Verstappen looking forward to 'cool' turn-eight g-force at Turkish GP

Max Verstappen is relishing the chance to race at the Turkish Grand Prix for the first time – particularly with the "cool" intensity of turn eight.

This weekend sees the first time Formula 1® has been to Turkey since 2011, when Sebastian Vettel won for Red Bull.

Verstappen, who will look to deliver just a second race win for the Austrian constructor in 2020, has only previously experienced the Istanbul Park circuit – and the long, downhill left-hander nicknamed 'Diabolica' – in video games.

The 23-year-old is excited to feel the full force of the circuit first hand, telling reporters: "It looks very interesting.

"I remember playing this a lot on the F1® game back in the day because I thought it was always a very cool track, so I'm looking forward to driving here myself. I think especially like turn eight, probably it's going to be flat anyway, but you have the g-forces on your body for such a long time, and that's quite cool."

The g-force at turn eight during the last grand prix at this circuit was measured at close to 5G, which equates to a pull of roughly 27 kilograms on the side of a driver's head.

There have been discussions over whether drivers will choose to use padding to support their heads, but Verstappen, at least, has a particular reason to refuse.

"I remember my very first F3 test I did, after one day I couldn't hold my neck straight and then I had to put the padding in," he said.

"My dad was laughing at me because I was using that, and since that day, I refuse to put padding next to my head. I'd prefer that my head falls off than I'm running with padding! So, it will be the same also this weekend."