Formula 1's top ten corners in 2011

Istanbul Park's Turn 8 has become one of Formula 1's trademark corners since Turkey joined the calendar in 2005.

AUTOSPORT has run the rule over the twists and turns of the 19 tracks on the 2011 calendar to come up with 10 of the best turns in contemporary F1. And it might come as a surprise that some of the old classics are missing, largely because the ever-changing nature of grand prix racing has negated the challenge of what were once the toughest corners, at the same time bringing less heralded turns into the limelight.

10. Casino Square (Monaco)

The sight of Robert Kubica hurling his Renault out of Casino Square lap after lap is one of the most memorable images of 2010.

Following on from the challenging Massenet left-hander, where Fernando Alonso ruined his chances of a race win with a heavy crash in Saturday free practice last year, it's a corner with no margin for error and where the cautious lose a lot of laptime.

So despite being comfortably the slowest corner on this list, taken in third gear with an exit speed of just under 100mph, it remains one of the most challenging turns on arguably F1's most difficult circuit.

9. Campsa (Barcelona)

Television doesn't do justice to Barcelona's Turn 9, a fast, uphill right-hander that is one of the sternest tests of man and machine on the calendar. Stand on the outside of the corner at the turn-in point and you can't fail but be stunned by what a modern F1 car is capable of.

For many, it's a fifth-gear corner, but such was the Red Bull RB6's downforce level last year, Mark Webber could turn-in flat out in sixth gear!

There's not a lot of run-off if things go wrong. Heikki Kovalainen found that out the hard way in 2008, when a wheel failure during the Spanish Grand Prix pitched his McLaren into the wall at an estimated 145mp - an impact that peaked at 26g.

8. Turn 10/11 (Korea)

The inaugural Korean Grand Prix was almost completely overshadowed by controversies over whether the track would be ready in time and then the wet conditions that hit the race. But the Yeongam circuit proved popular with the drivers who were impressed with its three-tracks in one combination of overtaking-friendly Tilkedrome, mini-Suzuka and twisty street track.

The Turn 10/11 combination is in the Suzuka-esque section. After coming over the crest, Turn 10 is a very fast right-hander taken in fifth gear and doesn't leave enough time to put the car in the geometrically optimal entry position for the slower Turn 11.

From the outside, it's one of those corners that shows the remarkable direction change of an F1 - always a factor that makes any turn popular with the drivers.

7. Laranjinha (Interlagos)

Perhaps F1's greatest unsung turn, Laranjinha is described by Brazilian hero Rubens Barrichello as "one of the best corners in the world."

In FIA parlance, it's basically Turns 6/7 leading to the twisty infield and is sometimes referred to as Ferradura, in deference to the second part of the turn.

A fast, fifth gear entry, with speeds approaching 150mph, it's a fine balance between carrying in the necessary speed for a good lap time and risking picking up understeer, compromising the second part of the corner.

It's far from the most important turn at Interlagos in terms of laptime, and you can't pass there, but it's the best place in Brazil to see car and driver stretched to their limits.

6. Turn 5/6 (Sepang)

As Rubens Barrichello says "you don't gain or lose a lot of time but doing it well or getting it wrong" but that's not the point. The sixth gear left/right sweep is the most spectacular part of a track that has become popular with drivers over the last few years.

The entry is taken close to flat out sixth gear at over 150mph, with a change of direction. A dab of the brakes into the right-hander and a drop down to fifth gear, with drivers struggling to keep the rear in check over the bumps.

Change of direction is everything here and, as Jaime Alguersuari proved last year, it's even possible to overtake here if you are bold enough!

5. Degner 1 (Suzuka)

Time was that the fearsomely fast 130R left-hander was Suzuka's biggest challenge in an F1 car. But today it's a relatively straightforward flat-out corner. Instead, Degner 1 is now the corner where drivers flirt with disaster.

In 2009, Jaime Alguersuari, Heikki Kovalainen and Mark Webber - the latter writing off his chassis - all crashed as a result of mistakes in Degner 2, learning that there is very little margin for error.

Following on from the long, snaking esses, the first Degner is a short, sharp fourth or fifth gear right-hander. Some drivers favour a pretty gentle brake here, preferring to bleed off speed rather than stamping on the brakes.

But run wide at the exit, and disaster can follow, especially with the slower second Degner coming up fast.

4. Pouhon (Spa-Francorchamps)

Everyone talks about Eau Rouge at Spa, but for the last few years it's Pouhon that has really got drivers' pulses racing.

The long, fast, double-apex left-hander is very close to being flat out in sixth gear. With corner speeds approaching 150mph, it encourages drivers to really lay it on the line during qualifying, and as Vitaly Petrov discovered during qualifying last year, it is still possible to find the wall despite prodigious run-off.

3. Turn 8 (Istanbul Park)

Within minutes of the first F1 car taking to the Istanbul Park track at Turkey's inaugural grand prix in 2005, the drivers realised that Turn 8 would become regarded as one of the toughest corners on the calendar.

The long, multi-apex left-hander is taken in sixth gear, with the fastest cars (ie those with the most downforce) carrying over 250km/h throughout the corner.

According to Mercedes, the 640-metre corner accounts for 12 per cent of the total distance of a lap and lasts for 8.5s - making it the longest high-speed corner in F1.

As Istanbul Park is an anti-clockwise circuit, it's also a huge challenge physically, with the peak G-force at around 5g. So while the prodigious run-off area means that getting it wrong is unlikely to have disastrous consequences, it remains a true challenge of ability and a car's grip.

2. Maggots/Becketts (Silverstone)

The sweeping left/right, left, right combination offers perhaps the best spot to watch a qualifying lap in F1. With a general admission ticket, drivers can get to within a few metres of the track early in the corner and realise just how incredible a sight an F1 car travelling in sixth gear really is.

Former world champion Jenson Button, a man who has not enjoyed much success in his home grand prix over the years, describes its lure: "It's one of the best corner complexes in the world. The exit of Maggotts is important for the entry to Becketts because if you're positioned wrongly, it screws you all the way down the Hangar Straight.

"It's a fantastic section where you can really feel the speed and change of direction of an F1 car. There's nothing else like it."

It ticks all the boxes - driver challenge, importance for laptime and the knowledge that a mistake here can ruin your whole weekend.

1. Parabolica (Monza)

The long, fast right-hander that leads onto Monza's start/finish straight is one of F1's iconic corners.

In a contemporary grand prix car, it is taken in fourth gear with a high-speed approach of around the 330km/h mark. A second of heavy braking at close to 5g shaves 120km/h off that.

Effectively an elongated hairpin, there is a huge amount of time to be gained or lost. Early in the corner, it's all about keeping the car on a tight line, but as it opens out on to the straight, drivers hug the white line. As Derek Warwick proved in 1990, getting this wrong has serious consequences.

Although not an overtaking zone these days, Parabolica has provided some classic moments over the years. This includes the dramatic finishes to the 1969 and 1971 grands prix.

Unfortunately, it has also produced tragedy, with Jochen Rindt losing his life there in a crash during qualifying for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix.

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- The Autosport.com Team

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