Istanbul Park to rejoin F1 calendar from 2027

Istanbul Park will return to the Formula One calendar from 2027 under a deal that runs for at least five years, according to an announcement by the Turkish presidency on Friday. The agreement follows years of talks aimed at restoring a Turkish Grand Prix to the schedule.

 

The deal was formalized in Istanbul with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan present alongside F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Officials presented the arrangement as a long-term commitment that brings the sport back to a venue that has previously staged multiple F1 events.

 

Istanbul Park, located on the Asian side of Istanbul, hosted Formula One races from 2005 to 2011 and later returned for two seasons in 2020 and 2021. The new agreement sets the circuit up for a sustained presence on the calendar beginning in 2027, rather than the short-notice returns seen earlier in the decade.

 

The circuit’s re-entry is tied to a separate operational arrangement. Can Bilim Egitim Kurumlari AS secured a 30-year operational lease for Istanbul Park in 2024 for approximately $117.8 million. The lease included a requirement to secure a long-term Formula One agreement by 2026, linking the venue’s management plan to a deadline for concluding an F1 deal.

 

In February, Stefano Domenicali said Istanbul Park was close to returning to the calendar, and he suggested it could come back in rotation with an existing race. He also indicated that Formula One intended to keep the season capped at 24 races, framing Istanbul’s return within the sport’s broader scheduling limits.

 

Turkish officials said the Turkish Grand Prix’s reintroduction is expected to strengthen Istanbul’s international profile and support Turkey’s positioning as a regional hub. The announcement places the event within a wider effort to use major global sports fixtures to elevate visibility and attract international attention.

 

Some operational details were not specified in the announcement, including which event could rotate with Istanbul Park if a rotation model is used, and how the calendar cap of 24 races will be managed once the 2027 season is finalized. Further clarity is also expected on the practical rollout of the five-year minimum term and how it aligns with the lease’s longer 30-year horizon.