, a short straight and an 880metre pit straight [edit]
The circuit and its facilities have been continually upgraded since becoming the home of the Spanish GP. In 2005 enlarged run off areas were built at several locations, together with a modification at Nissan, while as recently as December/January this year, the track was resurfaced. [edit]
Since the official inauguration of Formula One in 1950, Spain has played host to 35 grands prix, the first two having been held in Pedralbes. Subsequent venues include Jarama (nine), Montjuich (four), Jerez (five) and now the Circuit de Catalunya. [edit]
Barcelona's enviable position between the mountains and the sea ensures year-round outdoor fun and is aptly described in Red Bull Racing's preview as "a city that is inconceivable until you get there, unbelievable while you walk its streets and unforgettable after you've gone" [edit]
Mika Hakkinen broke down on the last lap of the 2001 event, robbing him of what would have been a fourth consecutive Spanish GP win. The Finn’s retirement handed victory to Michael Schumacher and promoted Jacques Villeneuve to third – BAR’s first ever podium. [edit]
David Coulthard drove in the 2000 Spanish Grand Prix just days after being involved in a plane crash that killed two pilots. He finished a second behind team-mate Mika Hakkinen. [edit]
Martin Donnelly's F1 career was ended by a violent crash in practice for the 1990 Spanish GP. The Ulsterman sustained multiple injuries when the monocoque of his Lotus literally disintegrated, throwing him clear of the wreckage. [edit]
Michael Schumacher took his first win for Ferrari in the 1996 Spanish GP. The race was run in terrible weather conditions allowing the German to show all his class. His fastest race lap was 2.2s faster than any other driver could manage. [edit]
In 1976, James Hunt was disqualified from the Spanish GP because his car was too wide. McLaren argued that this had been caused by the expansion of their tyres during the race and he was reinstated two months later. The points gained were pivotal in Hunt winning the championship from Niki Lauda. [edit]
The 1995 Spanish GP was Nigel Mansell’s last ever F1 race. The Brit parked his specially enlarged McLaren in the pits midway through the race and stormed off, declaring it “impossible to drive”. He was replaced by ITV F1’s Mark Blundell from Monaco onwards. [edit]
The Spanish GP in 1986 produced one of the closest finishes in F1 history. Ayrton Senna crossed the line just 0.014s ahead of a fast-closing Nigel Mansell. [edit]
In the late 1960s and early 1970s the race alternated between the purpose-built Jarama track outside Madrid and a demanding public road circuit running through Barcelona’s beautiful Montjuich Park. When both of these venues became unpopular, the race disappeared from the calendar before being revived at the new Jerez circuit in southern Spain in 1986. The Catalans won the race back in 1991 and Barcelona is now the undisputed home of the grand prix. [edit]
In 1975, four spectators were tragically killed at the Spanish GP when Rolf Stommelen suffered a rear wing failure and his Hill-Cosworth vaulted the barriers. It was the last time that F1 visited Montjuich Park. [edit]
Former Minardi driver Luis Perez Sala acted as an advisor on the Catalunya circuit’s layout.
[edit]
The Circuit de Catalunya is the fifth venue to host the Spanish Grand Prix. The country’s first world championship race was held on a street course in Pedralbes, Barcelona in 1951. [edit]
The European Commission is taking 'action' against F1 countries Italy, Hungary and Spain by sending them 'letters of formal notice', as they continue to ignore Europe's tobacco advertising ban. If these circuits continue to defy the ban the Grand Prix will be cancelled. [edit]
Circuit de Catalunya have added four new grandstands and extended the general admission grass areas in order to have more place for spectators. This increase means 5,476 new seats - 71,609 grandstand seats in all. [edit]
Barcelona has mix of high and low-speed corners. It is a bumpy track which means tyre wear is particularly high. [edit]
Spanish Timetable:
Friday 12 May
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 13 May
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 14 May
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 66
Race Distance: 305.256km
Circuit Length: 4.627km
Lap Record: Giancarlo Fisichella (Italian)
Lap Time: 1:15:641 (2005)
Team: Renault [edit]

