Turkish Grand Prix to Return to Formula 1 Calendar from 2027 Under Five-Year Agreement
Introduction
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on April 24, 2025, that the Istanbul Park circuit will rejoin the Formula 1 calendar for a five-season period from 2027 to 2031, ending a six-year absence from the championship.
Main Body
The announcement was made at an event at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office in Istanbul, attended by Formula 1 Chief Executive Officer Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Istanbul Park, a 5.33-kilometer circuit located on the Asian side of Istanbul, has previously hosted nine Grands Prix: seven consecutive races from 2005 to 2011, and two additional races during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The 2020 race was notable for Lewis Hamilton securing his seventh world championship, equaling Michael Schumacher''s record. Valtteri Bottas won the most recent race in 2021. A total of 12 drivers have reached the podium at the circuit. The return follows a prolonged campaign by Turkish authorities. In 2024, Can Bilim Egitim Kurumlari AS, a company part-owned by Lale Cander (chairwoman of Pirelli''s Turkish branch), acquired a 30-year operating lease for Istanbul Park for approximately $117.8 million, with the condition of securing a long-term Formula 1 deal. Negotiations, conducted jointly 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 reflects confidence in Turkey''s organizational capacity and infrastructure. He noted that Formula 1 has a broad following in Turkey, with approximately 19 million viewers and 7.5 million social media followers. Communications Director Burhanettin Duran described the deal as a success for Turkish sports diplomacy. The addition of the Turkish Grand Prix will not expand the 2027 calendar beyond 24 races. It replaces the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, which is concluding its run, and is accommodated by a rotational arrangement for the Spanish and Belgian Grands Prix. Portugal also returns with a two-year deal.
Conclusion
The Turkish Grand Prix''s return formalizes a multi-year effort to reintegrate Istanbul Park into the Formula 1 schedule, with the circuit set to host races for at least five seasons starting in 2027.