F1 to race in Istanbul next month without fans

Next month's Turkish Grand Prix will be held without spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Istanbul government said on Monday.

The race, the 14th of 17 in Formula One this season, will return to Istanbul after a nine year absence on November 15.

But varying health conditions across the world have resulted in fluctuating degrees of fan attendance for the closing stages of the season.

Events in Tuscany's Mugello circuit held around 2,000 fans while the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi drew 30,000 on September 27.

Organisers of Germany's Nuerburgring race agreed on Monday to allow up to 20,000 fans for this weekend's race.

But the Istanbul government said a meeting of its health council had "decided for the race in question to be held without spectators".

Turkey has registered nearly 325,000 coronavirus infections and more than 8,400 deaths.