Episode 7: 2006 Monaco Grand Prix - Monte Carlo

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In 2004, Michael Schumacher stunned viewers when he came out of the tunnel on three wheels while leading the race behind the safety car! Replays showed him braking and locking up in the tunnel in an attempt to warm up his Ferrari's tyres, and Juan Pablo Montoya, immediately behind and a lap down, hitting him from behind and sending him into the barrier. [edit]
Keke Rosberg won the 1983 Monaco GP in an under-powered Williams, thanks to an inspired decision to start on slick tyres in the damp but drying conditions. The Finn's sublime car control did the rest, and he beat the turbocharged opposition easily. [edit]
Kimi Raikkonen is one of five drivers who'll be lining up on the grid who has claimed the Monaco title. Juan Pablo Montoya did it in 2003 and Jarno Trulli in 2004, while David Coulthard won the race in 2000 and 2002 and Michael Schumacher in 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001. [edit]
The Monte Carlo street course is the shortest of all the circuits, measuring only 3.340 kilometres. However, the race has the highest number of laps covered, 78, but yet the full race distance still only adds up to 260.520kms. [edit]
Since the official inauguration of F1in 1950, Monaco has hosted 52 grands prix with Juan Manuel Fangio in an Alfa Romeo winning the very first race. The race distance at the time was 100 laps - or 318 kilometres. [edit]
Michelin-shod teams have won the last four Monaco GPs. Coulthard won for McLaren in 2002, Montoya for Williams in '03, Trulli for Renault in '04 and Raikkonen last year (05) for McLaren. [edit]
The first race was in 1929 and was the brainchild of the Automobile Club de Monaco and had the enthusiastic backing of Prince Louis II. The royal family has played an important role ever since, especially under Prince Rainier III, whose marriage to Hollywood star Grace Kelly in 1956 augmented the glamorous status of the Principality. Prince Rainier died in 2005, aged 81. [edit]
Between 1984 and 1997 only one driver other than multiple champions Prost, Senna and Schumacher won at Monaco – Olivier Panis in the Ligier, in the legendary four-car race finish of 1996. [edit]
The 1982 event at Monaco witnessed one of the most bizarre end to any race ever. Alain Prost crashed his Renault with two and a half laps to go as light rain made the track surface slippery; the new leader Riccardo Patrese spun at the Loews hairpin, promoting Didier Pironi to the lead at the start of the last lap. [edit]
Senna paid the price for a lapse of concentration at Portier in 1988, handing the win to his team-mate – and arch-rival – Alain Prost. Senna was so distraught that he shut himself away in his apartment for the rest of the day. [edit]
In 1955 Alberto Ascari crashed through the straw bales at the chicane and ended up in the harbour. He swam ashore with nothing more than a broken nose. Tragically, hewas killed four days later while testing a Ferrari sportscar for fun at Monza. [edit]
In 1967 Lorenzo Bandini crashed at a chicane and was burned to death in a raging fire.
[edit]
In 2004 the pit and paddock complex was given a major upgrade. For the first time the teams had garages in the pits in which to work on their cars. Prior to this, mechanics had to push their cars up the hill from the underground car parks. The pit lane was also turned around and now faces the harbour rather than the start-finish straight. [edit]
The 1933 Monaco GP saw an epic duel between two of the greatest drivers of the pre-war era, Achille Varzi and Tazio Nuvolari. The result was in Varzi’s favour. [edit]
The first Monaco GP in 1929 was won by an Anglo-Frenchman named W. Williams in a privately entered Bugatti, painted in British racing green. [edit]
In 1973, a new tunnel was built beneath the Loews Hotel (now the Grand Hotel) and a new complex of corners was installed around the swimming pool. Other changes included the tightening of what was a fast right-hander at Ste Devote and a dramatic reprofiling of the chicane, which was taken at 150mph by 1985 but is now negotiated at a much slower pace. [edit]
The Monaco circuit has been modified over the years but has retained its character and still follows the trace of the original design. Many of the corners, particularly on the tortuous section twisting down from the town to the sea front, have not been altered. [edit]
Monaco is one of the few F1 venues (along with Monza, Silverstone and Spa) that retains a direct connection with the sport’s past, staging its first GP in 1929 and continuously since 1955. [edit]
Timetable:
Thursday 25 May
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 27 May
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 28 May
14:00 Race

* All times are local
[edit]
Overtaking at this narrow street circuit is almost impossible so qualifying in Monaco is much more critical than at any other GP. [edit]
Monaco's first practice is on Thursday, not Friday as every other circuit. [edit]
No of Laps: 78
Race Distance: 260.520km
Circuit Length: 3.340km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:14:439 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 8: 2006 British Grand Prix - Silverstone

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During the GP weekend, David Coulthard announced his engagement to Belgian, Karen Minier. He proposed on the Friday of the race weekend. (9th June 2006). [edit]
In 1973, South Africa's Jody Scheckter prompted a multiple pile-up after spinning on the exit of Woodcote at Silverstone, wiping out nine cars in the process. [edit]
In 2003, a protestor invaded the Silverstone track and paraded a banner whilst running down Hangar Straight in front of cars travelling at nearly 200mph. The protester was later found out to be an ex disgruntled McLaren employee. [edit]
Michael Schumacher broke his leg in a head-on crash at Stowe in an accident in 1999. [edit]
In 1998, Michael Schumacher became the first driver to win a grand prix in the pits, after taking advantage of a loophole in the rules which allowed him to serve a penalty after the race had ended. [edit]
A total of 355 different drivers have entered the British GPs at Silverstone in the history of Formula One. [edit]
One lap of Silverstone requires around 37 gear changes - meaning each driver will change gear over 2,200 times in a race. [edit]
Nigel Mansell's win in the 1992 event precipitated a massive track invasion by fans. [edit]
Jacques Laffite became the first driver to equal Graham Hill's long-standing record of 176 grand prix starts at the 1986 British GP at Brands Hatch. Sadly, he broke both legs in a crash at Paddock Hill Bend on the 1st lap and never raced in F1 again. [edit]
In 1976 Fans rioted at Silverstone when it seemed James Hunt would not be allowed to take the restart, leading the stewards to relent. [edit]
Controversy has dogged Schumacher at Silverstone. In 1994 he was disqualified for overtaking Damon Hill on the parade lap, while in 1998 he served a 10s stop-go penalty only after crossing the finish line to win in the pit lane! In 1995 he was the victim of an over-ambitious lunge from rival Hill, which put them both out of the race and gave Benetton's Johnny Herbert his maiden F1 win. [edit]
Three teams – McLaren, Ferrari and Williams – have won 29 of the last 31 British GPs. Only Benetton in 1995 and Renault with Prost in 1983 have broken the trio's grip on proceedings. McLaren and Ferrari have four victories apiece in the last eight years. [edit]
Williams won its first grand prix at Silverstone when Swiss racer Clay Regazzoni won in 1979. [edit]
Ferrari took its first grand prix win in the 1951 race when Froilan Gonzalez, known as ‘the Pampas Bull’, defeated the so far unbeaten Alfa Romeos. [edit]
Jim Clark holds the record for most poles at this track. He has 5 while Stirling Moss has four. [edit]
British drivers have won 21 of the 56 British Grands Prix. [edit]
If neither Jenson Button nor David Coulthard win this year's race, it will be six years since a British driver stood on the top step at his home GP – which would set a new record for consecutive years without a British winner. [edit]
When Silverstone first hosted a grand prix in 1948, the circuit was laid out in the shape of an X and was marked out by oil drums. [edit]
Keke Rosberg's 1985 pole time of 1m05.591s, an average speed of 160.92mph, was the fastest lap in F1 history. The record stood for 17 years until Juan Pablo Montoya went fractionally faster in qualifying for the 2002 Italian Grand Prix. [edit]
Silverstone served as an RAF bomber base in the Second World War. [edit]
Michael Schumacher has won the race three times (in 1998, 2002 and 2004). He is one of three current drivers to have won the race more than once. The others are Coulthard (1999 and 2000) and Jacques Villeneuve (1996 and 1997). [edit]
Alain Prost and Jim Clark hold the joint record for British Grand Prix victories with five apiece. [edit]
Britain is one of only two countries to have held a Grand Prix in every year of the world championship's 56-year history. The other country is Italy. [edit]
This will be Silverstone's 20th consecutive British GP. [edit]
The legendary Gilles Villeneuve made his Formula One debut for McLaren in the 1977 British Grand Prix, spinning eight times in practice but finishing the race in seventh place. [edit]
The British GP has been staged at three different venues: Silverstone, Aintree and Brands Hatch. [edit]
The first GP at Silverstone was won by Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo 158 in 1950. [edit]
British Timetable:
Friday 9 June
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 10 June
09:30-10:30 Saturday Practice
12:30 Qualifying

