FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem met with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Mediterranean resort town of Marmaris, Turkey yesterday.
The meeting was hosted by former Turkish rally champion and FIA World Motor Sport Council member Serkan Yazici and Eren ÜçlertoprağI, the President of TOSFED, the Turkish Automobile Sport Federation.
President Ben Sulayem discussed with his counterparts the possibility of bringing back the FIA Formula One World Championship and the FIA World Rally Championship to Turkey.
The country had hosted a Formula One Grand Prix on nine occasions from 2005-2011, in addition to the years 2020 and 2021 during the global pandemic as a replacement for Singapore. Moreover, Turkey hosted a round of WRC 10 times (between 2003-2010 and 2018, 2019 and 2020). All these events were held at The Formula One circuit located at Istanbul Park.
Following the meeting, President Ben Sulayem stated: “It was a pleasure to meet with President Erdogan. Our talks centred on a range of topics, including the possibility of a return of Formula 1 and WRC to Turkey.
Ben Sulayem added: “Istanbul Park is a modern circuit which is popular with drivers. The city of Istanbul itself is a thriving metropolis which would welcome a return of Formula One with open arms. President Erdogan also recognises the importance of the economic and cultural impact which top-notch motorsport – Formula One and WRC – brings to the country. Moreover, TOSFED, our Member Club in Turkey, has a wealth of experience in organising and managing major motorsport events. If the stars align, we could see a return of both world-class events to Turkey.”
During the meeting, Ben Sulayem also discussed with the Turkish President the importance of increasing awareness of road safety among road users in the country and the support that FIA can provide in this field through its research programmes.
