Istanbul Park
Istanbul, Turkey · 9 races held
Race History
| Year | Grand Prix | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Turkish Grand Prix | Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes |
| 2020 | Turkish Grand Prix | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes |
| 2011 | Turkish Grand Prix | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull |
| 2010 | Turkish Grand Prix | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren |
| 2009 | Turkish Grand Prix | Jenson Button | Brawn |
| 2008 | Turkish Grand Prix | Felipe Massa | Ferrari |
| 2007 | Turkish Grand Prix | Felipe Massa | Ferrari |
| 2006 | Turkish Grand Prix | Felipe Massa | Ferrari |
| 2005 | Turkish Grand Prix | Kimi Räikkönen | McLaren |
About Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park, on the Asian side of Istanbul, opened in 2005 as one of Hermann Tilke's most acclaimed designs and immediately won praise from drivers as a genuine modern classic. It hosted the Turkish Grand Prix from 2005 to 2011, bringing Formula 1 to Turkey for the first time, before financial difficulties pushed the race off the calendar.
The circuit made a surprise return in 2020 and 2021 when the pandemic-disrupted seasons needed replacement venues, and both events delivered dramatic, rain-affected races. Running anticlockwise and laid out over hilly terrain, Istanbul Park earned a reputation as a flowing, demanding and well-loved track that many felt deserved a permanent place on the schedule.
Memorable Moments
- 2006: Felipe Massa took the first of three straight Istanbul wins, scoring his maiden Grand Prix victory for Ferrari and becoming the dominant figure at the venue.
- 2010: The Red Bull teammates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber collided while running first and second, a flashpoint in their tense intra-team rivalry that handed victory to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.
- 2020: In treacherous wet conditions on a slippery resurfaced track, Lewis Hamilton produced a masterful tyre-management drive to win and clinch his record-equalling seventh world championship.
- 2021: Valtteri Bottas dominated a damp race for Mercedes, while a strategy debate over Hamilton's tyre stop became a key talking point in his title battle.
Track Character
Istanbul Park's signature is Turn 8, a long, fast, downhill left-hander taken almost flat with multiple apexes that subjects drivers to sustained, punishing g-forces and stands among the most celebrated corners of the modern era. Running anticlockwise over significant elevation change, the lap flows through fast sweeps and changes of direction that reward commitment and aerodynamic grip, with the long straight into Turn 12 offering the main overtaking opportunity. Technically rewarding and physically demanding, it remains a firm favourite among drivers and fans who long for its return.