Sunday 14 May
12:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 60
Race Distance: 308.355km
Circuit Length: 5.141km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:18:739 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 9: 2006 Canadian Grand Prix - Montreal

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Of the 22 drivers who'll line up on the grid this Sunday, Michael Schumacher has the best qualifying record here. He got his first pole position in 1994 and followed it up with another five P1s (95, 97, 99, 00 and 01). [edit]
The Canadian track's layout includes 12 corners - five left and seven right - and drivers are full throttle for about 55 percent of the lap, reaching a top speed of 325 Km/h. [edit]
The Canadian circuit is named after the late Gilles Villeneuve, who won the inaugural race and the 1997 World Championship and is current BMW driver Jacques' father. Regarded as one of the greatest drivers never to win the World title, Gilles died in 1982 when at Zolder, while trying to take pole position, he ran into the back of Jochen Mass's Rothmans March. Villeneuve's Ferrari cart-wheeled and he was killed. [edit]
The complex on Notre Dame Island, where the non-permanent race track is situated, played host to the World Expo in 1967 and the Olympic Games in 1976. The Formula One paddock runs along the former rowing basin. [edit]
Ferrari has won more Canadian GP victories than any other team with 11 wins. McLaren has nine wins and Williams seven. [edit]
Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver in Canada with a remarkable seven wins (1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004). [edit]
Jacques Villeneuve’s best result in his home race remains his first attempt in 1996 when he finished second behind team-mate Damon Hill. He failed to finish on every subsequent attempt until 2005, when he came home just outside the points in ninth. [edit]
Canada witnessed the first victory for BMW’s turbo engine, which won the 1982 race in the back of Nelson Piquet’s Brabham. [edit]
Ralf and Michael Schumacher’s 1-2 at Montreal in 2001 was the first time in F1 history that two brothers finished a race first and second. They repeated the feat in 2003 – but with roles reversed. [edit]
Jean Alesi scored his only grand prix victory in his 91st start at Montreal in 1995. Jean had come close to winning several times before, including as early as 1990 when he diced with Ayrton Senna for the lead of the US GP, and was beside himself with joy at finally breaking his duck. His elation was shared by most of the F1 paddock – and a large number of fans who invaded the track even as battles continued for the minor placings. [edit]
Montreal is a little-used semi-permanent parkland circuit. In 2002 it began hosting an annual Champ Car race - before that it was only used once a year for the grand prix. [edit]
Nigel Mansell was left embarrassed in 1991, when he stopped on the last lap while leading. The Brit was waving to the crowd when he allowed the revs to drop too low at the hairpin and stalled his Williams. [edit]
The race moved to Montreal itself in 1978 and was won by the now-legendary Gilles Villeneuve (after whom the circuit is named). Not only was it the pint-sized hero's first F1 victory, he also became the first Canadian to win a grand prix in the process. [edit]
The race has been on the Formula One calendar since 1967. It previously took place at the Mosport Park road course north of Toronto, and at the even more spectacular Mont Tremblant-St Jovite venue, in the ski country north of Montreal. [edit]
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on the Ile de Notre Dame, a man-made island on the St. Lawrence River that was constructed for the 1967 Expo world fair. The island also provided the swimming arena and rowing basin for the 1976 Olympic Games. [edit]
On 8 May 2006, it was announced a deal had been struck to allow Montreal to host at least five more Canadian Grand Prix. [edit]
The Canadian GP weekend has always been a busy one for Montreal retailers but this year the shift of date created problems as the race will now fall on the St Jean Baptiste holiday weekend rather than its usual date in mid June. By law, most retailers are required to close on the major holidays and that would mean that the Saturday of the Grand Prix would see most of the city's shops being forced to stay closed. Retailers protested that this would mean financial disaster for the city because the Grand Prix is the biggest tourist event of the year and a lucrative time for shop owners. Tourisme Montreal estimates that the Grand Prix brings the city around $50m in income for hotels, restaurants, food, shopping, transportation and entertainment. After investingating the situation, authorities have decided not to take the risk of losing that revenue and the regional government has announced that the downtown area of the city will be exempt from the law this year. [edit]
Canadian Timetable:
Friday 23 June
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 24 June
10:00-11:00 Saturday Practice
13:00 Qualifying

Sunday 25 May
13:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 70
Race Distance: 305.270km
Circuit Length: 4.361km
Lap Record: Rubens Barrichello (Brazillian)
Lap Time: 1:13:622 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 10: 2006 American Grand Prix - Indianapolis

