This month, Formula 1 touches down in one of the world`s most intriguing and entertaining cities, Istanbul. Although this will be Panasonic Toyota Racing`s first visit, Toyota`s presence in Turkey has blossomed rapidly in recent years.
From small beginnings as an importer, Toyota Turkey now has a nationwide dealer network offering full service back-up, and a production facility where it builds the Sedan, Family (saloon and estate) and Verso models of the Corolla, which are exported to over 30 nations. The factory in Adapazari has capacity of 150,000 vehicles a year and employs the renowned Toyota Production System (TPS) for quality and efficiency. It`s also one of the largest manufacturing sites in Turkey and ranks as one of Toyota`s 10 biggest production plants outside Japan.
Back to Istanbul, which will play host to the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix on 21 August, there can be few places in the world where you can sample the delights of two continents in one bustling city, and none as captivating as Istanbul.
This ancient metropolis straddles the busy Bosphorus Strait that serves as a natural partition between Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean and finally the Mediterranean. It is mapped out over seven rolling hills and boasts views capable of seducing the most world weary traveller with a skyline studded by the domes and minarets of mosques.
Down below the streets buzz with the sounds of street vendors, gossiping locals and itinerant tourists, deadened only by the inescapable thrum of heavy traffic. Yet the city`s most resonant aural experience is the cries of the muezzins as they call the city`s Islamic contingent to prayer, seemingly duelling for vocal superiority.
Despite no longer being the capital – that honour now falls to Ankara 450km to the east – Istanbul is unmistakably the cultural and historical heart of Turkey. The area was settled as early as 1500BC, but it was in the seventh century BC that the Greek King Byzas established Byzantium, laying Istanbul`s foundations in the process.
The city subsequently fell under Roman control and, in 306AD, Constantine the Great proclaimed it New Rome and capital of the entire empire. The name never stuck, though, and Constantinople was born. Three hundred year later the city was destroyed by riots, but this gave rise to some of its greatest architectural triumphs.
In 1453, Sultan Mehmet II took control of the city, renamed it Istanbul and made it capital of the vast Ottoman Empire. It was only deposed when, in 1923, General Mustafa Kemal – better known as Atatürk (`Father Turk`) – founded the modern Turkish Republic and decided to start afresh further inland.
Nowadays, Istanbul is a colourful, animated metropolis where ancient traditions and time-honoured craftsmanship coexist with mobile phones and designer labels. At times it is evocative of Vienna or Prague, especially when one of the city`s antique trams clatters past.
Sultanahmet is the foremost sightseeing destination and heart of the old city. Here, you can admire the sublime architectural legacies of the Byzantine and Ottoman eras before ambling off up one of the narrow streets where crusaders and janissaries once marched to take time out at a kahvehane for a glass of traditional apple tea.
The Hagia Sophia cathedral is one of Sultanahmet`s greatest attractions. Dreamt up by the Emperor Justinian as a decisive display of Christian piety, it was later rededicated as a Mosque and then as a museum. Its elaborate interior features a magnificent 30m- wide domed ceiling, which soars heavenward lit by the reflected light of 30 million gold tessarae.
The Blue Mosque`s interior is similarly impressive with 260 stained glass windows and one of the largest prayer areas and courtyards of any mosque. The exterior, meanwhile, is garnished with no fewer than six minarets and more voluptuous domes than you can readily count.
Nearby is the ultimate example of Ottoman grandeur, the Topkapi Palace, where the city`s rulers resided for 400 years. Its palatial edifice conceals a myriad of chambers, four courts and the sultan`s private quarters, the harem, all furnished with exquisite textiles and antiques.
More unusual is the Basilica Cistern, a vast sixth century underground reservoir which provides a cool respite from the summer sun and once held 80,000 cubic metres of water.
No trip to Istanbul would be complete without a trip to the Grand Bazaar, which houses 4000 shops selling everything from fine carpets and kilim (rugs) to ornate nargile (water pipes) and silverware. Prices are negotiable and bargaining expected, but you can always simply enjoy your purchase safe in the knowledge that prices are among the cheapest in Europe.
There are also hip bars and restaurants serving cocktails and haute cuisine. Favourite locations are the city`s rooftops and in the opulent villas that once played host to the sultans and their guests in the Besiktas and Ortaköy districts. They still welcome Istanbul`s social elite, but they have been joined by young fashionable types who have lira to spend and are in a mood to party.
That`s not to say these exotic venues are dens of iniquity, the aspirational Istanbulus are far too cool for that. Instead, they concentrate on having fun while looking good, rarely indulging on a scale their counterparts in, say, London might be familiar with.
The local alcoholic speciality is raki, an aniseed-flavoured liqueur generally served with ice and water as an accompaniment to meze, which is a banquet of delicious appetisers. Istanbul`s cuisine is a fabulous fusion of Mediterranean and traditional Turkish flavours. Fresh seafood is high on the menu of every establishment and is almost always uniformly good. Sushi is growing in popularity, too.
In all, Istanbul is an exquisite synthesis of Europe and Asia, spanning the cultural divides of two continents with its own distinctive blend of first-rate hospitality, stunning scenery and local zest. It`s unique and sure to find a place in the heart of any Formula 1 fan.


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