By Honda Racing F1
August 23 2006

The Honda Racing F1 Team returns from the summer break this week looking forward to Round 14 of the 2006 FIA Formula One World Championship, the Turkish Grand Prix held at the Istanbul Park Circuit on the Asian side of the Bosphorus River in Turkey. The team is still buoyed by its fantastic result at the Hungarian Grand Prix two weeks ago, which saw Jenson Button and the Honda Racing F1 Team together claim their first Formula One victory in a thrilling race. The Honda Racing F1 Team's RA106 race cars will carry a specially designed '72' logo this weekend to commemorate what was in fact Honda's 72nd Grand Prix victory, and its first as a works team since the 1967 Italian Grand Prix when John Surtees took the chequered flag in the RA300.

The summer test break means that no testing has been possible since the last two back-to-back races and the team has taken this opportunity to both celebrate its victory and re-group for the remaining five races of the 2006 season.

The Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park made its debut on the F1 calendar last year and received almost universal praise from teams, drivers and spectators alike in what was one of the most exciting and overtaking-packed races of recent years. The undulating anti-clockwise track presents a unique challenge to the drivers and has some real highlights including the high speed triple apex turn eight.

Gil de Ferran
Sporting Director
Honda Racing F1

"We return to Turkey recharged by our first win and our well-deserved summer break. Since Hungary, the team's focus has been firmly on the Turkish Grand Prix and the remaining races of the season. Last year, the Istanbul Park Circuit was the scene of one of our better races and this year, once again, we're hoping to be in the thick of the fight. The circuit layout provides many challenges with a unique combination of a very high-speed turn, long straights and tight hairpins, not to mention the changes in elevation. All in all, this racing circuit is a 'classic'."