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Ralf was in an accident again in 2005, crashing a Toyota in similarly violent fashion at almost exactly the same spot as the previous year during practice. This time he escaped without injury, and upon extricating himself from the wreckage kicked the offending tyre in disgust. His crash was the trigger point for the mounting concerns over tyre safety that eventually led the seven Michelin teams to withdraw from the race at the end of the formation lap in 2005. The French manufacturer did not have a tyre design that it was confident could withstand the abnormal loadings through the banked turn 13 and advised its teams that it would be unsafe to take part. The Michelin teams’ suggestion that a makeshift chicane be erected in turn 13 to enable the race to go ahead with a full complement of cars was rejected by the FIA. [edit]
After the Michelin teams withdrew from the 2005 race, the ensuing six-car procession, featuring only the three Bridgestone teams (Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi), left the assembled American fans stunned and outraged. Some threw plastic bottles onto the circuit and there was a mass exodus from IMS as the ‘race’ went on. Michelin attempted to mend fences with the American public by issuing refunds to 2005 ticket holders as well as 20,000 free tickets for the 2006 race. It remains to be seen what impact the ‘Indygate’ affair will have on attendance at this year’s event, the last on the current contract between Formula One Management and IMS. [edit]
Michael Schumacher won again in 2004 en route to a seventh world title. Brother Ralf crashed at 190mph in the banked final turn after a rear tyre on his Williams let go due to debris from an earlier incident. He sustained two fractured vertebrae and was sidelined until the Italian GP in September. [edit]
Juan Pablo Montoya was eliminated from the 2003 championship at the US GP after he was controversially penalised for a collision with Barrichello. Michael Schumacher won the race and went on to take his record sixth world championship at Suzuka a fortnight later. [edit]
The 2002 US GP ended in controversy as Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher slowed towards the line in an attempt to choreograph a 'photo finish' with team-mate Rubens Barrichello. Having failed to realise the exact finishing line, Schumacher embarrassingly conceded the win as Barrichello nosed ahead in the last few metres! [edit]
The man behind the US Grand Prix at Indy is Tony George, head of the Speedway corporation. He made radical changes to the existing site by demolishing buildings, erecting a new pit complex and grandstands, and building a 2.6-mile infield road course. [edit]
A number of F1 stars have won the Indy 500, including Jim Clark and Graham Hill who were part of the British rear-engined revolution in the 1960s. Among current F1 drivers, Jacques Villeneuve sensationally overcame a two-lap penalty to win in 1995 and Juan Pablo Montoya dominated the 2000 event. [edit]
The circuit is built on a 1,025-acre site, including an infield of 224 acres onto which the road course link for the US GP was built. The oval circuit track width is 50 feet on the straights and 60 feet in the corners, which are banked at 9 degrees 12 minutes. [edit]
Although the Indianapolis 500 was part of the F1 world championship between 1950 and 1960, the first real US GP took place in 1959. The race was held at the Sebring airfield circuit in Florida and won by Bruce McLaren. Then 22, he became the youngest winner in F1 history – until Fernando Alonso stole that honour at Hungary in 2003. [edit]
The USA became the only country ever to host three grands prix in a season in 1982 when races were held at Long Beach, Detroit and Las Vegas. [edit]
The IMS complex is so vast that the infield of the oval contains a nine-hole golf course. [edit]
The USA has held grands prix in more places than any other country with nine venues staging world championship races: Sebring, Riverside, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and, of course, Indy. [edit]
The Speedway has had three owners. The original consortium was taken over in 1927 by World War I flying ace Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker – and, since 1945, the great oval has resided firmly in the hands of the Hulman/George family. [edit]
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) opened in 1909. It was developed by a consortium of four businessmen led by car dealer Carl G. Fisher. The group shared a dream of creating a ‘great outdoor laboratory’ for the fledgling automotive industry. [edit]
The first ever race at this circuit was actually for gas-filled balloons. Cars first circled the track in August 1909 and the first Indianapolis 500 Motor Sweepstakes took place in 1911. [edit]
The track surface initially consisted of crushed stone and tar but was replaced after a year by a paved surface of 3.2 million bricks, hence the enduring nickname ‘Brickyard’. The circuit, except for the start and finish straight, was asphalted in 1937 with the straight remaining bare until 1961. A yard of bricks can still be seen on the start/finish line today. [edit]
Mika Hakkinen took his final F1 win in the 2001 US Grand Prix. [edit]
Turn One of the anti-clockwise oval track forms the last bend of the clockwise road circuit and is the only significantly banked corner on the F1 calendar. The track also features the longest flat-out section of all the grand prix circuits, with cars running at full throttle for around 23 seconds from Turn 11 to Turn One, hitting terminal speeds of 200mph. The specially designed infield, which was built for the inaugural race held in 2000, is a tight, fiddly and relatively slow section. This part of the track is rarely used throughout the year and as a result offers little grip. [edit]
US Timetable:
Friday 30 June
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 1 July
10:00-11:00 Saturday Practice
13:00 Qualifying

Sunday 2 July
13:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 73
Race Distance: 306.016km
Circuit Length: 4.192km
Lap Record: Rubens Barichello (Brazillian)
Lap Time: 1:10:399 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 11: 2006 French Grand Prix - Magny Cours

