Formula One assessing travel situation for Turkish Grand Prix

Formula One is keeping a close eye on the situation in Turkey after the British government on Friday placed the country on a red list for travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The red list designation meant travel to Turkey was allowed only in "the most extreme circumstances" and anyone returning had to pay for compulsory hotel quarantine.

"We are aware of the announcement made by the UK government regarding travel restrictions for Turkey and are assessing the situation and will provide more details in the coming days," said a spokesman.

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Formula One has operated in a bubble since the pandemic, with exemptions granted for travel overseas and teams regularly tested with many staff also vaccinated.

The sport announced last month that Turkey's Istanbul Park circuit would replace Canada on the calendar with a grand prix on June 13.

Canada's race in Montreal was cancelled for the second year in a row due to a mandatory 14-day quarantine imposed on visitors.

The race in Istanbul would follow on from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku the weekend before so teams would not be travelling directly to Turkey from Britain.