WRC Returns to Turkey

The stars of the rally world and the WRC cars are set to return to Turkey after an eight-year absence…
Since taking office, TOSFED President Serkan Yazıcı has remained in close contact with FIA officials and WRC promoters. As you will remember, he signed a protocol in Barcelona that would have added Rally Turkey to the 2017 World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar, but after some team principals voiced negative opinions on the matter, Turkey's bid was not approved by the World Motor Sport Council.
The TOSFED officials, who have continued their determined efforts to bring the WRC, last held in Turkey in 2010, back to the country, have made very important progress. Indeed, WRC officials who visited Turkey last week spent three days carrying out detailed research and holding talks about the event planned in and around Muğla.
Most recently, at the teams' meeting held on 16 August ahead of Rallye Deutschland, all of the team principals voiced a positive view on Turkey's return to the WRC, meaning there is no longer any obstacle to the event appearing on the draft calendar. The 2018 WRC draft calendar will take its final form on 24 August and will be announced following the WRC Commission meeting. With no sporting obstacle left to approval by the World Motor Sport Council, the event's return to Turkey in 2018, after eight years, will give motorsport in the country a major boost.If it makes the draft calendar, Rally Marmaris, which will be held on 20-22 October this year, is planned to be organised as a dress rehearsal for the WRC. In that case, WRC teams could also take part in Rally Marmaris for testing purposes…Between 2003 and 2010, Turkey hosted a round of the World Rally Championship calendar on six occasions in total, five in Antalya and the last in Istanbul.