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In 1991, the French Grand Prix moved from Paul Ricard to Magny-Cours near Nevers for domestic political reasons. A modern, ultra-smooth track, the layout is not without challenge for the drivers but strikes most observers as bland and sterile all the same. [edit]
Prost’s number of French GP wins was trumped by Michael Schumacher in 2004, who won the event for the seventh time. He goes into this year's race looking to become the first man to win the same race on eight occasions [edit]
Alain Prost is the most successful French driver of all time with four world championships and 51 grand prix victories. He won his home race no fewer than six times between 1981 (his maiden F1 success) and 1993. [edit]
In 1982, France held two rounds of the world championship, but the second, at Dijon, was designated the Swiss Grand Prix, despite racing having been banned in that country since the 1955 Le Mans tragedy. [edit]
Renault won a hat-trick of French GPs in 1981-83, each time with a Frenchman behind the wheel. Alain Prost won in ’81 and ’83 and Arnoux triumphed in ’82. [edit]
The 1979 race witnessed arguably the greatest race in F1 history – Rene Arnoux and Gilles Villeneuve repeatedly swapped positions and banged wheels as they disputed second place in the closing stages. Villeneuve finally won. [edit]
The French GP is one of the few long-established races on the F1 calendar that Ayrton Senna never won. His best result was second in 1988. [edit]
Grand Prix racing originated in France. The first ever grand prix was staged at Le Mans in 1906. Held over two days and comprising 12 laps of a 64-mile course of rough roads that broke up under the heavy pounding, it was won by Hungarian Ferenc Szisz in a Renault at an average speed of 63mph. [edit]
The French GP was part of the inaugural Formula 1 world championship in 1950. It took place at Reims in the Champagne region of northern France and was won by Juan Manuel Fangio in an Alfa Romeo. [edit]
In the 1970s and early 1980s the French GP alternated between Paul Ricard and Dijon-Prenois in the Burgundy wine country. Where Ricard was fast, flat and featureless, Dijon was all swooping corners and adverse cambers. Its short lap distance meant that negotiating slower traffic was always a major headache. [edit]
The 1953 French GP at Reims is regarded as one of the greatest races of all time. Englishman Mike Hawthorn triumphed, beating Fangio by one second after two and three-quarter hours of flat-out racing. The top four finishers were blanketed by just 4.6 seconds. [edit]
There has been a French GP every year since 1950, apart from 1955. That year’s race was cancelled in the wake of the tragic accident at Le Mans that killed Pierre Levegh and more than 80 spectators. [edit]
French Timetable:
Friday 14 July
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 15 July
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 16 July
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 70
Race Distance: 308.586km
Circuit Length: 4.411km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:15:377 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 12: 2006 German Grand Prix - Hockenhiem

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Only four of the current drivers have won the German GP - Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Rubens Barrichello. [edit]
After Germany's Hermann Tilke modified the track in 2002, a single lap, which includes 12 corners (four left- and eight right-handers), is now 4.574 km or 2.842 miles long as opposed to its previous length of 4.240 miles. [edit]
In 1938 the circuit was redesigned and the triangle was replaced with the oval-shaped Palatinate Ring. [edit]
Hockenheim's first taste of motor sport action was on 29th May 1932 when the un-surfaced, triangular circuit hosted its inaugural motorcycle race. [edit]
Hockenheim has a population of over 20,000 and lies on the Upper Rhine Plain in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, which is located in southwest Germany. [edit]
If Michael Schumacher finishes on the podium at Hockenheim, he will be the first man to do this seven times. Currently he shares the record of six top three German GP finishes with Jacques Laffite, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. [edit]
If Fernando Alonso takes victory in 2006, he will become the first man to win back-to-back German GPs for 14 years. The last driver to do this was Nigel Mansell in 1991 and 1992. [edit]
Hockenheim’s new layout, was designed by Hermann Tilke. The German is the man behind Sepang, Sakhir, Shanghai and the Istanbul circuit. The track lost its trademark long straights through the forest and shrunk from 4.240 miles in length to 2.842 miles when it was redesigned in 2002. [edit]
Gerhard Berger took his final win – and what turned out to be Benetton’s last victory – at the 1997 German GP. [edit]
In 1994 the public witnessed Jos Verstappen’s horrific pit fire. The Dutchman and two of his mechanics had to be treated for minor burns. It later emerged his Benetton team had tampered with his fuel rig... [edit]
Ferrari has won at Hockenheim 18 times, which is double Williams' tally and 12 more than McLaren's. [edit]
Damon Hill received a death threat before the 1994 race. A call was made to the Williams team saying the Brit would be shot if he finished ahead of Michael Schumacher. He eventually came home eighth while Schumacher retired. [edit]
Juan Pablo Montoya's 2003 German GP victory was one of the most dominant of the modern era. The Colombian was 1m05.459s ahead of his rivals at the chequered flag. [edit]
Didier Pironi’s F1 career ended at Hockenheim in 1982 when he suffered horrendous leg injuries in a practice accident. His Ferrari team-mate Patrick Tambay took an emotional victory in the race. [edit]
In 2000, a sacked Mercedes worker jumped on to the circuit, causing the safety car to be scrambled. His actions cost McLaren and his former employers victory. [edit]
Few grands prix have been as eventful as Hockenheim's 1994 event. A series of first lap crashes meant that a remarkable 11 drivers were out of the race within the opening mile! [edit]
Hockenheim was built in 1939 as a test track for Mercedes. Originally a massive oval, it was cut in two by the construction of an autobahn. [edit]
Kimi Raikkonen has yet to finish at Hockenheim in five attempts. However he has had more than his fair share of bad luck in the last two years. In 2004 he was chasing Michael Schumacher for the lead, when the rear wing flew off his McLaren down the main straight, putting him into the tyre wall. Then in 2005 he was cruising to a win when a hydraulics failure forced him into retirement, all but handing Fernando Alonso his first world title. [edit]
Hockenheim 2004 was arguably the scene of Jenson Button's greatest drive so far, as he came from 13th on the grid, after an engine change penalty, to finish second - despite being choked by a loose helmet. [edit]
No driver has won the German Grand Prix more than three times. Juan Manuel Fangio, Jackie Stewart, Nelson Piquet, Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna each have a hat-trick of victories to their name. [edit]
Rubens Barrichello take his first ever F1 victory at Hockenheim in 2000. It was his 123rd grand prix. No driver has ever taken so long to get his maiden win. [edit]
The German GP has had three different homes. It started at the Nurburgring in 1951 but moved to Avus in Berlin for one year only in 1959. Hockenheim first hosted the GP in 1970 and has been its permanent home since 1986. [edit]
Hockenheim was again the scene of tragedy in 1980 when Patrick Depailler was killed in testing. Track bosses reacted to the accident by building a chicane before the corner where the incident occurred to slow cars down. [edit]
Hockenheim claimed the life of Jim Clark. The Scot was killed in a Formula 2 race in April 1968. A cross marks the spot where he died. [edit]
In 1982 Nelson Piquet threw a punch at Eliseo Salazar after the Chilean accidentally took him out while being lapped. [edit]
German Timetable:
Friday 28 July
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 29 July
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 30 July
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 67
Race Distance: 306.458 km
Circuit Length: 4.574 km
Lap Record: Kimi Raikkonen (Finnish)
Lap Time: 1:30:780 (2004)
Team: Mclaren [edit]

