Istanbul Park

Istanbul Park at a glance

Location

Istanbul, Istanbul Province

Type

road course

Length

5.338 km (3.317 mi)

Turns

14

Direction

counter-clockwise

Surface

asphalt

Opened

2005

Owner

Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü (General Directorate of Foundations); operated by TOSFED (Turkish Automobile Sports Federation) since June 2025, previously by Intercity from 2012-2024

Capacity

125,000

Address

Tuzla district

Phone

+90 533 938 00 10

Website

intercitypark.com

Track map and layout

Istanbul Park was designed by Hermann Tilke on rolling terrain on Istanbul's Asian side, using four distinct ground levels to create one of the most technically demanding lap sequences of his portfolio. It opens with a sharp downhill left, known informally as the Turkish Corkscrew, before running into the circuit's signature feature: Turn 8, a fast, sweeping four-apex corner nicknamed Diabolica that generates sustained high lateral loads and is widely regarded by drivers as one of the best corners in modern circuit design. The lap continues through an uphill kink on the back straight, informally called Faux Rouge, before returning to a start/finish straight of over 650 metres.

Named corners and sections

• Turn 8 (Diabolica). A fast, sweeping corner with four apexes that generates sustained high-speed cornering loads; widely praised by drivers and cited as an inspiration for similarly styled corners at other Tilke-designed circuits such as Circuit of the Americas.
• Turn 1 (Turkish Corkscrew). A sharp, downhill left-hander immediately after the front straight, the first major test of the lap.
• Faux Rouge. An uphill kink on the back straight, informally named after the famous Eau Rouge corner at Spa-Francorchamps.

Configurations

Events and race weekends

Formula 1 raced at Istanbul Park from 2005 to 2011 and returned for two pandemic-era races in 2020 and 2021, and the Turkish Grand Prix is contracted to return to the calendar for 2027-2031. In the years without F1, the circuit has hosted a varied international and domestic calendar including World Superbike, World Touring Car and World Rallycross rounds at different points, alongside GT Grand Finals events and Turkish national racing series.

Getting there and parking

Istanbul Park is about 60 km from central Istanbul but only around a 10-minute drive from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport on the Asian side, making it comparatively convenient despite the distance from the city centre. Public transport options include city bus routes (such as the 132/132D) and dolmuş minibuses serving Tuzla, though a taxi or rental car from Sabiha Gökçen is the most practical route for most visitors.

• Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) · about 10 min drive
• Istanbul Airport (IST) · about 75 min drive

Parking

On-site parking is available at the circuit for event days.

Fly into Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) rather than the newer Istanbul Airport (IST) if possible; it sits on the same Asian side as the circuit and cuts the drive to around 10 minutes versus well over an hour from IST.

Hotels and camping near Istanbul Park

A handful of hotels sit close to the circuit in Tuzla, including options near the Marmara Sea coast, but the area has a much smaller hotel base than central Istanbul, so during any future Grand Prix weekend demand is expected to push many visitors toward the city's Asian-side districts or across to the European side.

Where to look

Tuzla (closest to the circuit, limited but growing hotel supply including Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn properties); wider Asian-side Istanbul and central Istanbul (larger hotel selection, roughly an hour or more from the circuit depending on traffic).

Track days, driving experiences and lap records

Istanbul Park has run public track days since 2013, open to both cars and motorcycles, with session lengths ranging from short 20-minute slots to half-day 2-hour and 4-hour bookings. Prices start from around 300 Turkish lira (roughly USD/EUR equivalent in single figures) for the shortest sessions, making it one of the more accessible former-F1 circuits for casual track time.

Who runs days here

• Intercity Istanbul Park Track Daysboth

Typical cost: Track day sessions from around 300 TRY for a short slot, up to half-day 2-4 hour bookings

Lap records

Spectator guide

Istanbul Park was built with F1-scale spectator capacity in mind, with a 25,000-seat main grandstand plus natural and temporary stands taking total capacity to around 125,000, considerably more than most circuits without regular F1 hosting duties carry today. The elevated, multi-level terrain gives many vantage points sweeping views across several corners at once, a legacy of the circuit's original Grade 1 design.

Seating

A 25,000-seat main grandstand sits along the front straight, supplemented by natural hillside viewing areas and temporary stands elsewhere on the property.

Best places to watch

Elevated natural viewing areas around Turn 8 (Diabolica) give a strong vantage point over the circuit's signature high-speed corner.

Weather

• October (historic F1 dates): mild autumn conditions, often wet; several historic Turkish Grands Prix were affected by rain

History of Istanbul Park

A Tilke design built for Formula 1

Istanbul Park broke ground in September 2003 and opened in August 2005, designed by Hermann Tilke on undulating terrain on Istanbul's Asian side. Its use of four distinct elevation changes across the lap, unusual for a purpose-built modern circuit, produced a layout widely praised by drivers, with the multi-apex Turn 8 in particular becoming one of the most respected corners in contemporary F1, and prompting Bernie Ecclestone to call it the best race track in the world during his period managing the venue.

Formula 1's uneven tenure

The Turkish Grand Prix ran at Istanbul Park from 2005 to 2011, producing closely fought races and strong driver reviews of the circuit itself, but the event struggled with poor attendance and financial difficulties, ultimately dropping off the calendar after 2011. F1 returned briefly in 2020 and 2021 as part of the pandemic-disrupted calendar's reshuffled schedule, staged largely to fill gaps left by cancelled races elsewhere, before the circuit again fell off the regular calendar. A new agreement has since been reached for the Turkish Grand Prix to return for a five-year run from 2027 to 2031.

Ownership changes and life without F1

Ownership of the circuit passed to Turkey's General Directorate of Foundations shortly after opening, while day-to-day operation changed hands several times, from Bernie Ecclestone's management company between 2007 and 2012, to the Intercity organisation from 2012 to 2024, and most recently to the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) from mid-2025. In the years without F1, the circuit has remained active hosting World Superbike, World Touring Car and World Rallycross rounds at various points, along with GT Grand Finals events, national Turkish racing series, and a long-running public track day programme open to both cars and motorcycles since 2013.

Frequently asked questions

Other tracks nearby

• Afyon Motor Sports Center · 258 km · motocross