A disagreement over the cost to host a race led to Turkey falling off the calendar ahead of the 2012 season.
A return during the covid interrupted season of 2020 led to a fascinating race, where Lewis Hamilton was crowned world champion for the seventh time and Sebastian Vettel featured on a podium for Ferrari for the last time.
It helped to reignite a love for the Istanbul circuit which many fans had forgotten about.
Its iconic triple left hander was a fantastic sight to behold in the modern era of cars, and if F1 does return to Turkey, there’s a guarantee that it will continue to leave fans in awe of the high-speed section.
The Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism has earmarked a return to Formula 1 for the country from 2026 at a conference.
He revealed that the contracting process for organising and hosting an event in Istanbul will begin soon as the country sets about bringing the pinnacle of motorsport back.
F1 yarışları İstanbul’a geliyor!
Bakanımız @MehmetNuriErsoy, Formula 1 yarışlarının 2026 yılı itibarıyla Türkiye'ye getirilmesiyle ilgili kontratlama sürecinin başlayacağını açıkladı. pic.twitter.com/T9gvmUkfrv
— T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı (@TCKulturTurizm) April 30, 2024