Episode 13: 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring

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The only pre-war Hungarian Grand Prix was held in 1936 and won by Tazio Nuvolari in an Alfa Romeo. It was exactly 50 years before the next Hungarian GP, when F1 ventured behind the Iron Curtain for the first world championship race in an Eastern Bloc country. [edit]
The novelty value and subsidised admission costs helped attract an enormous crowd of almost 200,000 for the 1986 GP. [edit]
The track was a purpose-built circuit in open countryside 12 miles north-east of Budapest, named the Hungaroring. The project cost approximately £5 million. [edit]
Attempts to cure the overtaking problems at this circuit were made in 2003. Changes to the track included the extension of the start/finish straight, making the first corner sharper to give at least one good overtaking spot. [edit]
The Hungaroring is the second slowest circuit on the calendar after Monte Carlo. The designers had originally intended to incorporate some more inspiring fast corners but their plans were foiled by the discovery of an underground spring. [edit]
The 1986 GP was won by Nelson Piquet after a great battle with Ayrton Senna. Piquet sealed the victory with an audacious and skilful piece of overtaking around the outside of Senna at the first corner. [edit]
Piquet won again in 1987, this time in fortuitous fashion. Team-mate Nigel Mansell dominated the race until a wheel nut worked its way adrift of his Williams, effectively ending his world championship hopes. [edit]
Nigel Mansell took one of his most accomplished victories at the Hungaroring in 1989, starting from 12th on the grid in his Ferrari. He took the lead with a brilliant move in which he boxed Senna in behind the slower car of Stefan Johansson. [edit]
Thierry Boutsen’s win in 1990 was highlighted the difficulty of passing at the Hungaroring. The Williams driver held a queue of faster cars at bay for the entire race distance, beating Senna to the line by just 0.3s. [edit]
Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at this track, triumphing in 1994, 1998, 2001 and 2004. He has also had Pole position 7 times. [edit]
Two drivers scored their maiden grand prix victories in Hungary – Damon Hill in 1993 and Fernando Alonso a decade later. Alonso became the youngest ever GP winner at 22 years and 26 days of age, finally eclipsing Bruce McLaren’s record, which had stood for 43 years. [edit]
Villeneuve's fortunate '97 win followed the victory he secured in his debut year for Williams 12 months before. His good run continued with third in '98...however since then he has failed to score a single point in six attempts. [edit]
Arguably the most impressive performance in the race's 20-year history came from Michael Schumacher in 1998. Running third behind the McLarens of David Coulthard and title rival Mika Hakkinen and with seemingly no chance of winning, master strategist Ross Brawn switched the Ferrari star from a two-stop to a three-stop strategy. All Schumacher had to do was find a bundle of time in under 20 laps to get in front! Amazingly he did, despite a slight off at the final turn, to take not just one of the best wins of his career, but one of the greatest F1 victories of all time. [edit]
On two occasions drivers have sewn up the world championship at the Hungarian GP (which, as the race is held in August, indicates how dominant they were in those seasons). Nigel Mansell achieved the feat in 1992, while Michael Schumacher clinched his fourth title there in 2001. [edit]
The 2003 podium was the youngest in F1 history with the three drivers' average age just 24 years, seven months and 12 days. Winner Alonso was 22, runner-up Kimi Raikkonen 23 and third-place finisher Juan Pablo Montoya 27. [edit]
Fernando Alonso became the first Spaniard to win a grand prix, as well as the youngest winner in the sport’s history, when he took the chequered flag in Hungary 2003. [edit]
Hungarian Timetable:
Friday 4 August
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 5 August
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 6 August
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 70
Race Distance: 306.663km
Circuit Length: 4.381km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:19:071 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 14: 2006 Turkish Grand Prix - Istanbul

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The 3.3-mile track was designed by F1’s anointed architect, Hermann Tilke. It has 14 turns. [edit]
Kimi Raikkonen followed up his taking of the inaugural pole with the first Turkish GP victory in 2005. [edit]
In 2005, Turn 8 saw Sauber’s Jacques Villeneuve, and the two BAR's of Jenson Button and Takuma Sato in qualifying and then in the closing stages of the race denied McLaren a much-needed 1-2. Juan Pablo Montoya ran wide at the corner, handing second place and an extra two points to Renault's championship-chasing Fernando Alonso. [edit]
Although the Turkish GP only be a year old, it is already home to an infamous corner - the still nameless turn eight. The seemingly never-ending, high speed turn caught out the worlds' best drivers time and time again in 2005. [edit]
There have been no Turkish F1 drivers so far, but Can Artam did race alongside Scott Speed in GP2 in 2005. [edit]
The total spectator capacity at the circuit is 130,000. 30,000 of these spectators can be seated in the main grandstand along the start/finish straight. [edit]
Construction of the track required 1,450 workers and 40 heavy vehicles, with work beginning in September 2003. Safety provisions include the installation of 124,000 tyre barriers, while there are two seven-story VIP towers and a state-of-the-art pit and paddock complex. [edit]
The projected maximum speed at the circuit is just over 200mph, which is achieved at the end of the back straight before Turn 12. There are a number of tight inter-linked corners and one long, sweeping left-hander with at least three apexes, which is likely to be negotiated at around 125mph. [edit]
The circuit is one of only three anti-clockwise circuits on the calendar (the others being Imola and Interlagos). It incorporates significant elevation changes and several blind crests. [edit]
The steepest slope of the track is 8.145 percent. The length of the longest straight is 720m (0.45 mile), and the track width ranges from 14-21.5m. [edit]
The Istanbul Park circuit is located on the Asian side of the city, close to a newly constructed international airport and just off the TEM motorway linking Istanbul to Ankara. It is situated within a green belt area amid forest and cultivated green fields. [edit]
The Istanbul Park circuit was originally known as the Istanbul Otodrom. [edit]
2006 marks F1's second visit to Turkey, with the inaugural race proving a big success last year. [edit]
Turkish Timetable:
Friday 25 August
11:00-12:00 Thursday Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Thursday Practice 2

