Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan officially announced on Friday the return of Formula 1 to Istanbul, with a schedule that calls for the F1 championship to return to the legendary Istanbul Park circuit starting in 2027.
The agreement, which was unveiled on April 24 at an event — held at the Turkish president’s office in Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace — and attended by Erdoğan himself, as well as Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, provides for races to be held in Turkey for “at least 5 years,” according to statements made by the Turkish President himself and reported by the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet.
Istanbul, one of the favorite circuits among F1 fans, will thus once again host races in this international competition. “I believe that the return of Formula 1 starting in 2027 will bring significant value to the championship. The Istanbul Park will host very exciting races over five seasons, from 2027 to 2031,” Erdoğan said during the public announcement.
As part of the event, a single-seater race car drove through the center of Istanbul from Galataport — the cruise ship port of Istanbul — passing through Karaköy and Beşiktaş until reaching Dolmabahçe, thus offering a symbolic preview of the announced return of the championship to the Turkish metropolis.
Istanbul Park: the favorite circuit of F1 drivers and fans
“We are very happy that Formula 1, which has millions of fans, is returning to Istanbul. We will enjoy not only the competition, but also Türkiye,” said Formula One President Stefano Domenicali. As part of the preparations for the competition’s return to Turkey, modernization work on the circuit will be carried out, along with renovations to the facilities and other projects aimed at improving the championship’s environmental sustainability.
With a total length of 5.338 kilometers and characterized by its iconic Turn 8, the Istanbul Park circuit — which hosted F1 races between 2005 and 2011, and again in 2020 and 2021 — is one of the favorite tracks for both drivers and fans of the sport.
The last Formula 1 race in Istanbul took place in 2021
The Turkish GP was held for the first time in 2005 in Istanbul and quickly became one of the most popular events on the Formula One calendar. Kimi Räikkönen won the inaugural race with McLaren, marking a standout debut for the Eurasian country in the competition.
In subsequent years, the F1 circuit became a particularly favorable venue for Felipe Massa and Ferrari, with three consecutive victories in 2006, 2007, and 2008, until Turkey bid farewell to Formula 1 after being dropped from the calendar in 2012. After a brief return earlier this decade, the last race in Istanbul took place in 2021, when Valtteri Bottas secured a victory with Mercedes.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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