Feuding McLaren duo absent on Thursday
The day before opening practice at a grand prix is, particularly for the drivers, traditionally reserved for sponsor and media commitments.
But after their falling out in Hungary, and amid the team's central involvement in the espionage scandal and other controversies, McLaren's duo stayed in downtown Istanbul on Thursday, unlike the rest of the grand prix grid.
The decision drew the ire of the attending print and electronic media, but the Woking based team argued that there was no need for McLaren's highest profile employees to battle through thick traffic on the lengthy journey from their hotels to the circuit.
Instead, on the other side of the famous Bosphorus Bridge in the sprawling Turkish city, Alonso and Hamilton reportedly met – in the presence of key team personnel – to clear the air following their code of silence that began in Budapest some three weeks ago.