Turkey Dropped Next Season?

[GM]

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/258179/turkey-set-to-be-dropped/

The Turkish Grand Prix will be dropped from the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar next season, it is being reported. According to the Turkish media the event at Istanbul Park has been axed after F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone tried to double the fee to stage the race, raising it from $13 million to $26.

Murat Yalcintas, head of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, confirmed the dispute via Twitter.

"It looks like the Formula One race will not be held in Istanbul next year," he said. "Because it [the finance ministry] found this figure very high it looks like it will not make the payment. That is the reason the race is not happening."

Turkey, which will host the next round of this year’s championship and which will open the European season on May 8, first hosted an F1 event back in 2005. The current contract expires this season.

 

[lbsf1]

I never like Istambull anyway, most of the corners feel to arqward.

Thats cost increase does seem abit steep, but if those costs are justified then so be it, there are allready more than enough races.

 

[F1 fan]

This is terrible news. Turkey is the best of the Tilke tracks IMO and it is a bit of a fan favourite. I hope Bernie and his team make a deal. This might just be pressure to try and raise the fees. If they still agree to the 13 million, I hope Bernie accepts.

I hope that an agreement can be reached but I fear the worst for this circuit.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

It's a shame because the Istanbul Park circuit is a good one and can produce great races but why even bother when basically no spectators turn up to the event?

 

[F1 fan]

It's a shame because the Istanbul Park circuit is a good one and can produce great races but why even bother when basically no spectators turn up to the event?

While that is always a talking point about Istanbul, the circuit's great and the races are always good. Plus (minor point here) it's fun in the F1 games.

 

[Grand Prix]

Definitely my favourite Tilke-designed track. Such a shame it may have to go, but hardly surprising is it?

Can we have the French GP back now?

 

[Alex.]

Not at Magny-Cours you can't.

 

[Grand Prix]

Not at Magny-Cours you can't.

Good thing I didn't have Magny-Cours in mind then.

 

[Hugo Boss]

Reims Gueux and Circuit de la Seine-Inférieure/GP de Dieppe are not race worthy, GP Although, might be worth a rebuild. Lots of overtaking is guaranteed and always chances of rain, should convince Bernie!

OT, would be a shame if Turkey had to drop from the calendar. DRS and current tyre compounds could work out perfectly as well for this track.

 

[Stevisiov]

I think it's the lack of spectators which has killed it, its not good for the image of F1. That's probably why Bernie (has effectively) killed it off.

 

[Robin]

I've never rated Turkey as a track and the fan turnout has always made the whole atmosphere of the event rubbish. I also wish they would give Valencia the axe, its like driving round a dockside concrete car park! So many nicer tracks which could be added or reinstated to the calendar.

Robin.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

This isn't the first time the race has been under threat. Call me when something changes.

Can we have the French GP back now?

It's not like France has anywhere worth hosting the race. I'd rather see a poorly-attended race at a good circuit like Istanbul than a well-attended race like Magny-Cours. I can understand people wanting to see races at certain circuits because of the circuit in question, but not the desire to have a race in a certain country for the sake of it.

Besides, Austin is joining in 2012. If the number of races is fixed at 20 and Turkey leaves, Austin will fill out the quota. There won't be any space for France.

 

[Akmuq]

Ah now this is a shame. Hardly any spectators show up and if Bernie cared more for giving F1 a good image he would o tried reducing prices as much as possible to try lower ticket prices, because this is a whopper of a track. Bernie is just being greedy. Make him watch the race in two weeks time and he'll see how good this place is.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

No, he's not being greedy - the organisers in Istanbul knew this was coming because it was in the contract. The idea of such high prices is to encourage commitment: it's to stop some country getting a race for two or three years to promote themselves and then dropping the event. But at the same time, it offers organisers a chance to get out of the contract if several years go by and they find the race is not feasible.

 

[Akmuq]

No, he's not being greedy - the organisers in Istanbul knew this was coming because it was in the contract. The idea of such high prices is to encourage commitment: it's to stop some country getting a race for two or three years to promote themselves and then dropping the event. But at the same time, it offers organisers a chance to get out of the contract if several years go by and they find the race is not feasible.

Fair enough, but I still think Bernie should try help the race organizers to keep this event, but if no wants to go then so be it.

 

[ExigeEvan]

This is the ususal posturing that goes on at every single track, every single time there's a renewal.

Bernie says double it.
The circuit says it's too expensive.
The fans complain/indifferent.
And a week later no-one cares because there's a new shiny GP to replace it.

 

[Lee]

I love the Istanbul track, deffinately up there with the best on the calendar. But the lack of a decent crowd was always gonna put it in serious danger of being the next to be axed. A shame, great circuit, great facilities, just annoying the country hasn't taken much notice of it.

Can't see Valencia lastign much longer, they'll eventually need a race in Mexico too what with Sergio Perez's sudden stardom.

