F1 announced on Friday that the Turkish Grand Prix would return to the calendar for five seasons starting next year. The last race at Istanbul Park was held in 2021 and the 14-turn track has hosted nine F1 races in total.
“We are delighted to return to the incredible and vibrant city of Istanbul from 2027 to thrill all our fans in Turkey and around the world on one of the most exciting and challenging circuits in Formula 1,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.“As a city, Istanbul represents a cultural gateway between Europe and Asia, offering a unique combination of history and tradition with a cutting-edge approach to sport, business and entertainment.”
Turkey hosted Grand Prix races from 2005 to 2011, but had been off the F1 calendar until a temporary return in 2020. With Formula 1 needing to fill a revised calendar thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it held races at the track in 2020 and 2021. Lewis Hamilton won the 2020 race after starting sixth to clinch his seventh Formula 1 title. His then Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas won the following season.
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What races are being replaced?
F1 has the ability to expand the calendar to 25 races, but next year’s schedule will remain at 24 even with the additions of the Turkish Grand Prix and the return to Portimao for the Portuguese Grand Prix. Portugal also hosted a race for the last time in 2021.
The two new races will be held through rotations between tracks that have been pillars of the F1 calendar. The upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort this summer will be the last edition of that race for the foreseeable future. This season’s race will be the sixth consecutive year the track has been on the calendar after it had not held an F1 race since 1985.
Additionally, the Spanish Grand Prix and the Belgian Grand Prix are becoming events held every two years. The Belgian Grand Prix will remain on the calendar in 2027 before the Spanish Grand Prix takes its place in 2028.