Formula 1 will return to Turkey starting next year: FIA, F1, and the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation has announced the return of the Turkish Grand Prix for five years, between 2027 and 2031, again at the Istanbul Park circuit, following a new agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The Istanbul Park circuit gained a reputation as one of the most demanding tracks due to dramatic elevation changes that challenged car performance, especially the multi-apex Turn 8. The Turkish Grand Prix was held for the first time in the country between 2005 and 2011, seeing Felipe Massa winning it three times in a row for Ferrari in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Then, it was reinstated in the 2020 and 2021 calendars as a last-minute addition in the shortened seasons due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with victories from Lewis Hamilton in 2020 and Valtteri Bottas in 2021. Turkey has earned the right of having a regular F1 Grand Prix, as the sports continues to grow with 19 million fans and 7.5 million followers on social media.