Istanbul can return on F1 calendar: Ecclestone

Ankara, Turkey: Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone says Istanbul could return to the F1 calendar. Ecclestone, quoted by Turkish newspaper Haber Turk on Wednesday, says both the teams and F1's governing body, FOA, were "happy" with Turkey.

Turkey joined the F1 calendar in 2005 but the race attracted poor attendances due to high ticket prices and difficulty of access to the venue.

It was dropped from the 2012 calendar when Turkey and the FOA failed to reach an agreement on the fee to stage the race.

Ecclestone told Haber Turk: "If we can solve this problem, Turkey can return to the F1 calendar."

Many drivers have said they enjoy Istanbul's testing circuit, which boasts the 640-meter long Turn Eight.