TURKISH TRACK 'WILL BE READY'

'Chamber of Commerce' president Murat Yalcintas denied that recent construction problems might put the brakes on the big event.

"We expect around 40,000 visitors ... for the race," he told the Zaman Daily Newspaper.

The press report said Yalcintas travelled to the Nurburgring last weekend and met with F1's Bernie Ecclestone.

In Autosport magazine, track designer Hermann Tilke also responded to the tales that the $70m facility is running gravely late.

"The only grain of truth," he said, "is that we had a delay of one month due to a ... tough winter.

"Everything will be ready." -GMM