22/04/2011
NEWS STORY
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According to reports in the local media, a dispute between organizers and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone could see Turkey dropped from the 2012 calendar.
"Formula One says goodbye to Istanbul," claims the headline in the Haberturk newspaper, while the Hurriyet daily quotes Murat Yalcintas, head of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, as saying that the government has rejected Ecclestone's bid to raise the payment for staging the race from £7.8m ($13m) to £15.7m ($26m)
Commenting on the row via his Twitter account, Yalcintas writes: "It looks like the Formula One race will not be held in Istanbul next year.
"Because it found this figure very high it looks like itwill not make the payment," he added, referring to the Finance Ministry. "That is the reason the race is not happening,"
While the circuit is popular with drivers and fans (on TV), and widely regarded as one of Hermann Tilke's better efforts, the event has consistently failed to draw the crowds leading to speculation that even without the increase in fees it was under threat.
The current contract ends this year.