Legendary F1 track made famous by Lewis Hamilton ready for return

A track which holds some fond memories for seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton is eyeing up a return to the sport's calendar sooner rather than later.

The Turkish Grand Prix hasn't been held since 2021, when it replaced the Singapore Grand Prix on the Covid-19 affected calendar for that year.

The previous year had seen the race re-added to the schedule for the first time since 2011, also due to Covid restrictions on a number of other races, with Hamilton winning his record-equalling seventh title in a rain-affected race.

The Turkish Automobile Sports Federation, or TOSFED, recently took control of Istanbul Park, with president Eren Uclertopragi revealing plans for a long-term return to the sport rather than being used as a stop-gap in exceptional circumstances.

Turkish GP boss: Strong commitment to bring F1 back

Uclertopragi told Autosport: "Following our appointment by the government as the federation a few months ago, we have been in intensive discussions with F1 and FIA management.

“There is a strong commitment from the government to bring Turkey back into the Formula 1 calendar with a permanent and long-term agreement.

“As is known, the 2026 calendar has already been announced. Nevertheless, in the event that a race cannot be held for various reasons, we could host the Turkish Grand Prix.

“However, unlike during the pandemic, we do not want to host a one-off replacement race; instead, we aim to secure a place on the calendar through a long-term contract.”

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