Even though several months are still left, rumors about possible returns of old racing tracks are beginning to circulate. Among the most illustrious is the Istanbul circuit in Turkey, which wants to secure a spot on the 2026 calendar.
Formula 1 has just kicked off the 2024 season, and we are about to face the fourth seasonal stage at the Suzuka circuit in Japan. In the meantime, several updates about the 2026 regulations are emerging, with the FIA issuing an updated draft of the Power Unit rules. However, several pieces are still missing, which are slowing down the teams’ work. What is happening in these hours, however, goes beyond the teams and involves more directly Formula 1 and Grand Prix organizers. In fact, it seems that Motor Racing Istanbul is strongly trying to bring Turkey back to the F1 calendar by 2026.
This news is reported by Reuters, which specifies the action carried forward by the new management of the Turkish circuit. A track that made its return in the 2020 and 2021 season after almost 10 years of absence from the premier motorsport series. However, the return was short-lived, as tens of millions of dollars were needed to keep the track on the calendar, and the previous organizers could not keep up with competitors (Qatar and Las Vegas).
From what has emerged in the last few hours, it seems that the tune has changed, with Turkey’s President Erdogan meeting the FIA president in March to discuss a possible return to the calendar. What would further support this hypothesis of a return is the company that won the bid to manage the circuit. This company also manages the Turkish subsidiary of Pirelli and has won the management bid for the track for the next 30 years for about 117.8 million dollars. According to Reuters, there have been attempts to contact the new owner of the circuit but without success.
Further confirmations come from statements by the Turkish Ministry of Tourism, which last month stated it would award the race to whoever had the capability to bring the sport back by 2026. Should the rumors of this operation become increasingly insistent, the new owners of the circuit would have a month to find the agreement through which to bring F1 back to Turkey.
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However, there would also be penalties within the bid, with the new operators having to pay 25% of the contract fee for every year Formula 1 is not hosted. Updates are awaited, but in a few days, some top executives from Liberty Media are expected in Turkey to inspect the state of the circuit and the track.
Source: f1ingenerale
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