Watch: Felipe Massa’s first victory for Ferrari | 2006 Turkish GP. In 2006, Felipe won the Turkish Grand Prix.

On 27th August 2006, Felipe Massa won the Turkish Grand Prix. The win at the Istanbul Otopark was the first of the Brazilian’s eleven Formula 1 wins to date: of these no less than three were in the Turkish Grand Prix. Felipe’s Istanbul weekend was practically perfect: first in qualifying and always in the lead during the race, apart from the pit stop windows. The driver’s delight knew no bounds at the end of a race which saw him beat his future team-mate Fernando Alonso and his then colleague Michael Schumacher:

“This is an incredible day for me, which I will never forget. Winning my first race and on top of that, at the wheel of a Ferrari is something historic. At the moment my thoughts are with all those thanks to whose help I have managed to be here today – my family, my girlfriend, my friends – and those who gave me the strength to get this result. The team was fantastic, giving me a perfect car to win. I feel very emotional and happy. I have always dreamed of driving a Ferrari and to take my first Grand Prix with this team: so today, this dream has become reality.” – Felipe Massa explained at the end of the race.

— see video above —-