Turkey to be dropped from 2010 calendar

On the face of it, F1 recently presented a healthy 19 race dates for the 2010 calendar.

But so many of those venues are under a cloud: Canada and Germany are subject to the signing of contracts, Britain's two alternative circuits are not guaranteed races, Spa's racing license has been revoked, and South Korea's new venue is only half built.

Meanwhile, the latest uncertainty surrounds the May 30 allocation for the 2010 Turkish grand prix. Istanbul is therefore due to host a race within days of the Monaco GP, and the logistical impracticality of that prospect has been discussed this weekend by the FOTA group.

According to rumours, the most likely outcome is that the race, promoted currently by Bernie Ecclestone but not expected to retain a long-term presence on the calendar, is dropped altogether.

Officially, the Turkish GP, criticised for attracting so small a crowd earlier this year, is due to move to June 6 if the negotiations with Montreal fall through, which would give teams a more feasible time-frame to travel to the venue.

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BMW Vision ED Concept Slated for 2012 as M1 Green Drive

A new report has surfaced indicating that BMW will build a production version of the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept.

Set to revive the legendary M1 name, the fuel efficient supercar will reportedly adopt the concept's aggressive styling and advanced powertrain. Inside, the car will feature a three-dimensional head-up display, a "digital dash" and a two-plus-two seating arrangement.

Like the VED concept, the M1 will be powered by a three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and an electric motor. While details are limited, the combined output is expected to be more than 350 bhp and 800 Nm of torque. If these figures are correct, the M1 will likely accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than five seconds, before hitting an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

According to an Auto Express source, the engine is almost production ready and some of the hybrid components will be taken from the X6 ActiveHybrid.

If BMW is planning on production, look for a launch in 2012.

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