Saturday 26 August
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 27 August
15:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 58
Race Distance: 309.356km
Circuit Length: 5.338km
Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Columbian)
Lap Time: 1:24:770
Team: Mclaren [edit]

Episode 15: 2006 Italian Grand Prix - Monza

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In 2000, Michael Schumacher burst into tears in the press conference when he was told he had equalled Ayrton Senna’s tally of race victories. [edit]
Mika Hakkinen was filmed crying in the bushes after crashing out of the 1999 GP. The Finn, who also threw his glove to the floor in disgust, thought he had blown his championship chances but recovered to take his second consecutive title. [edit]
Thirty-two different drivers have won the 56 Italian Grands Prix. [edit]
Ferrari endured its most miserable home GP of the Schumacher era in 2005 with both cars failing to get a point - despite both finishing the race. Michael ended up pointless in front of a tifosi for the first time in his Ferrari career, trailing home in 10th, while Rubens Barrichello fared even worse finishing in 12th. [edit]
Rubens Barrichello recorded the fastest ever pole position lap in 2004 at Monza when he lapped in 1m20.089s, 161.820mph, but in the pre-qualifying session for the same race (which did not count for a grid position but only Q-running order), Juan Pablo Montoya lapped the track in 1m19.525s (162.968mph) which remains the fastest lap ever recorded in an F1 car. [edit]
The 2001 GP took place in muted circumstances just days after the terrorist atrocities of September 11. The Ferraris ran with black nosecones and without sponsorship as a mark of respect to the victims. The race was won by Juan Pablo Montoya, his maiden F1 win. [edit]
Kimi Raikkonen has never finished higher than fourth at Monza in five attempts. [edit]
At the 1995 Italian GP, David Coulthard spun off on the parade lap while leading the field round from pole position before the start of the race. [edit]
In 1988 Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto took an emotional 1-2 for Ferrari at the Italian GP, just weeks after the death of the team's founder Enzo. It was the only race McLaren did not win that season. [edit]
Monza has held the two fastest races in F1 history. Gethin's 1971 victory held the honour at 151.6mph, until 2003 when Michael Schumacher averaged 153.875mph. [edit]
Monza opened in 1922 and was only the 3rd purpose-built motor racing circuit to be constructed after Brooklands and Indianapolis. The circuit itself is located in royal parkland around 15 miles north-east of Milan. [edit]
Michael Schumacher made his debut for Benetton in the 1991 Italian Grand Prix. He then went on to win two world championships and 19 races for the team. [edit]
Niki Lauda returned to the cockpit in 1976 at Monza in 1976, just six weeks after his life-threatening accident at the Nurburgring. Amazingly, he finished fourth. [edit]
One of the closest finishes in GP history took place in 1971 at Monza. Peter Gethin beat Ronnie Peterson to the flag by 0.01s as five cars waged an epic slip-streaming battle to the flag. [edit]
Ronnie Peterson won the GP at Monza in 1973, 1974 and 1976. Tragically he died after crashing at start of the 1978 Italian GP. [edit]
Jochen Rindt died in practice for the 1970 GP. The Austrian, who was managed by Bernie Ecclestone, subsequently became F1’s first posthumous world champion. [edit]
Phil Hill became the first American to win a world championship grand prix after wining for Ferrari at Monza in 1960. He won the championship at the circuit a year later in tragic circumstances when team-mate and title rival Wolfgang Von Trips was killed. [edit]
Double world champion Alberto Ascari was killed at Monza in 1955, driving a Ferrari sports car. The corner that claimed his life now bears his name. [edit]
Peter Collins was on the way to winning the world championship at Monza in 1956 but was forced to hand over his car to Lancia team leader Juan Manuel Fangio 15 laps from the end. Fangio went on to finish second and take the title for the year. [edit]
Monza has held more F1 grands prix than any other circuit since 1950. The only year it missed was 1980 when the Italian Grand Prix went to Imola. [edit]
The Monza circuit used to have a 2.6-mile section of high banking which the drivers had to drive on to every other lap at the end of the start/finish straight. It was added in 1955, but only used a few times before being abandoned due to safety concerns. [edit]
Italy is one of only two countries to have held a Grand Prix in every year of the world championship's 56-year history. The other country is Britain. [edit]
Italian Timetable:
Friday 8 September
11:00-12:00 Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Practice 2

Saturday 9 September
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 10 September
12:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 53
Race Distance: 306.720km
Circuit Length: 5.793km
Lap Record: Rubens Barrichello (Brazillian)
Lap Time: 1:21:046 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 16: 2006 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai

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During the race weekend, Rubens Barrichello won a legal battle in Brazil against the web community orkut.com, a by-invitation chat room offered by Google on which people publish their opinions on whatever subject they choose. Rubens applied to have seven communities closed down, claiming that they were offensive and pejorative. Judge Francisco Loureiro of the 4th Civil Court in Sao Paulo ruled that Google has five days to take down the sites or will have to pay $500 a day in fines if the communities are not shut down. [edit]
Chinese Timetable:
Friday 29 September
11:00-12:00 Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Practice 2

Saturday 30 September
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 1 October
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 56
Race Distance: 305.066km
Circuit Length: 5.451km
Lap Record: Michael Schumacher (German)
Lap Time: 1:32:238 (2004)
Team: Ferrari [edit]

