Formula 1 is returning to Istanbul Park starting from the 2027 season, after a six-year hiatus. The Turkish Grand Prix will be included in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar with a five-year agreement. Under this agreement, Istanbul Park will host races from 2027 until the end of the 2031 season.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak met at the Istanbul Atatürk Cultural Center to evaluate the preparations for the organization. During the meeting, in addition to the preparation process, coordination between institutions, national and international promotional activities, and steps to be taken in the upcoming period were discussed.

Istanbul Park for Five Seasons

With the return of the Turkish Grand Prix to the calendar, Istanbul Park will once again become one of Formula 1's regular stops. The five-year agreement covers not only the return in 2027 but also the hosting of races in Istanbul during the 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031 seasons.

Making a statement after the meeting, Ersoy stated that efforts are continuing to reunite Turkey's experience in major international organizations with Formula 1.

Ersoy said, “We are continuing our preparations to reunite Turkey's experience in international organizations with the excitement of Formula 1.”

Institutions Begin Preparations

Representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, the Spor Toto Organization Presidency, and the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation attended the meeting.

During the discussions, the tasks to be undertaken by the institutions and the coordination process for the Turkish Grand Prix to be held to international standards were evaluated. Efforts to promote the race in Turkey and international markets were also on the agenda.

New Era for the Turkish Grand Prix

Turkey first hosted the Formula 1 World Championship in 2005. Races at Istanbul Park continued until 2011. The track then returned to the Formula 1 calendar during the pandemic, hosting two more races in the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

The new era, starting in 2027, covers a five-season program, unlike the previous temporary return. Thus, Istanbul Park will retain its place on the Formula 1 calendar until the end of 2031.

The return of the Turkish Grand Prix is expected to increase Istanbul's visibility in international sports organizations, as well as contribute to the city's tourism promotion. Image: © AI-generated image