Formula 1 News: FIA president in Turkey for F1 race revival talks (Update)

(GMM) Turkey is making a major bid to return to the Formula 1 calendar, according to the Russian news agency Tass.

The outlet says FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem travelled to the country on Monday to meet with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“The meeting took place against the backdrop of plans by the Turkish authorities to hold a tender for the reconstruction and management of the Istanbul Park circuit,” Tass said, recalling that the last Turkish grands prix were held during the covid crisis.

Istanbul Park is reportedly owned by Turkey, but leased to a company “that is ready to meet the requirements of the tender”.

Additionally, the local Hurriyet newspaper claims the tender process will take place in early April, noting that the deal “will include the mandatory annual organization of the Formula 1 GP starting in 2026”.

“(Another) condition was put forward that the company that wins the tender will would have to enter into an agreement with Formula 1 within one month,” Tass added.


December 6, 2022 

(GMM) The president of Portugal’s automobile federation admits Portimao is not the only contender to replace the axed 2023 Chinese GP.

“Portugal is not the only interested country,” Fernando Machado Ni Armorim confirmed to Lusa news agency.

“Turkey is also in the running,” he added.

It rained both in 2020 and 2021 in Turkey – bad idea to go back

McLaren supremo Zak Brown, meanwhile, confirmed speculation that another solution is simply to leave a four-week gap in next year’s bustling calendar – which with China was initially set to feature a record 24 races.

“We shouldn’t have a grand prix just to fill a spot,” he insisted.

“It’s too bad that we won’t be back in China next year. It’s an important market for us so I hope they will sort out all the issues with covid-19 and we can return in 2024.”

As for 2023, Federacao Portuguesa de Automobilismo chief Ni Armorim said talks are underway with the Portuguese government about funding a replacement race.

“It will depend on whether there are funds,” he admitted.

“The fees are expensive, but the return justifies the investment. At the moment I don’t know the request amounts, because we are not at that stage of the negotiation.

“But the federation will do everything in its power to help make this project viable.”

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