MotoGP pulls out of Istanbul

Knowing all too well how Bernie Ecclestone operates and his history of bankrupting race promoters, MotoGP seems unlikely to return to Istanbul now that he has bought the circuit. The local Zaman newspaper is reporting that the Turkish Motorcycling Federation will be applying to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) to annul its contract for the MotoGP event because it cannot afford to fund the races any longer. The report quoted Bekir Yunus Ucar, the head of the federation who said that the joint support of the Ä°stanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Youth and Sports General Directorate was no longer enough to keep the event. "There are about eight countries already lined up to take over from Turkey," he said.