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ISTANBUL, TÜRKİYE - APR. 24, 2026: A special Formula 1 test drive and demonstration run took place on the streets of Istanbul on Friday Apr. 24 as part of the official announcement regarding the return of the Turkish Grand Prix to the Formula 1 calendarTürkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday that Istanbul Park will host high-profile races over five seasons between 2027 and 2031.Speaking at an event at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office in Istanbul marking Formula 1’s return to Türkiye, Erdogan said Istanbul Park will host thrilling, high-quality races with great viewing pleasure for five full seasons.The president stressed that he hopes Türkiye, “a country of motorsports,” will see its partnership with Formula 1 continue to strengthen in the coming years.Formula 1 will return to Türkiye after a six-year absence, with the Turkish Grand Prix included on the 2027 calendar of the world’s premier motorsport series.Istanbul Park will host a Formula 1 race for the 10th time next year, following previous stints between 2005-2011 and 2020-2021.The return will end a long wait for fans, as the 5.3-kilometer (3.3-mile) circuit in Istanbul once again prepares to welcome the sound of the revving F1 engines.First added to the calendar in 2005, the Turkish Grand Prix was held consecutively until 2011.It later returned during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 2020 run without spectators and the 2021 edition held at half capacity.A total of 12 drivers reached the podium across the nine races held at Istanbul Park, including Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen, and Sergio Perez.(Footage by Yunus Emre Günaydın - Melik Fırat Yücel - Metin Yüksel Kaya/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)