Episode 17: 2006 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka

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Michael Schumacher has started from pole position for a record eight times at the event - five of which came consecutively between '98 and '02. If he extends his record to nine on his final appearance in Japan he will become the first man to take that amount of pole positions at the same grand prix. [edit]
Michael Schumacher has won more Japanese GPs than any other driver, with a total of six. Michael triumphed in 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004. No other driver has won the race more than twice. [edit]
Michael Schumacher's victory in the 2000 event ended Ferrari's 21-year wait for a drivers' championship. Michael beat Mika Hakkinen to become the first man since Jody Scheckter in 1979 to win a title in a Ferrari. [edit]
Japan hosted two races in 1994 and 1995 with the ‘Pacific Grand Prix’ taking place at the tight TI Circuit at Aida. Both races were won by Michael Schumacher. [edit]
Honda's Jenson Button is attempting to maintain an impressive record at Suzuka having finished in all of his six races there so far. He has only missed out on points once at Suzuka - in 2001 when he finished just outside in seventh for Benetton. [edit]
Last year's race proved to be one of the most thrilling Formula One has ever seen. A torrential downpour in qualifying left many of the big hitters marooned at the back of the grid, but it ensured an all-time classic grand prix.
The race will be remembered for years to come for two overtaking moves in particular - Fernando Alonso's around the outside of Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen's last lap lunge around Giancarlo Fisichella into the first turn to take first place and the win. [edit]
Ayrton Senna caused more controversy at the 1993 Japanese GP when he punched Eddie Irvine. The three-time world champion was furious that Irvine, who was making his F1 debut, sneaked past him to unlap himself. [edit]
Nigel Mansell’s 1987 championship challenge was ended in the inaugural Suzuka race. Mansell crashed heavily at the Esses in practice and was unable to race, handing the title to Williams team-mate Nelson Piquet. [edit]
The two most notorious races in Suzuka’s history were the battles between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna in 1989 and 1990.
Prost took out Senna at the low-speed Casio Triangle in '89 and although the Brazilian rejoined and still crossed the finish line first, he was disqualified and the championship was Prost’s.
Senna had his revenge nine seconds into the following year’s race when he crashed into Prost at the first corner to clinch his second title. [edit]
Damon Hill won the 1996 championship with a memorable victory at Suzuka. Hill had only needed one point to seal the championship but rounded things off in the best style possible. [edit]
Damon Hill again clinched the championship at Suzuka in 2003 - but this time with a scruffy drive to eighth place. He only needed a point and that's just what he got to fend off Kimi Raikkonen in the McLaren. Rubens Barrichello won the race. [edit]
Mika Hakkinen won both of his drivers’ championships with victories at Suzuka. The Finn beat Michael Schumacher in 1998 after the German stalled on the grid and beat Eddie Irvine the following year. [edit]
Riccardo Patrese, the most experienced driver in F1 history with 256 starts, took his final F1 victory at Japan in 1992. [edit]
The drivers' championship has been decided at Suzuka 10 times in the 19 years that the track has hosted a GP. Michael Schumacher won his 2000 and 2003 titles at Suzuka. [edit]
The first two Japanese Grands Prix took place at Mount Fuji in 1976 and 1977. James Hunt took the title at the first race after rival Niki Lauda retired because he regarded the soaking wet conditions as too dangerous. Suzuka has hosted every race since 1987. [edit]
Ayrton Senna won his first world championship at the 1988 Japanese GP. He started on pole but dropped to 14th after a bad start before recovering to claim a memorable victory. [edit]
Aguri Suzuki became the first Japanese driver to stand on the podium in an F1 race at this track in the 1990 GP. He finished third for Larrousse in a race won by Nelson Piquet. [edit]
Japanese Timetable:
Friday 6 October
11:00-12:00 Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Practice 2

Saturday 7 October
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 8 October
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 53
Race Distance: 307.573km
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Lap Record: Kimi Raikkonen (Finnish)
Lap Time: 1:31:540 (2005)
Team: Mclaren [edit]

Episode 18: 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix - Sao Paulo

+Add Trivia See All

Bradley Lord, Renault's press officer lost a bet when Fernando Alonso won the Drivers’ Title. He had a wager with British journalists that Michael Schumacher would secure his eighth title. His penalty - a rather short hair-cut. [edit]
Brazil Timetable:
Friday 20 October
11:00-12:00 Practice 1
14:00-15:00 Practice 2

Saturday 21 October
11:00-12:00 Saturday Practice
14:00 Qualifying

Sunday 22 October
14:00 Race

* All times are local [edit]
No of Laps: 71
Race Distance: 305.909km
Circuit Length: 4.309km
Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Columbian)
Lap Time: 1:11:473 (2004)
Team: Williams [edit]
The Brazilian Grand Prix is the last race of the 2006 season. [edit]

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Episode 1: 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix - Sakhir

Episode 2: 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix - Kuala Lumpur

Episode 3: 2006 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne

Episode 4: 2006 San Marino Grand Prix - Imola

Episode 5: 2006 European Grand Prix - Nürburgring

Episode 6: 2006 Spanish Grand Prix - Catalunya

Episode 7: 2006 Monaco Grand Prix - Monte Carlo

Episode 8: 2006 British Grand Prix - Silverstone

Episode 9: 2006 Canadian Grand Prix - Montreal

Episode 10: 2006 American Grand Prix - Indianapolis

Episode 11: 2006 French Grand Prix - Magny Cours

Episode 12: 2006 German Grand Prix - Hockenhiem

Episode 13: 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring

Episode 14: 2006 Turkish Grand Prix - Istanbul

Episode 15: 2006 Italian Grand Prix - Monza

Episode 16: 2006 Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai

Episode 17: 2006 Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka

Episode 18: 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix - Sao Paulo

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