By IANS
London : After a three-week summer hiatus, Formula One reconvenes this weekend for the Turkish Grand Prix, track talk revolves around how long can McLaren keep their feuding drivers together.
After the Hungarian GP, it is widely believed that the Fernando Alonso-Lewis Hamilton partnership would end sooner rather than later.
Despite Alonso being less than one year into a three-year deal with McLaren, events in Budapest – when Alonso’s antics in the pits denied Hamilton a shot at pole position, after the Englishman had prevented him from overtaking earlier in qualifying – have led to predictions that the double world champion will depart at season’s end.
If Alonso were to depart ahead of schedule, each of the season’s remaining six races has the potential to offer a new twist in the tale.
The first comes this weekend at Istanbul Park’s 5.378km circuit offering an anti-clockwise layout with plenty of gradient changes. Part of the F1 roster for only two seasons, the track has already gained a favourable reputation.
The 2006 race witnessed a breathless climax, as Alonso, driving for Renault, fiercely defended his second place during the closing laps from a marauding Michael Schumacher.
Adding spice to the season is the potent inter-team rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari. The break saw the world motorsport governing body FIA set Sep 13 as the date for the appeal relating to the ongoing spying row.
Ferrari arrives in Turkey looking to make up lost ground after a relatively disappointing outing in Hungary.
Although Kimi Raikkonen finished a close second to Hamilton, the latter now holds a 20-point advantage.
For Felipe Massa, meanwhile, problems in qualifying – the team underfuelled his car – led to a frustrating Sunday afternoon stuck in traffic.
In the event, the Brazilian could only finish 13th at the Hungaroring, a result which, coupled with Raikkonen’s second place, saw the Finn overtake his team-mate in the standings.
Ferrari’s drivers hold a monopoly on race victories in Turkey: Raikkonen winning the inaugural event in 2005, before Massa scored his maiden win there last year.