Istanbul will stage a Formula One race in 2005, Turkey’s motor sports federation has announced.
Turkish officials say F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has chosen Istanbul over Izmir and Antalya as the venue for a Turkish Grand Prix.
And German architect Hermann Tilke, who designed the track at Sepang in Malaysia, is expected to complete his plans by March.
A contract for the race has yet to be signed and the FIA, Formula One’s governing body, would not confirm that Istanbul had been selected.
But Ecclestone said in a letter to the Turkish federation this week: “I have decided upon Istanbul.
“Now we need to finalize the commercial issues and the TV rights.”
F1 to boost TV coverage
Istanbul would be the latest city to enter F1 following the decision to award races to Shanghai and Bahrain in 2004.
The new venues could see traditional European races like the Austrian Grand Prix and the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola removed from the calendar.
Belgium has already been struck off next year’s schedule, reducing the season to 16 events, although it could be reinstated for 2004.
Formula One, after a season in which television ratings slumped badly, is trying to spread from its traditional European base where restrictions on tobacco advertising harm revenue potential.
Ecclestone visited Istanbul, Izmir and Antalya in the summer and said at the time that Turkey had a 99.9% chance of staging a race.
Turkish officials believe a Grand Prix would boost tourism in the country, which is caught up in an economic crisis.
By: Comet - 22nd November 2002 at 14:24
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
I agree with you 100% Frank, why should Belgium lose out in favour of Turkey? I can imagine the amount of money brought into the Spa area by the race and visitors etc, it is not the biggest tourist area in Belgium and the race is good for it. When I visited Spa it was a week after the race and the place was very quiet, we were the only tourists in the area, it seems that everyone else we met were locals, there are relatively few hotels there compared to Brugge, the area has to earn its cash somehow.
Vote Brunel for Greatest Briton.
By: Jeuneturc007 - 22nd November 2002 at 06:47
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
i heard they will,by some german guy. i wish the bridges weren’t so long, then they could set the grid on top of it. Of course many F1 pilots would die if they managed to fly into the bosphorus. Turkish roads aren’t as sooth as you would like, not feasable I guess.
By: Arthur - 21st November 2002 at 21:01
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
Treacherous weather conditions in Russia? Actually, it’s very predictable over there. But i have to agree with Jeuneturc that the worse the weather, the more enjoyable the race.
Are they going to build a track in Istanbul? That would be a shame – a streettrack like Monaco would be great, and certainly not as boring as yet another freshly built track without any atmosphere at all.
But it seems i won’t be watching much next seison… Schumacher’s still in, Spa is out… even my crystal ball fell asleep from boredom.
By: ad0nis - 21st November 2002 at 20:56
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
i hope thats a joke J turk otherwise they would have taken into account the trecharous weather conditions and such like.
By: Jeuneturc007 - 21st November 2002 at 20:32
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
wouldn’t be nice if it snowed.. I’d like to see the tires they’ll use then
By: KabirT - 21st November 2002 at 12:25
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
I think Russia will also be added in 2005.
By: shorthome - 21st November 2002 at 11:54
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
Spa is a big loss, now I have to find a new place bud its much furter away. Lets go to Zandvoort, they made the cirquit ready for F1 and they allow tabaco advertising so…..
By: Hand87_5 - 21st November 2002 at 09:29
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
It sound to me good that a GP will take place in Turkey. However getting rid of SPA event is the most stupid thing they ever made.
As usual big money ……
By: Jeuneturc007 - 20th November 2002 at 23:21
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
I guess somebody doesn’t understand the very relationship between formula one history and Europe, It’s good thing they’re going to hold one in Istanbul but, what’s more attractive to you GP of San Marino or Bahrain? They asked Michael Schumacher what he thought of tobacco advertisements when he came to Turkey, he just replied “I smoke”.
By: frankvw - 20th November 2002 at 22:54
RE: Grand Prix Of Turkey
I have real doubts about the Belgian GP coming back un 2002. A real shame we lost it. It brought much needed ressources to the whole area (where I live btw), and the only ones to blame for this is the “Tree Hugging” party. These people are really stubborn, stupid and ignorant, and I fear they haven’t understood one thing about politics: the difference between being at the government, or in the opposition…
One of these bastards said: “We don’t like advertising for the tobacco, and it is sad for the (few) ppl who lived from the racetrack, but that’s life”. The “few” are aprox 5000, from the one holding a hi-class hotel to the scouts or soccer club holding a parking in a field, that brought enough money for their association to live during one year.
Sorry for imposing you my personal opinion, but this matter hurts me. It we don’t get it back, the track will die, and all races will be cancelled. 🙁
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November 20, 2002 at 10:39 pm