Trip Planner
Introducing the Turkish Grand Prix
Sunday December 6 2026
What to expect in this guide
• Where is Istanbul Park?
• What’s the circuit like?
• How many days should you plan for?
• How does a race weekend work?
• Best booking resources for F1 trips
Estimated Reading Time: 3-4 minutes
The Turkish Grand Prix returns to the Formula 1 calendar from 2027, racing once again at Istanbul Park. The circuit is in the Tuzla district on the Asian side of Istanbul, around 50 km southeast of the city centre and just a few kilometres from Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
Istanbul Park is a permanent road circuit designed by Hermann Tilke. It runs anti-clockwise across 14 corners and 5.34 km, with significant elevation changes through the lap.
The circuit’s headline corner is Turn 8, a long, multi-apex left-hander taken at very high speed. It’s one of the longest corners on the Formula 1 calendar and one of the most physically demanding, with sustained high G-forces through the corner. Felipe Massa, who won three consecutive Turkish Grands Prix at the venue from 2006 to 2008, has called Turn 8 “a very special corner.” Nico Rosberg, who raced six Turkish Grands Prix between 2006 and 2011, said: “If I had to create a fantasy F1 circuit Turn 8 would most definitely be included.”
Most overtaking at Istanbul Park happens at Turn 12, where a long straight ends in a heavy braking zone. The final sector is a sequence of slow corners before the line, and overtakes here have decided races as late as the final lap.
The Formula 1 sessions run alongside support races. The full schedule is published on F1.com about four weeks before the race.
How many days should you spend at the Turkish Grand Prix?
Plan for three full days, Friday to Sunday, to see every Formula 1 session and the support races.
Turkish Grand Prix weekend schedule at a glance
A typical Formula 1 weekend runs Friday to Sunday. Friday is practice. Saturday is final practice and qualifying. Sunday is the Grand Prix.
Each year, a handful of Grand Prix follow a sprint format. On a sprint weekend, Friday includes practice and sprint qualifying. Saturday includes the sprint race and Grand Prix qualifying. Sunday is still the Grand Prix. Sprint weekends rotate around the calendar each season, so check the current year’s schedule on F1.com.
Best booking resources for F1 trips
Planning the trip is the fun part for some and a chore for others.
If you would rather not handle all the details yourself, we can do that for you.
Take a look at our Grand Prix ticket & travel packages »
Prefer to do it all yourself? You’re welcome to take everything you’ve learned here and book your own trip. These are good places to start. They’re reliable, easy to use, and usually the best value.
Tickets
Grand Prix Tickets is the agency I’ve trusted for years. They’ve always been reliable, easy to deal with, and quick to help if something comes up.
Hotels
ZenHotels is one of my go-to sites for hotel bookings. It pulls prices from many smaller sites you might not know about, which makes it good for finding deals. I also check Expedia and Booking.com when I want more options.
Excursions
Viator is full of walking tours, attraction tickets, and local experiences. It’s especially handy if you’re heading to a new Grand Prix city. It’s a good place to find extras to add to your trip.
Getting to the Turkish Grand Prix
In this guide you'll learn about how to get to Istanbul for the Turkish Grand Prix.
Where to Stay for the Turkish Grand Prix
In this guide we'll help you choose the best place to stay during your trip to the Turkish Grand Prix.
Choosing a Grandstand at the Turkish Grand Prix
In this guide we'll help you choose the right grandstand for your Turkish Grand Prix experience.
Getting Around at the Turkish Grand Prix
In this guide you'll learn about the different options for getting around during the Turkish Grand Prix.
