MOTOR RACING: Turkey’s Istanbul Park to host F1 for at least five years starting 2027

Turkey's Istanbul Park circuit will return to the Formula One calendar from 2027 for at least five years, F1 and the Turkish presidency said on Friday (April 24), marking the culmination of Turkey's years-long campaign to return to the sport.

President Tayyip Erdogan, F1 Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali and the president of the sport's governing body FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, officially announced the agreement at an event in Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace, as a promotional F1 car roared through the streets of Turkey's biggest city.

In a statement, F1 said it had reached an agreement with the Turkish government for Istanbul Park to host grands prix through the 2031 season, while Eren Uclertopragi, president of Turkey's Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED), said preparations were underway for the 2027 race.

"We are delighted to be returning to the incredible and vibrant city of Istanbul from 2027 to thrill all our fans in Türkiye and around the world on one of the most exciting and challenging circuits in Formula 1," Domenicali said.

Erdogan said F1's return was a reflection of the "strong confidence" placed in Turkey and its organisational capacity, adding he hoped Turkey's partnership with F1 would grow further in coming years as Istanbul hosts five "exciting, high-quality races" until 2031.

Ben Sulayem said Turkey's return was a "powerful reflection" of the global growth and appeal of F1 and secured the long-term future of the sport in Turkey, adding it held a "special place" in F1's history.

The 14-turn circuit on the Asian side of Istanbul is popular with drivers and fans but last hosted a race in 2021 as a stand-in during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also hosted grands prix between 2005 and 2011, as well as in the 2020 season when Lewis Hamilton won the race to clinch his seventh world championship, equalling Michael Schumacher's record.

While Turkey continued negotiations to return to the sport after the 2021 grand prix, talks stalled from 2022 partly due to the tens of millions of dollars needed to secure an agreement that competitors, such as Qatar, were able to finance.

But in 2024, Can Bilim Egitim Kurumlari A.S., part-owned by F1 tyre provider Pirelli's Turkish branch chairman Lale Cander, earned rights to operate the Istanbul Park circuit for a 30-year period for some $117.8 million, with a contractual task to bring F1 back by 2026.

In February, Domenicali had confirmed that Istanbul Park was close to a return to the calendar, and added that the number of rounds in the season would still be capped at 24.

The 5.3 km-long circuit boasts the famous multi-apex turn 8, which marks a test of drivers' precision and commitment as they try to maintain speed and balance through the long and sweeping left-hander.

The most recent winner at Istanbul Park was Valtteri Bottas in 2021 with Mercedes, who alongside Hamilton, is one of only two current drivers to have won the grand prix.

-Ali Kucukgocmen/Reuters