Turkey guilty, fined not banished.

The Turkish Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One schedule, despite having been found guilty of breaching the sport's podium protocols at last month's second running.

The World Motor Sport Council found against the National Sporting Authority of Turkey [TOSFED] and the organisers of the Turkish Grand Prix [MSO] on the count of infringing the 'political neutrality' that the FIA holds dear. The post-race ceremony saw Felipe Massa handed his trophy by Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, who was represented as the 'president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' - a region recognised only by Turkey itself. The elected Greek-Cypriot south of Cyprus forms the government recognised by the rest of the world.

The FIA also revealed at the time that the identities of the podium party had been delayed, leading to confusion over how to caption Talat's appearance on the rostrum.

Despite precedents - and messages from the FIA - suggesting no compromise for the violation, leaving Turkey potentially banished to the F1 wilderness for the incident, the drivers, in particular, will be grateful to learn that the race will retain its place among the summer schedule, with the WMSC deciding instead to fine the two organisations responsible for the 'incident' a combined total of $5 million.

The decision to offer Turkey a reprieve will also come as good news for both the World Rally and World Touring Car championships, which both have events to run in the country this year. Both events had been rumoured under threat should Turkey have been ostracised. Instead, all concerned appear to have got off rather more lightly than expected.