Turkey charged with breaking F1 rules!

[Wizzo]

Turkish Grand Prix organisers have been summoned before world governing body the FIA, accused of breaching Formula One rules.

Controversy erupted after organisers put forward Turkish-Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat to present the winner's trophy to Felipe Massa in Istanbul on Sunday.

The Turkish-controlled area of northern Cyprus is not recognised as a separate country by the United Nations and the FIA expressed anger that their political neutrality had apparently been compromised.

Now the Turkish federation TOSFED and race organisers MSO have been called to a special meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council where they will face charges of breaching FIA and Formula One rules.

"The National Sporting Authority of Turkey (TOSFED) and the Organisers of the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix (MSO) have been called to appear before a specially convened meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on September 19, 2006, to hear charges that they have acted in breach of the FIA Statutes, the International Sporting Code and the 2006 Formula One Sporting Regulations," the FIA said in a statement

The FIA's action places the future of the Turkish Grand Prix in doubt, with the governing body taking such breaches of protocol very seriously.

In 1997 the Spanish circuit of Jerez was barred from hosting Formula One after the town's mayor disrupted a podium ceremony.

[Wizzo]

Update

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

The FIA have always taken breaches of their 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.