Turkish Grand Prix Could Return to Formula 1 in 2026 as FIA Eyes Istanbul Park Replacement

Turkey was already booked for a 2027 return as part of a five-year deal that runs through 2031. Pulling that forward by a season would patch the calendar without forcing F1 to reinvent the wheel. Istanbul Park has the layout, the paddock infrastructure, and the recent track record. The circuit stepped up during the pandemic years when nobody else could, and it sits well outside the conflict zone.

A few scenarios are on the table. One slots a race into the open weekend between Azerbaijan and Singapore on Oct. 2-4. Another stacks four straight races at the end of the year and pushes Abu Dhabi to Dec. 13. The FIA’s logistical preference is still to bring Bahrain back, and Saudi officials are leaning hard on Jeddah being reinstated late in the season for commercial reasons.

Ben Sulayem was blunt about the bigger picture.

“Sport can wait. What is more important? Human beings or motorsport?” he said. “God forbid, if this continues until October or November, we simply won’t have to go, because safety comes first.”

Yet, he’s considering it.

For American fans who just got their Miami fix, an extra race on the back half of the calendar would be welcome. For F1, Istanbul is the cleanest fix on the board. Whether it actually happens depends on factors that have nothing to do with a steering wheel.

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