F1 announce return of iconic circuit made famous by Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton in front of the Turkey flag — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 announce return of iconic circuit made famous by Lewis Hamilton

An F1 track will be back on the calendar after more than half-a-decade away

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Friday 24 April 2026 14:07

Formula 1 have announced the return of a grand prix made famous by one of Lewis Hamilton's most iconic wins.

The sport have confirmed that from 2027 the Turkish Grand Prix will be back on the F1 calendar until 2031, as part of a new five-year agreement.

The track based in Istanbul will feature on the next calendar to be published for the 2027 season marking a surprise comeback for the circuit.

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On the news, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "I regard Turkiye’s return to the Formula 1 calendar as a clear reflection of the strong confidence placed in our country.

"We will once again fulfil this trust by delivering a flawless organisation in every respect, just as we have done in the past. I extend my sincere congratulations to everyone who has contributed to bringing Formula 1 back to our country and to Istanbul."

F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali added: "We are delighted to be returning to the incredible and vibrant city of Istanbul from 2027 to thrill all our fans in Turkiye and around the world on one of the most exciting and challenging circuits in Formula 1.

"Many memorable moments have been made in our sport’s history at Istanbul Park and I’m excited to begin the next chapter of our partnership, giving fans the opportunity to experience even more incredible racing in a truly fantastic location."

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem also weighed in on the Turkish GP return, saying: "Formula 1’s return to Turkiye is a powerful reflection of the continued global growth and appeal of our sport, and I am delighted to see the Turkish Grand Prix rejoin the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar.

"Istanbul Park is a circuit that holds a special place in Formula 1 history, and its return underlines our shared commitment to expanding the championship in dynamic markets."

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When was the first Turkish Grand Prix?

Istanbul Park made its debut in 2005 and became the first grand prix to ever be hosted in Turkey.

Kimi Raikkonen won the inaugural race for McLaren, and the track was praised for its technical layout.

With three victories, Felipe Massa is the record winner at the track, after triumphing three races in a row for Ferrari between 2006 and 2008.

F1 Turkish Grand Prix Winners
Year	Driver	Team
2005	Kimi Raikkonen	McLaren
2006	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
2007	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
2008	Felipe Massa	Ferrari
2009	Jenson Button	Brawn
2010	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren
2011	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull
2020	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2021	Valtteri Bottas	Mercedes

Why is Istanbul Park's Turn 8 hard?

Istanbul Park is highlighted by the famous Turn 8 corner which contains four apexes and sees drivers enter at 155mph and pulling nearly 4G.

Lewis Hamilton who has won at the track twice has previously explained the challenges of the corner.

“You enter it on full throttle, and once in it is a corner where you are continuously building up lateral G-force," Hamilton explained.

"And you really have to be quite precise with the line that you take. It is also important how much minimum speed you carry through the whole corner, as you carry it all the way down the next straight."

History of the Turkish Grand Prix

The race was staged every year from 2005 until 2011 before it was dropped for financial reasons. Organisers of the race felt the costs were too high and were unable to come to an agreement on continuing. Then F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone blamed the lack of profitability on poor marketing.

The race returned to help fill the calendar in 2020 after the Covid 19 pandemic and stayed for another year before again dropping off the calendar, before its return again after six years.

Where did Lewis Hamilton win his last F1 world title?

Lewis Hamilton took his seventh and currently last Formula 1 title at the Turkish Grand Prix in 2020.

Hamilton started from sixth on a day when he knew a victory would guarantee him the world championship. Lance Stroll took a surprise pole position for Racing Point in cold and wet conditions, made even worse by a newly laid track providing little grip under the circumstances.

As many drivers tiptoed around the track, Stroll was still in control of the race before pitting after 35 laps. The Canadian and many others pitted for new intermediate tyres but Hamilton stayed out on aging intermediates.

Rather than being chased down, Hamilton's tyres looked best suited to tackle the greasy track and in the end he built up a 30-second lead over Sergio Perez to win the race and clinch the championship with one of his best ever drives.

Written by

Dan Ripley - Global Editor

I've been a massive F1 fan since the mid 1990s and continue to study the history of the sport long before that. As an experienced motor sport reporter covering F1, MotoGP and the LeMans 24 Hour race, being part of GPFans has allowed me to work with a diverse team with all sorts of different backgrounds in watching the sport and given me a greater appreciation of F1.

View full biography

F1 Lewis Hamilton Turkish Grand Prix