F1’s governing body has excused the Turkish motor sports federation, TOSFED, for refusing to pay half of the $5m fine handed down after the grand prix podium debacle last year.
MSO, the actual organisers of last August’s Istanbul race, paid $2.5m to the FIA last October, after Felipe Massa was handed his winner’s trophy by a controversial political figure.
The record fine was imposed because the FIA said its “neutrality” had been compromised.
But the MSO refused to pay the remaining $2.5m because it said it had not had any role in the decision to let the disputed leader of northern Cyprus present the trophy.
Associated Press reports that TOSFED spokeswoman Sinem Erdogdu confirmed on Wednesday that the FIA had annulled the balance of the fine after a meeting in Paris, but said she did not know the reason for the decision.
The news has not been confirmed by the FIA.
