MOTOR SPORT:THERE IS a streak of insanity in the world of Formula One, but this week in Istanbul, a city with its own complicated personality split by the Bosphorus, it has seemed in imminent danger of surpassing even its extremes.
Part sport, part trade fair and part raucous fashion parade, F1 has been kept on track by the collective will of its many watchers and the astounding juggling skills of Bernie Ecclestone.
But there is an increasing awareness that the 80-year-old Ecclestone will not go on forever. He has run his exorbitant roost for more than three decades, but is distracted by an investigation by German authorities into alleged bribes in connection with the purchase of F1 by the private equity firm CVC in 2005.
This week there have been more reports of takeover talks suggesting Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, together with Italy’s Agnelli dynasty, the owners of Fiat and Ferrari, are hoping to wrest control from CVC.
There is renewed speculation too that this may be Turkey’s last race, even though the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, opened only six years ago, is one of the best on the calendar.
And, despite the deadline for a decision on the future of this year’s Bahrain Grand Prix being postponed until next month, there are ridiculous mutterings the race may be resurrected; the season’s March pipe-opener was cancelled in an uncharacteristic moment of common sense, given the violent civil unrest in the country.
Rumour, as much as the specially refined fuel, energises this giddy circus and, on the eve of the Turkish Grand Prix, rumour has never been so rife.
And all the time there is a self-importance about the sport that borders on solipsism; it is full of charming, bright young men.
Istanbul Park is traditionally billed as F1’s return to Europe, even though it takes place on the Asian side of this opulent city. On arrival yesterday there were more security guards than spectators.
It has been Ecclestone’s genius to persuade various governments that they are in urgent need of a grand prix. So another stadium is erected on some wasteland far removed from the main city; there are now a herd of these white elephants scattered across the globe.
It is hardly surprising few bother to turn up at Bahrain, South Korea, Valencia, Malaysia, China and Turkey, while traditional centres, such as France, Portugal and South Africa are now off the schedule.
But at least the poor turnout in the build-up yesterday made it easier to get to one of the sport’s saner voices. John Booth is team principal of the unfailingly genial Virgin team, who live at the far end of the paddock, well away from the big names, McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari.
In relation to the takeover talks, Booth said: “Sometimes the speculation is put out there for political reasons so we don’t try to second-guess what people are up to – especially people with the nous of Bernie Ecclestone. So we concentrate on what we can control.
“Even with the talk of the sale of Formula One we don’t know whether it’s a red herring or there is genuine interest or even the possibility. Obviously we crave stability and sustainability. The sustainability is driven by the TV figures and as far as I understand they’re as strong as ever, if not getting stronger.”
Like most people in the sport, he is strongly opposed to the idea of F1 moving to Sky. “I think it would be a disaster for F1 to go on to pay-for-view. I’m not a fan of pay-for-view for any sport. I love my boxing but I wouldn’t pay for it. I think it works great on the BBC and it would be fantastic to see it stay there. They’re pretty lucky, of course, because the racing over the past two years has been really exciting.”
Meanwhile, on the track, Jenson Button was fastest in practice yesterday after admitting he had been taking driving lessons from girlfriend Jessica Michibata.
Button, who won here in 2009 and was second last year, dominated the dry afternoon session after Sebastian Vettel had crashed out in the rain in the morning.
The McLaren driver, who parked in the Red Bull pit bay during the last race in China, said: “The missus took the piss out of me quite a bit. She’s teaching me how to park.
“She can’t drive either. She passed her test two years ago and she hasn’t driven since. I have just bought her a car. It’s a nice little Mini Cooper cabriolet, which is an awesome bit of kit. ”
Button took advantage of the absence of Vettel, whose car was badly damaged in the morning, to edge past Nico Rosberg in the second practice session. Vettel ran wide on turn eight, a triple-apex left-hander, and crashed into the barriers.
Button’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton was third, followed by Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber.
