Turkish Grand Prix to Return to Formula 1 from 2027 Under Five-Year Agreement
Introduction
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on April 24, 2025, that the Istanbul Park circuit will return to the Formula 1 calendar for a five-year period from 2027 to 2031, ending a six-year absence from the championship.
Main Body
The announcement was made at an event attended by Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Istanbul Park, a 5.33-kilometer circuit on the Asian side of Istanbul, has hosted nine Grands Prix in the past: seven consecutive races from 2005 to 2011, and two more during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The 2020 race was notable because Lewis Hamilton won his seventh world championship there, equaling Michael Schumacher''s record. Valtteri Bottas won the most recent race in 2021. In total, 12 drivers have stood on the podium at this circuit. The return follows a long campaign by Turkish authorities. In 2024, Can Bilim Egitim Kurumlari AS, a company partly owned by Lale Cander (who is also chairwoman of Pirelli''s Turkish branch), acquired a 30-year operating lease for Istanbul Park for approximately $117.8 million. The deal required securing a long-term Formula 1 agreement. Negotiations, carried out together with the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED), initially stalled but later resumed. In February 2025, Domenicali confirmed that a return was close. Erdogan stated that the agreement shows confidence in Turkey''s organizational ability and infrastructure. He noted that Formula 1 has a large following in Turkey, with about 19 million viewers and 7.5 million social media followers. Communications Director Burhanettin Duran described the deal as a success for Turkish sports diplomacy. Furthermore, the addition of the Turkish Grand Prix will not increase the 2027 calendar beyond 24 races. It replaces the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, which is ending its run, and is part of a rotation system for the Spanish and Belgian Grands Prix. Portugal is also returning with a two-year deal.
Conclusion
The return of the Turkish Grand Prix confirms a long-term effort to bring Istanbul Park back to the Formula 1 schedule. The circuit will host races for at least five seasons starting in 2027.