Turkey binned

[hornetrider]

Shame, good circuit for racing. I look forward to more snoozefests at Valencia.

[EDLT]

Making a space for a Russian GP?

[Gun]

A good circuit ruined by being built in a country with little interest in the sport.

[EDLT]

I don't think its a lack of interest, the track was in the middle of nowhere, tickets were really expensive, even if it sells out they still make a loss AND the whole thing is funded by the government.

[belleair302]

Bernie is chasing Government funded races these days to pay back the funds losing money from their F1 investment....Why Turkey was ever offered a race is beyond me, likewise Bahrain, Dubai (failed) China, Valencia, Korea and Singapore. The US GP in Austin Texas is a daft idea too! Money more than circuits.....what about Mexico, South Africa and Portugal for great circuits???

[IanUAE]

Dubai never wanted a F1 race , they refused to stump up the $20M (as it was then). The circuit was built to F1 specs but insufficient grandstands were built on purpose). It is used for track days, middle east, car launches and the nationa; racing series.

[andye30m3]

EDLT said:

tickets were really expensive

Are you sure?

I'm 90% certain that the tickets were very very cheap for turkey compared to the european rounds, I looked at flying out there as a chance to see the F1 without spending a fortune and without being as crowded as silverstone, but the flights were quite expensive.

[thechosenfamily]

andye30m3 said:

Are you sure?

I'm 90% certain that the tickets were very very cheap for turkey compared to the european rounds, I looked at flying out there as a chance to see the F1 without spending a fortune and without being as crowded as silverstone, but the flights were quite expensive.

Surely that does not mean they were not expensive for the locals who after all make up the vast majority of the spectators.

[Eric Mc]

thechosenfamily said:

andye30m3 said:

Are you sure?

I'm 90% certain that the tickets were very very cheap for turkey compared to the european rounds, I looked at flying out there as a chance to see the F1 without spending a fortune and without being as crowded as silverstone, but the flights were quite expensive.

Surely that does not mean they were not expensive for the locals who after all make up the vast majority of the spectators.

I was reading a review of the problems at Turkey and the ticket prices were a massive deterrent to the locals - coupled with remoteness of venue and lack of public transport connections.
It is a good example of how NOT to plan a GP circuit.

[thatone1967]

One of my work colleagues has been banging on for months about how his Mrs is going to take him next year... He's gutted!

[thechosenfamily]

Eric Mc said:

thechosenfamily said:

andye30m3 said:

Are you sure?

I'm 90% certain that the tickets were very very cheap for turkey compared to the european rounds, I looked at flying out there as a chance to see the F1 without spending a fortune and without being as crowded as silverstone, but the flights were quite expensive.

Surely that does not mean they were not expensive for the locals who after all make up the vast majority of the spectators.

I was reading a review of the problems at Turkey and the ticket prices were a massive deterrent to the locals - coupled with remoteness of venue and lack of public transport connections.
It is a good example of how NOT to plan a GP circuit.

Another example of F1 versus brains answers on the back of a fiver as to which won

[Eric Mc]

thechosenfamily said:

Eric Mc said:

thechosenfamily said:

andye30m3 said:

Are you sure?

I'm 90% certain that the tickets were very very cheap for turkey compared to the european rounds, I looked at flying out there as a chance to see the F1 without spending a fortune and without being as crowded as silverstone, but the flights were quite expensive.

Surely that does not mean they were not expensive for the locals who after all make up the vast majority of the spectators.

I was reading a review of the problems at Turkey and the ticket prices were a massive deterrent to the locals - coupled with remoteness of venue and lack of public transport connections.
It is a good example of how NOT to plan a GP circuit.

Another example of F1 versus brains answers on the back of a fiver as to which won

Not a question of brains - it was a question of money. The initial sums made sense to the parties involved. I bet Bernie did OK out of it.

[StevieBee]

I think most of the new circuit owners are basing their business model on the film "Field of Dreams"

[FourWheelDrift]

I thought Bernie owned the Istanbul circuit so I'd have thought a lack of money wouldn't be an issue.

From an Alan Henry article (April 2007) - Bernie Ecclestone, the formula one commercial rights holder, has concluded a $120m (£60m) deal to guarantee the future of the Turkish grand prix for the next 14 years by purchasing the Istanbul Park circuit. "I did this investment by myself," Ecclestone said. "I'm glad to have many people around supporting me. I can guarantee F1 will race in Istanbul until 2021." Last year the race, on the calendar since 2005, was mired in controversy when Mehmet Ali Talat, the self-styled president of the "northern Turkish republic of Cyprus", hijacked the prize winners' ceremony after being invited on to the podium to hand Felipe Massa the trophy after his victory.

"I can guarantee F1 will race in Istanbul until 2021."? He must be dyslexic and must have meant "until 2012, when it will be cancelled".

[EDLT]

FourWheelDrift said:

"I can guarantee F1 will race in Istanbul until 2021."? He must be dyslexic and must have meant "until 2012, when it will be cancelled".

Bernie always says the opposite of what actually happens. "Guaranteed until 2021" means "Don't bother next year"

[The Hypno-Toad]

belleair302 said:

The US GP in Austin Texas is a daft idea too! Money more than circuits....

Alex 'not in anyway a redneck nutjob' Jones is not too keen on it either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ4S1Qc5CFI

(If you watch this at work watch the volume, he gets a bit annoyed. )

[skinny]

Eric Mc said:

I was reading a review of the problems at Turkey and the ticket prices were a massive deterrent to the locals - coupled with remoteness of venue and lack of public transport connections.
It is a good example of how NOT to plan a GP circuit.

and yet what have they done in korea, china, malaysia, and now india. bernie actually expressed surprise that F1 in a country with no heritage and interest in racing, and a circuit in the middle of nowhere, didn't last. i'm hardly a genius but i could see that was pretty flawed, and i'm fully expecting a lot of the new tracks to go exactly the same way.

[AndrewW-G]

The Hypno-Toad said:

belleair302 said:

The US GP in Austin Texas is a daft idea too! Money more than circuits....

Alex 'not in anyway a redneck nutjob' Jones is not too keen on it either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ4S1Qc5CFI

(If you watch this at work watch the volume, he gets a bit annoyed. )

8/10, missed out on the top step due to the lack of swearing

[diddly69]

belleair302 said:

Bernie is chasing Government funded races these days to pay back the funds losing money from their F1 investment....Why Turkey was ever offered a race is beyond me, likewise Bahrain, Dubai (failed) China, Valencia, Korea and Singapore. The US GP in Austin Texas is a daft idea too!
Money more than circuits.....what about
Mexico, South Africa and Portugal for
great circuits???

The circuit at Shanghai is brilliant! Sat opposite the start/finish for last year and enjoyed a great race accompanied by a good atmosphere in the grandstand.
I could see 80% of the circuit from my seat and was brilliant to watch the race unfold without looking at one of those big screens!

[EDLT]

The Hypno-Toad said:

belleair302 said:

The US GP in Austin Texas is a daft idea too! Money more than circuits....

Alex 'not in anyway a redneck nutjob' Jones is not too keen on it either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ4S1Qc5CFI

(If you watch this at work watch the volume, he gets a bit annoyed. )

"...So the FEDS can't stick their hand down our kid's pants and grab our wive's breasts."



What was she doing?!