The Turkish government needs to provide financial support for a race at Istanbul Park if the Grand Prix is to return to the calendar.
Chairman of the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) Demire Berberoglu said they are making “every effort” to restore the race to the calendar for 2013 and beyond.
“Everybody knows that what is needed for its presence in the Formula One race calendar for 2013 and following years is a guarantee and approval of the required budget at the government level.”
“This will develop according to the prime minister’s decision.”
F1 last raced at Istanbul Park in 2011 before the race was dropped from the calendar. The FIA has left a slot on the 2013 F1 calendar for an event to take place of the postponed Jersey Grand Prix.
2013 F1 season
- Mercedes originally favoured Heidfeld for Hamilton’s seat
- Take F1 Fanatic’s new 2013 season quiz
- F1 Fanatic’s new year thanks and credits 2014
- The complete F1 Fanatic 2013 season review
- The drivers, teams and cars of 2013
Browse all 2013 F1 season articles
Kiril Varbanov (@)
6th December 2012, 13:16
Even if they get the support from the government, they need to make sure to educate the local people and the rest of the world that there is, actually, a race in Turkey.
It’s a beautiful, colorful different culture, while the economic conditions are great, but previous years nobody knew about the race – ask any local guy about the presence.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
6th December 2012, 13:17
Hope they make it. It’s a cracking racetrack this one…
They have the chance to make it work this time.
Jayfreese (@)
6th December 2012, 14:15
yep i love this twisty circuit, the only problem I see is that it is quite far away from Istanbul and maybe a bit expensive for the locals.
But unlike it has been said above, Turkish people loves motorsports and have a good knowledge about it.
@kiril-varbanov said “educate the local people[…] that there is a race in Turkey”. Well, they are aware of it mate, maybe those who loves it, stand 1000 km from the circuit (Turkey is a big country). Educate is not the word!
Ogurka
6th December 2012, 17:55
Turkish Sports Minister Suat Kilic has told reporters that the government will not pay for a GP:
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
6th December 2012, 21:32
Based on what the circuit’s new lease-holders have been saying, I was under the impression that they already had government support.
foleyger (@foleyger)
6th December 2012, 22:12
Why would the government pay for a race if it is only there for 2013 as the FIA are waiting for New Jersey in 2014. Russia is also on the radar for 2014 so it probably would mean Istanbul and another track would be dropped in 2014.
timi (@timi)
6th December 2012, 22:18
@foleyger Or the calender just gets longer..
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
6th December 2012, 23:32
Or something else gets dropped.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
10th December 2012, 22:55
How can they get government support? There is virtually no other Turkish involvement in F1. I imagine that would be quite hard to justify to the tax-payer…
That said I would LOVE to see it come back.
F1mix
15th December 2012, 21:51
The Turkish Grand Prix is “unlikely to go ahead” according to Bernie Ecclestone Speaking to Austria’s Kleine Zeitung newspaper. He also said “At the moment I think that we will have only 19 Grands Prix. That would not be a big problem for F1”.
You can say a lot about Mr Ecclestone, but at least he’s good at creating attention! I personally think there will be twenty races in 2013.