 

[F1 fan]

Can't see Valencia lastign much longer, they'll eventually need a race in Mexico too what with Sergio Perez's sudden stardom.

I think Valencia's future is quite secure. What a shame.

 

[Rossticles]

That really sucks. I love Istanbul Park. A lack of spectators and interest in F1 in Turkey killed this off.

As far as racing in France, I'm surprised no one mentioned Paul Ricard HTTT.

 

[F1 fan]

That really sucks. I love Istanbul Park. A lack of spectators and interest in F1 in Turkey killed this off.

As far as racing in France, I'm surprised no one mentioned Paul Ricard HTTT.

Could be interesting. F1's been there before and it's still a good circuit... But it depends on which layout we're talking about. I just don't think there's as much of a call for a french grand prix just now. Renault have (officially) left F1, there are no French drivers... Maybe it would have been different if Sebastien Bourdais had starred in f1, or if Sebastien Loeb made the crossover. If Perez can consistently perform as well as he did in Australia and maybe if Esteban Gutierrez makes it to F1, I imagine there'll be a lot of people calling for a mexican grand prix.

 

[ncrdbl1]

Why is anyone surprised at this. It is Bernie's track record and it doesn't matter how large the crowds are. He did the same with Indy and they had some of the largest crowds on the schedule. I have a fear we are going to see the same thing with Austin. Build a modern state of the art facility, run a few races then someone will come along wanting a race and Bernie will jack up the fees knowing that even if he doesn't get it that he will have another waiting in line to pay him what he wants.

 

[Grand Prix]

This isn't the first time the race has been under threat. Call me when something changes.

It's not like France has anywhere worth hosting the race. I'd rather see a poorly-attended race at a good circuit like Istanbul than a well-attended race like Magny-Cours. I can understand people wanting to see races at certain circuits because of the circuit in question, but not the desire to have a race in a certain country for the sake of it.

Besides, Austin is joining in 2012. If the number of races is fixed at 20 and Turkey leaves, Austin will fill out the quota. There won't be any space for France.

Why not? It's a damn shame we don't have a French GP simply because it is the birthplace of motorsport. It's a principle thing. I'm weird like that.

Even without drivers a French GP would still have better attendance and atmosphere than in a country not entirely sure if they like the sport or not. I think it's great that Bernie is experimenting with different countries and trying to spread F1's influence to unlikely places, but if it doesn't work then move on/or fall back on what you know will work. The former he is effectively doing anyways.


And Hugo knew exactly what I had in mind,

 

[Northstar]

Why is anyone surprised at this. It is Bernie's track record and it doesn't matter how large the crowds are. He did the same with Indy and they had some of the largest crowds on the schedule. I have a fear we are going to see the same thing with Austin. Build a modern state of the art facility, run a few races then someone will come along wanting a race and Bernie will jack up the fees knowing that even if he doesn't get it that he will have another waiting in line to pay him what he wants.

I could only find stats for 2009, but they only had 36,000 at the race. Kind of hard to pay any fee with figures like that.

Also, the USGP at Indy had a declining attendance figure, 2005 didn't help.

 

[ncrdbl1]

I could only find stats for 2009, but they only had 36,000 at the race. Kind of hard to pay any fee with figures like that.

Also, the USGP at Indy had a declining attendance figure, 2005 didn't help.

You must have looked up the Moto GP results as F1 didn't run at Indy in 2009. The final USGP at Indy in 2007 saw 75,000 for qualifying and around 100,000 for race day. Down from the 200,000 from the first race but still toward the top attendance in F1 that year. Bernie just raise the fees so high that it was not profitable.


OK after further review i believe you were talking about attendance at the Turkish GP which has been historically low. With several race day numbers in the 30's.

 

[Rich S]

Thats sad. Istanbul Park is a cool track. Its where Lewis Hamilton was "noticed".

 

[Stevisiov]

Most people talk about the 4 apex bend, but for me, the last sector is the really exciting part of the track, low aero, plenty of good cut-back overtake opportunities.

 

[Alex p.]

Turkey is a wonderful track, driven it today on F1:championship edition, SO much fun, especially this crazy left-multi-corner, so rewarding when you get it right.

So it definetly sucks it's not there in 2012.

 

[Joker-GTBR]

It definitely sucks to see Turkey out of F1, i wonder why the GP never buily many interest

 

[F1 fan]

It definitely sucks to see Turkey out of F1, i wonder why the GP never buily many interest

I think the organizers overprice the tickets. Bad move. Better to sell three times as many tickets at half the price.

 

[IceMan PJN]

I hate to see the loss of Istanbul Park. I like that circuit, and it's one of Tilke's better works.

I never like Istambull anyway, most of the corners feel to arqward.

Thats cost increase does seem abit steep, but if those costs are justified then so be it, there are allready more than enough races.

Heck, I got so hung up just on that first sentence that I totally ignored the train wreck in the second.

Anyway, I submitted some of the first sentence to Google Translate, and this is what I got: