Ecclestone not ruling out Turkey return - report

Bernie Ecclestone has not ruled out reinstating the Turkish grand prix on future formula one calendars, a local newspaper reports this week.

We reported this week that the Istanbul circuit, the scene of seven grands prix since 2005 but not on next year’s schedule, is on standby in the event Bahrain needs to be cancelled again.

And the Turkish Hurriyet daily reports that F1 chief executive Ecclestone "has expressed hope that F1 management will agree with Turkish authorities to hold the races in the country again".

Turkey, a popular layout whose races were poorly attended, was dropped from the calendar apparently because organisers refused to pay a higher race sanctioning fee.

"It is very sad but we have to deal with some changes in formula one sometimes," said Renault team boss Eric Boullier, "and we can just hope that we will be back there."

It was rumoured in Singapore last weekend that team bosses are concerned about the ever-expanding and more arduous F1 calendars.

"The calendar has 20 races next year," said Virgin president Graeme Lowdon, "and 21 would have been too many and so the reality is that there had to be some give somewhere."