The Istanbul Park circuit will host races again after its successful return during the pandemic, the track, compared to Interlagos and Spa, stands out for its famous Turn 8. The last winner was Valtteri Bottas in 2021.
Formula 1 will recover an iconic venue from the 2027 season onwards. The International Automobile Federation and the category's organization sealed a five-year agreement with Turkey's Ministry of Youth and Sports for the Grand Prix to return to the calendar. The event will take place at the spectacular Istanbul Park circuit, located approximately 45 kilometers from the capital.
The Turkish track had already made a brief return during the pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, the circuit hosted two memorable editions: the first saw Lewis Hamilton deliver a historic performance, equalling Michael Schumacher's record of seven world titles by winning the race; the following year, Valtteri Bottas, the current Cadillac driver, took the victory.
Istanbul Park is not just any circuit, experts compare it to two temples of motorsport: Interlagos (Brazil) and Spa Francorchamps (Belgium). The reason lies in its design, which combines pronounced elevation changes and a succession of challenging corners, the crown jewel is the famous Turn 8, a multi apex left hander, ultra fast, that descends downhill at increasing speed, the image of an F1 car flying through that section is considered one of the most impactful in the sport.
But Turn 8 is not the only attraction, the left hand turn at Turn 1 recalls the famous "Corkscrew" at Laguna Seca, due to its sharp drop, in addition, the track has a long back straight that offers an overtaking opportunity at Turn 12, combined with a set of medium and low speed corners that demand technically flawless driving.
The numbers support the return: Formula 1 has experienced impressive growth in Turkey in recent years, currently, the sport has more than 19 million followers in the country and more than 7.5 million interactions on social media. According to official data, Instagram followers grew 25% year over year, while YouTube views increased 107%.
The list of winners at Istanbul Park includes several world champions, the driver with the most wins is Felipe Massa, who triumphed in 2006, 2007 and 2008 with Ferrari. Kimi Räikkönen, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button also scored wins, the circuit is also remembered for being the scene of Lance Stroll's only pole position in his career.
For archive lovers, the 2006 edition left an unforgettable duel between Schumacher and Alonso, who crossed the finish line separated by just 81 thousandths of a second, and for those seeking drama, the crash between Vettel and Webber in 2010 remains a classic moment.
The exact date of the race on the 2027 calendar will be known when the official schedule is published later in the year.