The fifth race of the Formula One season takes place in Turkey on Sunday with all the signs pointing to another dominant performance by Ferrari as Lewis Hamilton's McLaren Mercedes struggles to match the red cars.

Although Hamilton managed a solid third place at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona 11 days ago, he is nine points adrift of Kimi Raikkonen, the world champion, and the gap could get wider if Ferrari record a second successive one-two finish at Istanbul Park on Sunday.

Raikkonen is in confident mood as he looks for his third grand prix win in five races and Ferrari's fourth consecutive victory this season. “I'm not worried at all and I'm convinced that Ferrari can be really strong at Istanbul,” the Finn said. “When you have a look at this year's tracks so far, the one at Istanbul is very similar to the one at Sepang [in Malaysia] and Sakhir [in Bahrain], where we could win. That makes us think that we'll be competitive over the weekend.”

Also looking for another strong drive is Felipe Massa, who is 11 points adrift of Raikkonen, his team-mate. The Brazilian has completed two perfect race weekends in Turkey in the past two years, driving from pole to the chequered flag on each occasion.

In contrast to the optimism at Ferrari, Norbert Haug, the head of motor sport for Mercedes-Benz, has admitted that the Scuderia are the “benchmark” and are favourites going into the race in Turkey. “Our aim is to improve further over the next few races,” Haug said. “However, it is possible that the Turkish Grand Prix might be a challenging one for the team.”

Whereas last year the McLaren MP4-22 was fastest on the twisty tracks and less so on the open, sweeping circuits, this year the MP4-23, its successor, appears to have the same form in reverse: fast on the straights, but struggling through the corners, especially on the exits.

A senior source at the News of the World has dismissed rumours that McLaren or Ron Dennis, their team principal, may have had a hand in the exposure of Max Mosley's predilection for bondage sessions with prostitutes. Those close to Mosley, the president of the FIA, have indicated that Mosley believes that Dennis may have been involved, something vigorously denied by the McLaren team principal. Mosley has employed Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to establish whether there was a conspiracy to destroy his reputation.

The source at the News of the World said: “I have not at any stage seen any sourcing from anyone other than our source who just saw an opportunity. Certainly I have never seen evidence of sourcing or influence by anyone in motor racing or motoring or any interest group involved in motor racing or motoring.”