F1, 2027 calendar being decided: Turkish GP return likely
The 2026 World Championship has yet to begin, but Formula 1 is already looking beyond. In recent weeks, in fact, Istanbul has made progress in bringing Turkey back to the Circus calendar. Some local sources consider a five-year deal starting from 2027 a done deal: nothing is final yet, but things are moving towards the return of Istanbul Park.
Read more Mercedes power unit step for McLaren, Williams and Alpine in Melbourne
Recently, F1 president Stefano Domenicali, when questioned on the matter, replied with “Turkey is not yet 100% confirmed, but stay tuned“. Also interesting is what the Imola native stated afterwards: “This is also an answer to those who claim there are too many street circuits. The new arrivals are not street circuits but tracks with a tradition and a great racing background“.
What’s at stake is the calendar slot made vacant by the “merger” of Spa-Francorchamps and Montmeló, which will alternate starting next season. Turkey has worked for a long time to fill the gap, and certainly Domenicali’s words confirmed the advanced state of negotiations; however, it cannot be ruled out that Istanbul will also return to Formula 1 as part of the rotation system, following Barcelona’s example, “pairing up” with other circuits currently out of the World Championship but which have investment plans to improve their facilities. Tracks that Domenicali cut not without regret, despite the image he enjoys among many fans. But that, precisely, remains an image. The F1 president has never excluded circuits with a strong tradition out of hand, but has demanded that history meet modernity: those who have invested or will invest to improve themselves, like Monza or the Hungaroring, resist the wave of requests to host a GP and remain on the calendar.
Whether it enters the rotation system or is a permanent fixture, the choice of Turkey would have its logic. First of all, because the circuit is appreciated by those in the industry. Furthermore, it is a growing market that is also investing heavily in other sports and has a strong automotive industry: it is currently the 13th country in the world by number of vehicles produced, most of which are exported to the European Union. Not even the authoritarian path taken under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be a major problem for Formula 1, which has recently signed agreements with several countries that are not the brightest examples of democracy.
Read more Energy alert in Australia: the numbers
