Turkish GP spared axe

Turkish Grand Prix organisers have been spared the axing of next year’s race from the Formula One calendar.

Controversy erupted when Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat presented Ferrari’s Felipe Massa with the winner’s trophy at last month’s race at the Istanbul Park circuit.

The Turkish-controlled area of northern Cyprus is not recognised as a separate country by the United Nations, resulting in the FIA expressing anger that its political neutrality had apparently been compromised.

This led to Turkish federation TOSFED and race organisers MSO today facing a special meeting of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.

Facing charges of breaching FIA and Formula One rules, TOSFED and MSO were found against on all counts, with the organisations fined a combined total of £2.66m.

The FIA has always taken breaches of its protocol seriously, with the Spanish circuit of Jerez barred from hosting Formula One in 1997 after the town’s mayor disrupted a podium ceremony.

It is believed Turkey was spared such ignominy on this occasion as the circuit is acclaimed as one of the more demanding Formula One tracks since its arrival on the calendar last year.