Sunday’s opening two stage of Rally Turkey have been cancelled by organisers on safety grounds.
Sections of the 16.79km Deniz (SS18) and the 21.32km Mudarli (SS19) stages have a clay, rather than gravel, base and after rain overnight organisers felt the conditions were unsuitable for rallying.
A statement issued by the organisers this morning read:
"SS18 Deniz 1: Due to heavy rain and muddy conditions of the stage, the clerk of the course decides to run the stage as a road section. All the competitors will use the alternative road book 3 from Denizli to Mudarli."
Soon after organisers confirmed that SS19 had been abandoned for the same reason.