Historic European Rally Success for Castrol Ford Team Türkiye

The final round of the European Rally Championship, organised by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and made up of eight events, four on gravel and four on asphalt, was held in Latvia. At the end of the Rally Liepaja, the Castrol Ford Team Türkiye squad finished on 153 points to bring Turkey its first European rally title in the team category.
Team director Serdar Bostancı, whose squad brought Turkey its first European team title in rallying, said: "We are so happy, we still can't believe we are champions." Describing the shock of winning the title, Bostancı added: "This is the biggest success Turkey has ever achieved in motorsport. We had previously won the European Cup, which is the UEFA Cup of motorsport. This time we have won the Champions League. We are so happy, we still can't believe we are champions."
Recalling that the team had gone into the final event as leaders, Bostancı said: "These four days were very tough. In my last statement I said our title chances had dropped to 50 per cent. We fell from first to third, then became champions again on the final stage. We would like to thank TOSFED President Serkan Yazıcı. They supported us enormously. Motorsport in Turkey is experiencing a boom right now, and this success will give the sport even more momentum. The Turkish round of the World Rally Championship will be held, and our federation management secured that personally. Perhaps Formula 1 will come in the future. We have achieved a success we had long thirsted for and had never managed until now. From here on, our eyes are set on the World Rally Championship. Our goal will now be the world title."
MINISTER BAK CONGRATULATES CASTROL FORD TEAM TÜRKİYE
Our Minister of Youth and Sports, Osman Aşkın Bak, congratulated Castrol Ford Team Türkiye on winning the European Rally Championship teams classification.
In his message of congratulation to the team, who secured the teams title after the season-ending Rally Liepaja, Bak said:
"I congratulate Castrol Ford Team Türkiye, who made history in the European Rally Championship and brought our country its first team championship. I congratulate Murat Bostancı-Onur Vatansever, Buğra Banaz-Burak Erdener and Ümit Can Özdemir-Batuhan Memişyazıcı, who have carried our country's name to the fore in motorsport. I thank everyone who contributed to this success, which makes Turkey proud, and I hope our sportsmen and sportswomen will keep up their consistent performances in future events."PRESIDENT YAZICI: "A VERY PROUD ACHIEVEMENT FOR TURKEY"
TOSFED President Serkan Yazıcı said Castrol Ford Team Türkiye's European rally title was "a very proud achievement for Turkey". Congratulating the team on winning the European Rally Teams Championship, President Yazıcı said: "We are very happy. On behalf of both our country and our federation, we thank Castrol Ford Team Türkiye, who represented us in the championship: first of all team director Serdar Bostancı, and our competitors Murat Bostancı and Onur Vatansever, Buğra Banaz and Burak Erdener, and Ümit Can Özdemir and Batuhan Memişyazıcı. It is a very proud achievement for Turkey. I hope their successes continue."Stressing that Turkey has secured a place on the World Rally Championship calendar thanks to such achievements, Yazıcı said: "The World Rally Championship came to Turkey because we have teams and competitors who represent us successfully in Europe. Competing in the world championship in our own country alongside Turkish crews and drivers who have succeeded in Europe will be a great source of motivation for our competitors. Joining the World Championship with a team and drivers who are European champions is a major advantage for us." Noting that Castrol Ford Team Türkiye is a world-class team, Yazıcı added: "This was a three-year programme, but Ford Türkiye has been involved in Turkish motorsport for many years. I was racing for Ford in 2004. Individual successes will come from here on as well. We have a long road ahead. If we carry on like this, we will win more international success."