Turkish on Track: Shifting F1 Lingo into High Gear
With the release of the F1 Manager series in 2022, the official localization of Formula 1 terminology into Turkish was brought to the agenda for the first time. Until then, although Grand Prix races were broadcast in Turkey, the language used on-screen was entirely in English, and there were no accessible resources for the Turkish equivalents of F1’s technical terms. Neither the broadcasters nor the federation had taken any steps in this direction. Commentators usually used the English terms directly, occasionally opting for partial translations like “yere basma gücü” (downforce). However, localizing sports terminology—especially in a sport like F1 filled with technical jargon—not only makes the sport more accessible to a wider audience but also enriches the viewing experience.
This article examines how the terminology used in the F1 Manager series was localized into Turkish, how players responded to these localizations, and the potential role of the federation in the process.
One of the terms that caught the most attention from players was DNF, short for “Did Not Finish.” We translated this as “YD,” standing for “Yarış Dışı.” However, we received frequent feedback from viewers who were already familiar with DNF. To ease the transition, we started using “yarış dışı (YD)” within sentences for clarity while keeping only the YD abbreviation in UI elements like the timing tower. Similarly, for “downforce,” a term long translated as “yere basma gücü,” we opted for “bastırma kuvveti”, drawing from the physics term “force” (kuvvet). We removed the word “yere” (to the ground) to avoid layout issues in the user interface.
When localizing “sidepod,” we considered options like “yanak” (cheek), “süzgeç” (filter), and “omuz” (shoulder), in line with body-part-based naming like “front wing” or “rear wing.” However, since this component houses the engine and cooling systems, we decided that “yan bölme” (side compartment) was the most technically accurate and user-friendly choice.
More effort was needed for “drag” and “Drag Reduction System (DRS).” These were typically translated as “sürüklenme” and “sürüklenme azaltma sistemi,” but the resulting acronym (e.g., SAS) didn’t match the familiar DRS. So, we replaced “drag” with “direnç” and transliterated “reduction” as “redüksiyon.” The result—“Direnç Redüksiyon Sistemi (DRS)”—struck a balance between technical accuracy and acronym familiarity.
The same logic was applied to “Energy Recovery System (ERS),” which we localized as “Enerji Rejenerasyon Sistemi.” We chose “rejenerasyon” over the literal “geri kazanım” to maintain the ERS acronym and adhere to a more technical tone.
In some cases, however, aligning the acronyms wasn’t possible. For example, “Safety Car” and “Virtual Safety Car” became “Güvenlik Aracı (GA)” and “Sanal Güvenlik Aracı (SGA)” respectively. Viewers encountering these abbreviations in the timing tower may have initially found them unfamiliar, so we followed the DNF example and added explanatory parentheses in sentences to help users adapt.
“Incident” was another term that stood out in the localization process. Though it could easily be translated as “kaza” (accident), it actually refers to a broader range of events like collisions and spins during a race. So we opted for “olay” (incident/event) as a more inclusive term. “Kaza” was too narrow in meaning, whereas “olay” covered a wider spectrum.
For tire compounds, we left the already well-known terms “Hard = Sert,” “Medium = Orta,” and “Soft = Yumuşak” untouched. But for “Full Wet” and “Intermediate,” we chose the most widely used equivalents: “Yağmur” (rain) and “Geçiş” (intermediate).
Not every term could be fully localized. Some had already become established in Turkish in their original form, much like “taç” (touch) or “aut” (out) in football. So we kept terms like “Pole = Pol,” “Curb = Kerb,” “Paddock = Padok,” and “Chicane = Şikan” as phonetic adaptations. Similarly, “Pitstop” and “grid” were preserved as-is. Terms like “Fastest Pit Stop,” “Sprint,” and “Sprint Shootout” were also left untranslated in line with the game’s original design and FIA’s requirements. Grand Prix names and track names were also retained in their original forms.
Throughout this process, the role of federations and broadcasters remains critical. TOSFED and broadcast networks should assume responsibility for the localization of F1 terminology, just as they do in other sports. Translation teams should be formed with experts who possess technical knowledge, and these teams should develop standardized terms. These terms should then be promoted through federation training programs and adopted by broadcasters in their coverage. In doing so, viewers would be able to adapt more easily to the new terms, and Formula 1 would become more understandable and accessible in Turkey.
